There are already a casual dining and more formal dining practically in the same space. What is the purpose of the counter seating? Just perches for chatting? Or actual meals?

Perches and breakfast. Snacking. Family meals at real table.

I like the first and second, not the third.

What about a single rectangular island and putting micro cab where the penninsula is?

The micro cab is where the peninsula is. You mean just the micro cab?

#2, and here’s why:

It can be a serving surface for Super Bowl parties. oh, and other events, too. and without intruding on the work area or looking right into the sink.

It’s a perch where people can look at each other. Unless of course it’s for the kids, in which case ”Moooommmmm he’s looking at me! Make him stop!” And in that case, one can sit at the sink island.

The stools can push all the way under.

Someone can still perch at the sink island.

That’s funny! Love it.

Other option is just the two peninsula seats in option 2 and no seats the island. This leaves full 48” around island vs 42” on the sink / fridge side.

Oh, and there is also this concept which shortens the peninsula a bit and has 3 seats.

I'm not sure if I'm reading your plan correctly, but I think the prep area between the sink and the range is kind of tight for such a big kitchen. If you are able to--with your second-hand cabinets--I think I would switch the location of the fridge and wall ovens. That way, the fridge would be convenient to the peninsula, table and sink, and then you could move the range a bit to the left to give you more room between the range and the sink. I think I prefer "1" because the countertop seating on "2" doesn't look inviting and like you said "3" is a bit funky looking.

IMO bigger is not better in kitchen design I always tell my client when wanting a huge kitcehn to just practive counting steps to make a simple pasta dinner with salad . You will need roller skates for any of those layouts Sorry but the elvations you show are not in any way the kitchen size you post .

I feel like I want to see the whole floor plan - maybe suggest the round dining table be 4 swivel lounge chairs with a round coffee table - seems like an awful lot of dining chairs condensed into this area.

Maybe the OP has a large extended family and/or entertains a lot. Many people are designing homes with island seating, a dining room and a kitchen table--nothing unusual here except for all the countertop seating at both the island and peninsula, which seems overkill to me, but maybe there is a reason why it makes sense for OP's lifestyle.

And of course we don’t know what that round table looks like. It might just be a somewhat lower table, with castered, armed chairs, perhaps like a game table. My family had one in the family room, it was as popular for meals as the kitchen table was.

Round table (which is now rectangular with DW wants round) is eating table.

The eating at both island and peninsula is overkill I think.

Reminds me of seating at Chipotle. Way too choppy. One large island with a couple seats.

Throwing out one more option which basically takes the island and turns it in the other direction. In this version, no seating at all and a small butler's pantry in the back. This was going to be the route we were going to take (roughly) until the walls came down and my wife thought putting a wall through the kitchen made the space look smaller. But, now I'm wondering if maybe the focus on making the space look bigger actually made the kitchen worse. And perhaps the flow is better this way? Or not?

You need to prioritize function over whether or not is “looks” larger or smaller. It doesn’t matter how it looks if you are constantly running around an island trying to go from one point to another. Try counting the number of steps from the fridge to workspace to stove/oven to sink, and also how cleaning up the dinner dishes will work.

Right that makes sense. Stil not sure which of these designs functions best.

None of the above. Your island is an obstacle you have to run around. Make it a peninsula and you will take fewer steps because you are going directly from one spot to another.

I don't like the 24"-ish island in the last option. I don't know about you but I either need more room around a sink (including behind) or a backsplash.

Can you just enlarge the island in option 1 - fix the awkward "tower" feel of the sink without enough room around it and add more seating? I don't think a 2 island solution is right here - especially with all the other seating available.

One more - thoughts anyone?