Airport hospitality group OTG has opened three New York dining brands at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 5, as part of an ongoing commercial redevelopment of the facility.
Melt Shop, The Halal Guys and Nom Wah Tea Parlor are now open in the terminal, offering food drawn from New York City’s restaurant culture.
“Airports can often feel rushed and transactional,” said OTG CEO Matt King. “Our goal is to create dining experiences that feel authentic and memorable, offering guests the same beloved brands they would seek out across New York City. Partnering with Melt Shop, The Halal Guys, and Nom Wah allows us to bring iconic flavors to Terminal 5 and give travelers a moment to pause, relax and enjoy great food.”
Melt Shop, founded in New York in 2011, is known for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, crispy chicken melts and hand-spun shakes. The Halal Guys, which began as a Midtown street cart, serves halal chicken and gyro platters with pita and its signature white sauce. Nom Wah, which first opened in Manhattan’s Chinatown in 1920, is the city’s oldest continuously operating dim sum restaurant, known for its handmade dumplings and classic dim sum dishes.
The openings are the result of OTG’s partnership with JetBlue and Fraport USA, which is developing the Terminal 5 refresh. Also involved in the concession development is Shri Krishna, a New York-based small business certified by the US Department of Transportation as an Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.
JFK International Airport general manager Teresa Rizzuto welcomed the additions, saying, “Congratulations to OTG for adding three distinctively New York dining experiences to JFK International Airport’s Terminal 5, where JetBlue and Fraport USA Inc. have launched a US$100m refresh of the airline’s flagship terminal. The addition of Melt Shop, The Halal Guys and Nom Wah Tea Parlor align with the Port Authority’s vision for a new JFK that will create a uniquely New York experience that will become an enjoyable part of the passenger journey.”
Jose Cuevas, VP of Fraport New York, added that the openings “mark meaningful progress in the T5 refresh, raising the standard for quality and the customer experience.”
The Terminal 5 refresh is part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s broader US$19bn transformation of JFK Airport. More than 40 new concessions are planned, including over 18 local food and beverage options, alongside amenities such as art installations and a redesigned center concourse. The first new concessions are expected to open this year, with the full improvements completed by year-end.
In related news, DFW International adds local and national brands to concessions line-up
