Iconic Queen-Based Event and Catering Venue Offers Italian Family Recipes at New Villa Russo Café; Caribbean-Rooted Brooklyn Tea & Market Delivers Unique Tea Blends to Terminal 4’s Street Market Concept
February 4, 2026 – The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), today announced the openings of two local businesses that offer food and beverages reflecting New York City’s diverse culinary scene. One business, Villa Russo Café, is a Queens-based graduate of the Port Authority’s specialized training program intended to increase the number of local and diverse businesses that are part of the concessions program at JFK.
Villa Russo Café and Brooklyn Tea & Market represent the first wave of joint-venture partnerships that HMSHost has formed with selected local and diverse businesses that will bring unique flavors and community-driven hospitality to JFK’s Terminal 4. The two new concepts were selected following a competitive process to provide travelers with authentic New York culinary experiences as part of JFKIAT’s partnership with HMSHost. The business owners received mentorship and operational guidance to successfully operate within an airport, and their inclusions in Terminal 4’s street market program as part of joint-venture partnerships were announced last year.
“We are thrilled to welcome small local businesses to JFK in our effort to make the airport truly feel like a mirror of the region it serves,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “New York and New Jersey are known around the world for distinct flavors and hospitality thanks to our region’s diversity, and we want air travelers to be able to get a sample of that upon arrival, for the duration of a layover, or as the last taste of an unforgettable trip to our region. We look forward to more local businesses joining our airport family as a new JFK takes shape throughout 2026.”
“It is extremely gratifying to see local businesses expand, particularly ones that are part of the DNA of the community served by JFK,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “As a graduate of our Institute of Concessions, Villa Russo is now more than an Italian-American business in Queens. It now represents a taste of New York City to millions of air travelers who travel through Terminal 4 each year, as well as serve as an example of how a neighborhood asset like our airport can help local small business owners thrive.”
Villa Russo was founded in 1954 as a modest pizzeria led by Italian immigrants that has evolved into one of Queens’ most respected event and catering venues. Its new café at Terminal 4 will feature a curated menu of Italian-inspired grab-and-go offerings drawn from family recipes, and a unique space designed to make passengers feel like family. Its second-generation owner, George Russo, took part in the Port Authority’s community development program Institute of Concessions (IOC), which is a key initiative in the Port Authority’s redevelopment of JFK to increase local participation in the airport’s concessions program.
“Since 1954, my family’s business has been a huge part of the vibrant Queens community, hiring from its diverse workforce and leaving our culinary mark on residents,” said George Russo, the second-generation owner of Villa Russo. “As we enter a global market at JFK T4, we are eager to offer an international audience our local and authentic Italian-American menu. We can hardly wait to deliver our elevated food and service to the fast-paced travelers of T4, as we’ll also invite them to our historic Queens location during their travels to NYC. To think that my father and uncle followed their dreams by opening a small pizzeria in Queens, now to their next generation operating at one of the country’s busiest air terminals is a moving belief in the reality of the American dream.”
Brooklyn Tea & Market is both the first-ever tea-focused retail concept at JFK as well as the first Black-owned tea brand to operate in any airport nationwide, marking a significant moment for both the tea industry and airport concessions. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Jamila and Alfonso Wright, Brooklyn Tea has cultivated a loyal following through its community-first approach and educational storytelling around tea and wellness, making them a natural choice for the Port Authority and JFKIAT’s overall strategy of bringing one-of-a-kind local businesses to Terminal 4 to strengthen its New York sense of place.
Rooted in Caribbean heritage, Brooklyn Tea currently operates in Brooklyn and Atlanta and is known for its deep expertise in wellness, culture, and intentional hospitality. From a menu of more than 150 teas and herbs, the brand has carefully curated 11 signature tea varietals exclusively for Terminal 4, designed to meet the diverse needs of travelers from energizing caffeinated blends to non-caffeinated options that range from fruity and refreshing to medicinal and savory.
“Brooklyn Tea, in partnership with JFKIAT and HMSHost, will become the first Black-owned beverage brand in any airport in the country, and we are honored to be a part of this history and represent what’s possible when diverse businesses are given the opportunity to lead,” said Jamila and Alfonso Wright, co-founders of Brooklyn Tea. “Working together with JFKIAT and HMSHost to prioritize the importance of diverse voices and businesses has been an incredible experience, and we look forward to what the future has in store.”
