The Varsity, South City Kitchen, Ecco and Manuel's Tavern are among the local restaurants that are seeking locations at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport as part of the city's massive overhaul of its concessions.
Opening an airport location would be a first for all of those restaurants. Others seeking airport locations include the Park Tavern at Piedmont Park, Yeah! Burger, the Pecan, the Real Chow Baby, the Original El Taco and a proposed bar associated with Herschel Walker. But dozens of companies and many other restaurants are competing for contracts at the airport, so it's too soon to say who will win.
At the Varsity, president Gordon Muir said the downtown location gets customers who plan layovers in Atlanta so they can take MARTA to downtown, head to the Varsity for lunch and take a to-go box back to the airport.
"A lot of people have always said, ‘Why aren't you in the airport?' " Muir said.
Manuel's Tavern owner Brian Maloof called the Atlanta airport "the venue to be in if you can get in." He said he put a priority on a Manuel's at the airport "that looks and feels like the Manuel's original."
The Varsity, like the Real Chow Baby, the Pecan, Yeah! Burger and Fifth Group's South City Kitchen, Ecco and the Original El Taco, is partnering with concessions giant HMSHost for concessions proposals at the airport. Each proposal includes multiple restaurants, often involving licensing agreements or other arrangements. The Fifth Group is also proposing a Georgia-themed gourmet market and wine bar for the airport called Abundance.
HMSHost spokeswoman Susan Goyette said the company looked for partners that are the city's iconic restaurants with the most appeal to the diverse array of passengers that go through the Atlanta airport. Hartsfield-Jackson has focused on bringing local flavor to the airport.
"You'll always have the comfort of name recognition with a national brand," Goyette said, "and when you weave in those great local restaurants, you have a combination that is really appealing to travelers."
If selected, many of the restaurants would open at the airport starting next year.
