A new restaurant has been officially opened at East Midlands Airport, bringing Italian cuisine to customers alongside a wide range of other improvements throughout the terminal.
Terracotta has opened in time for the busy 2026 summer season and brings a fresh new look and dining experience for airport customers as they wait for flights to their favourite holiday spots across Europe and North Africa.
At 652 sqm, it occupies one of the largest units at East Midlands in a prominent position in the departure lounge, close to boarding gates. It provides seating for up to 185 customers, with a contemporary Italian-inspired design to allow people to feel the holiday has already started while they enjoy leisurely meals or more casual visits to the bar. With an open kitchen, central bar and terraced area, the design has provided extra space for customers heading to boarding gates and other facilities in the departure lounge.
Terracotta is operated by Avolta, which has already successfully launched the restaurant at sister airport Stansted, and now operates all food and beverage outlets at East Midlands Airport.
The opening is the latest in a whole range of new developments at the airport aimed at improving the customer experience. This includes a new WHSmith one-stop shop in the departure lounge, offering everything from books and meal deals to tech and health and beauty products. A new Little Flyers Play Zone for young travellers has also opened in what was the quiet room, with a new quiet room and sensory pod launched for people with anxiety and neurodivergent conditions. Other changes include a new-look welcome home in the immigration hall, a new self-serve key collection option for Meet & Greet customers, upgraded toilet facilities throughout the terminal, and a transformed security hall with next-generation scanners to make the whole process quicker and smoother.
East Midlands Airport’s Commercial Director, Adam Andrews, said: “The opening of Terracotta in our departure lounge marks an important milestone in our retail development strategy and a major improvement in our customer offer, alongside a wide range of other changes we’ve implemented throughout the airport. Our focus is on enabling customers to relax and start their holiday at the airport, and Terracotta will certainly help them do that.
“As well as offering a fabulous new dining experience, the design of the new restaurant has addressed a pinch point in the terminal to ease the flow of passengers to boarding gates. Our collaborative partnership with Avolta as our single food and beverage operator is central to delivering a consistent, high-performing portfolio across the terminal, ensuring our commercial estate continues to grow in line with our long-term strategic ambition.”
Avolta’s Senior Coordinating Director F&B UK, Beth Brewster, said: “Today marks the official opening of Terracotta, and we are delighted to bring this new Italian concept to East Midlands Airport.
“We are proud to now operate all food and beverage outlets across the airport, which reflects the strength of our partnership and our shared ambition to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience for travellers. I would like to thank the airport team for their collaborative approach and continued support in bringing this latest opening to life.”
