The Jacksonville Aviation Authority board opened the door to two new dining options at Jacksonville International Airport, including its first seafood restaurant.
On Feb. 2, the board unanimously approved 15-year lease agreements for Pura Bean Coffee Co. and Salt & Tide to operate in JIA’s Concourse B, which is under construction.
Salt & Tide
Plans call for Salt & Tide to occupy a 3,237-square-foot space.
According to a JAA staff report, seafood is prominent on the Salt & Tide menu, but the restaurant also serves hamburgers, chicken and vegetarian dishes.
Salt & Tide operates bar kiosks at Myrtle Beach International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
The larger, full-service restaurant planned at JIA is a new concept, said JAA Senior Properties Manager Jeff Taylor. It is also the first seafood restaurant at JIA since the airport opened in 1968.
Pura Bean Coffee Co.
Pura Bean Coffee Co., founded in 1997 at 14286 Beach Blvd., serves locally roasted coffee drinks, breakfast croissants and other baked goods. The 1,466-square-foot shop plans to partner with Jacksonville bakery Village Bread and Bagel to expand its menu at the airport.
“Both restaurants enhance the airport’s concession lineup with a distinct local feel featuring a wide selection of grab-and-go options, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, grain bowls and more,” the report says.
Paradies Lagardère to run the concepts
Airport retail and restaurant operator Paradies Lagardère Travel Retail will manage both concepts and is required to spend no less than $4.6 million to improve both spaces.
Under the agreements, Paradies Lagardère will pay JAA 11% of food and nonalcoholic beverage sales during the first five years, rising to 12% in years six through 15. Alcoholic beverage sales will carry a flat 18% fee for the duration of the leases.
Bethesda, Maryland-based HMSHost manages Southern Grounds at the airport, along with other local concepts Angie’s Subs and Firehouse Subs.
More restaurants
The proposed leases follow a series of recent JAA restaurant approvals for Concourse B.
On Nov. 22, Cantina Louie Mexican Street Food was confirmed at the planned Concourse B Oak & Ocean Food Hall. The restaurant would be Cantina Louie’s 13th overall, according to its website. The Jacksonville Beach-based restaurant chain also has locations in North Carolina.
JAA unanimously approved 15-year leases Nov. 19 that will bring Chick-fil-A, Panda Express and Northeast Florida-founded restaurants V Pizza and Willie Jewell’s Old School Bar-B-Q to the food hall.
HMSHost will staff and manage those restaurants.
Concourse B, with an estimated cost of about $344 million, will add six gates at JIA and will be operated by American Airlines. It is scheduled to open in December 2026 along with a new 2,000-space parking garage.
Funding sources for Concourse B include Florida Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration grants and JAA money.