Mike Isabella’s Kapnos, El Centro, others coming to Reagan National Airport

The local restaurant offerings at Reagan National Airport are growing. “Top Chef” alum Mike Isabella will open another location of Kapnos Taverna there, joining several familiar D.C. area faces.

Local restaurant chain Lebanese Taverna will open in Concourse B, joining El Centro, the Mexican concept from Richard Sandoval. Cava Mezze Grill will round out the new local offerings with its fast-casual concept in Concourse B, the concessions manager for the airport, MarketPlace Development, said Tuesday.

The restaurants are the latest round of new concepts announced by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which last year began revamping the entire concessions mix at both Reagan National and Dulles International.

Other new leases announced at National were multi-faceted concepts from airport concession firm Paradies, which will operate Dunkin Donuts, the Say Si Bon market, Wow Bao Asian buns and dumplings and bar and gift shop offerings at the ends of all three concourses off the main National Hallway in terminals B and C.

At Dulles International Airport, Vineyard Vines will be joining the retail mix.

The new retailers and restaurants will join a swath of new local concepts that have set their sights on the airports in recent months, from &pizza and Ben’s Chili Bowl to Chef Geoff’s and Bracket Room from “The Bachelorette” star Chris Bukowski.

MarketPlace and MWAA are now opening up the final phase of leasing for the airports, requesting proposals from operators for everything from a full-service bar and restaurant for Dulles to a local boutique for the main hall at Reagan. More information on the opportunities is available at reaganfoodandshops.com and dullesfoodandshops.com.

The process of overhauling the airports’ retail mix has led to plenty of competition among retailers for space, said MarketPlace Development’s Michael DiCosola during an outreach event for potential tenants Tuesday.

“We had more than 40 proposals for one space in more than once instance,” he said. “We are striving to get multiple offers, to create demand and pick the highest and best use of the space.”

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