“The openings of Brooklyn Tea & Market and Villa Russo Café reflect our commitment to delivering an authentic New York City experience at Terminal 4 while supporting small businesses and celebrating diverse communities,” said Roel Huinink, chief executive officer of JFKIAT. “These new concepts bring exceptional hospitality and distinctive offerings to our terminal, creating memorable experiences for travelers and highlighting the city’s rich culture. We look forward to seeing passengers enjoy the unique experiences these businesses bring, offering them a genuine taste of the city even while in transit.”
These two new concepts kick off the collaboration between JFKIAT and HMSHost to bring participation of local businesses into the operations of concessions at Terminal 4. The seven following partners have become equity partners of the enterprise to manage the 10-unit concessions contract. Through this program, the business owners will benefit from HMSHost’s mentorship, preparing them with a potential opportunity to operate their own concession at JFK Airport in the future.
- Kismet Cocktails Inc. (d/b/a QNSY Sparkling Cocktails) (Queens-based)
- Fresco’s Cantina (Queens-based)
- Sugar Hill Creamery (Harlem-based)
- Tamalito Inc. (Manhattan-based)
- Kintaro Foods LLC (d/b/a Bessou) (Manhattan-based)
- Neat Rules Hospitality Group LLC (d/b/a Hibiscus Brew) (Brooklyn-based)
- Corlis Stone-Littles LLC (Texas-based)
“We’re thrilled and honored to bring Brooklyn Tea & Market and Villa Russo Café to JFK Terminal 4,” said Anthony Alessi, vice president of business development at HMSHost. “Both local family‑owned favorites capture the flavor, traditions, and spirit that define the JFK community. Travelers can now enjoy an authentic taste of local culture from businesses that have long been part of the city’s fabric.”
JFKIAT, the Queens-based operator of JFK’s largest terminal, has a long-standing commitment to supporting the local community as the terminal’s operator for more than 20 years. Its 4GOOD program enables local businesses to participate in a street market program at Terminal 4 by providing resources to area non-profits and educational institutions. To date, JFKIAT has invested $37 million to bring a cultural variety of locally owned business enterprises to Terminal 4 as part of the terminal’s expansive redevelopment.
Transforming JFK Into a World-Class Global Gateway
In January 2017, the JFK Vision Plan was announced to transform JFK into the world-class airport that New Yorkers deserve. The vision plan provides a strategic framework for the Port Authority and its partners to completely redevelop, modify and expand existing facilities and infrastructure. The $400 million expansion of Terminal 8, led by American Airlines, which operates the terminal, was completed in November 2022. An additional $125 million investment in the redevelopment of Terminal 8’s commercial program is currently underway. The $9.5 billion New Terminal One broke ground in September 2022. A new $4.2 billion Terminal 6, which will connect seamlessly with Terminal 5 to create an anchor terminal on the airport’s north side, broke ground in February 2023. The $1.5 billion expansion of Terminal 4, led by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal (JFKIAT), was completed in 2024.
The transformation of JFK involves four new public private partnerships entered into by the Port Authority. The Port Authority’s $3.9 billion public investment in JFK Infrastructure, including a new and simplified roadway network, a new ground transportation center, utility upgrades and airside improvements has leveraged $15 billion in private investment by the private partners for new and modernized terminals.
About JFKIAT
JFK International Air Terminal LLC. (JFKIAT) is the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, one of the most active air terminals in the New York area, serving 21 international and domestic airlines with an annual passenger volume of more than 27 million travelers in 2024. In 2017 Terminal 4 became the first existing airport terminal in the U.S. to receive LEED Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance, and in 2022 it became the first air terminal in the U.S. to receive Platinum recognition for pre-existing air terminals. The terminal’s expansive Retail Hall offers an unparalleled experience for travelers with a wide range of food and beverage and retail options, from chic to upscale and from convenience stores, to electronics, accessories, and gifts. Terminal 4 was the first air terminal in North America operated by a private management company. JFKIAT’s managing member is Schiphol USA Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Royal Schiphol Group.
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