Eataly Opens 7K-SF Outpost at JFK’s Terminal 8

Italian food market Eataly has successfully landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, the first of three Eataly outposts scheduled to arrive at JFK this year. The debut marks the first time the chain has opened inside a North American airport terminal.

The Italian restaurant and market opened late last month in a 6,879-square-foot location at JFK’s Terminal 8, according to an announcement from international airport operator ASUR Airports, which represented the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the deal. The length of the lease is for 12 years, while the asking rent was $250 per square foot, according to Traded, which first reported the lease. 

Michael Worthman, Ashley Hari and Alex Solomon from ASUR Airports represented the Port Authority in this deal. The ASUR representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and it is unclear who represented Eataly in the deal. 

Eataly’s new space at Terminal 8 combines a 5,526-square-foot full-service restaurant with a 1,353-square-foot wine bar and retail marketplace.

Two additional Eataly restaurants are set to open this year at JFK Airport at Terminal 4, a major departure point for Delta flights, and Terminal 5, used largely by JetBlue, according to the statement from ASUR Airports. The sizes and exact opening dates of those two Eataly locations are not known.

Terminal 8 is a hub for American Airlines and its alliance partners, including British Airways, Japan Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Global carriers such as Qatar Airlines, Finnair, Qantas and Cathay Pacific also operate out of the terminal.

“The addition of a new Eataly at JFK’s Terminal 8 is exactly what passengers have come to expect when they arrive in a region that is known around the world for extraordinarily diverse and outstanding dining,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said in a statement. “Iconic global brands like Eataly, operating alongside locally inspired concessions, will create a unique sense of place at JFK that will be nothing short of world class.”

JFK has been undergoing a years-long $19 billion revamp to several of its terminals in an effort to update and modernize the international airport, which opened July 1, 1948, as Idlewild Airport. The name was changed in late 1963 to honor President John F. Kennedy, who had been assassinated one month earlier.

“We were intentional about bringing a brand like Eataly into the airport conversation — one that resonates deeply with New Yorkers while carrying global recognition,” ​​Ian Carter, vice president for JFK at ASUR Airports, said in a statement. “Working closely with our partners, we helped shape an airport-ready expression of Eataly that delivers authenticity, quality and a true sense of place. Opening the first Eataly in a North American airport is a milestone, and it reflects the broader vision we have for transforming the passenger experience at JFK.”

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.