SSP America on Thursday unveiled a 3,528-square-foot food truck eatery at John F. Kennedy International’s (JFK) Terminal 4. The Five Borough Food Hall showcases some of New York City’s most authentic dishes.
The restaurant offers travelers four separate and distinctly different food stations as well as a full service bar. SSP America calls the concept a “a celebration of the streets’ gastronomic landscape.” The venue features open, interactive kitchens that are housed in authentic vintage vehicles. Current cuisine selections include Asian, Greek/Middle Eastern and Mexican as well as a fast-casual pan-worldly sandwich shop.
At the grand opening Thursday Michael Svagdis, CEO of SSP America, said the goal was to offer authentic ethnic cuisine that represents New York City. “When people come in here they’ll really feel like they’re a part of New York City,” he said. “That was the most important thing we were trying to create.”
Svagdis also noted the unique design of the venue, with a single behind-the-scenes kitchen serving each of the food stalls. “We’ve designed this so when it’s time to change out one of the food concepts we can do it in an easy fashion with very little construction,” he says. “We can always keep it fresh for the passengers and customers who come through here.
Gert-Jan de Graaff, president and CEO of JFKIAT LLC, the management company that operates Terminal 4, discussed the challenges associated with building out the food truck-inspired venue, and noted that is is “quite an accomplishment to build a food and beverage unit in a former retail area.”
Terminal 4’s latest food and beverage offering, in a space formerly occupied by a luggage store and a candy store, will answer the need for additional food offerings, he said. Terminal 4 recently reached a new milestone, serving 20 million passengers this year.
The current offerings at the Five Borough Food Hall are:
- Mango Taco Truck: Housed in a 1987 Chevy Box Truck, Mango Taco Truck brings passengers a fast-casual, build-your-own taco experience with all-natural, warm corn tortillas and fillings that include marinated steak, chili-rubbed chicken and cochinita — the traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork from the Yucatán.
- Global Sandwiches: Serving up wicked little “wiches” from a fabricated 1956 International Harvester Metro, Global Sandwiches showcases sammies that span the planet, including chicken bánh mì, Genoa salami ficelle, turkey reubens and muffalettas.
- The Apothecary: Full-service bar drinks are served up from a 1966 VW Bus at The Apothecary. Cleverly designed, the bus is “stretched” to hold the open bar counter in the middle and crowned with an awning accented by twinkling carnival lights.
- Dromos: Serving up über-healthy, fresh-forward Mediterranean cuisine, Dromos brings overstuffed pitas; platters and salads filled with beef, lamb shawarma and tuvak/chicken; and falafel combined with signature fresh Mediterranean flavors of mint, parsley, lemon, cucumber and olive oil.
- Canal Street Noodle House: Canal Street brings tummy-warming, build-your-own noodle dishes with broth bases of ginger beef and Thai chili and galangal Tom Yum. Guests can choose combinations that include garlic ginger shrimp, bulgogi steak and fire-grilled lemongrass chicken.
- Coffee Bar/Grab and Go: In addition, Five Borough Food Hall includes a Coffee Bar where passengers can grab a cup of freshly brewed hot java as well as a large grab-and-go chill case styled to look like a New York City subway stop and filled with fresh, pre-packaged sandwiches, drinks and snacks.
