The Orange County Board of Supervisors has voted to award leases to more than a dozen new restaurants at John Wayne Airport, including a handful of OC-based eateries.
Tacos La Piña, Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza, Five Vines Wine Bar, Wahoo’s Fish Taco, Chaupain Bakery, Anaheim Ducks Bar (a new concept that will replace Ducks Breakaway Bar & Grill), Left Coast Brewing and Mama’s Comfort Food will all be part of the airport’s upcoming lineup of concessions after the board’s vote on Tuesday, May 7.
“We are just so excited to be a part of such a great institution,” said Pete Truxaw, founder of Mama’s Comfort Food, which first opened in Anaheim in 2011. “I was born and raised in Anaheim, a third-generation local. We’re a part of the fabric of this county and think we’ll be a great asset and local addition for people coming in and out the airport.”
SEE ALSO: Taps Fish House and Brewery is back — at John Wayne Airport
While Mama’s Comfort Food features a bonanza of dishes, its airport outpost will offer a truncated menu. “Our regular menu has 150 menu items, but at the airport it will be abbreviated with primarily breakfast and lunch items,” he said.
Truxaw goes on to say that the opening of his airport eatery could take anywhere from 18 to 24 months.
Another Orange County staple set to land at John Wayne is Wahoo’s Fish Taco (with locations in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Irvine, as well as a handful of national eateries), which opened its first location in Costa Mesa in 1988.
“Orange County is Wahoo’s hometown, and there’s no better way to welcome someone back or send them off on an adventure than with food that makes them feel at home,” said Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco. “For travelers who have never been to Orange County before, we have the opportunity to introduce them to our quintessentially SoCal menu that has been a local favorite for more than 35 years.”
Host International, Inc. will oversee the new concessions at John Wayne Airport.
Beyond local dining options, BonChon Korean Fried Chicken, Earl of Sandwich Habit Burger Grill, Dunkin’ Donuts and Panera Bread will also open at John Wayne Airport, in addition to new retails shops like Jo Malone and Mac Cosmetics.
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“Orange County has some of the best local and independent restaurants in the country,” said Orange County supervisor Vince Sarmiento, whose district includes Santa Ana. “Thanks to the efforts of airport staff, visitors will now get a small taste of what we have to offer from the moment they step off their plane.”
According to Sarmiento, the county is expected to earn more than $11 million annually as a result of the new restaurants. “The concession companies will invest nearly $50 million dollars to upgrade their facilities and the county will only be contributing around $2 million as a result of these contracts,” he explained.
Although the new food options will be geared toward travelers, people without airline tickets who don’t plan on flying can get an OC AirPASS to access secure areas of the airport to shop, dine and greet friends and relatives at the gate.
The new batch of dining options are expected to open in the fall of 2025.
This week’s approval by county supervisors comes on the heels of Taps Fish House and Brewery’s resurrection at John Wayne Airport in February.
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