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Restaurants In Airports

Page history last edited by bryan.alexander@... 11 years, 7 months ago

This page aggregates knowledge about airport restaurants, with an eye towards the better ones.

Order is alphabetical by city.

Don't worry about formatting. I (Bryan) will clean things up as we go. Content is what matters here.

If you can, please comment on the price and value (thanks, Wolf).

 

Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)

In the international terminal, if you go upstairs to the food court, it has a great bakery and a decent Asian place with a variety of curries. (Joe Saul)

 

Atlanta

One Flew South. Location is E Centerpoint.

Atlanta Airport says: upscale dining experience in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Diners can enjoy spirited global fare featuring premium ingredients from regional farmers and purveyors. One Flew South serves proper cocktails and features an exceptional sushi menu and take-away items

(thanks to Ian Bogost)

Paschals Restaurant. The venerable southern restaurant brought its famous dishes to Hartsfield's Concourse C in the Gate Centerpoint and in the Atrium. The fried chicken and catfish is especially tasty.

"For Southern food, the ’hounds recommended Paschal’s, which had several concessions both inside and outside security."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

 

Atlanta Bread Company, Hartsfield Atrium. Great sandwiches and salads. The chinese chicken salad is a particular favorite. And it's open 24 hours a day just in case you're stuck at the airport.

 

Austin

The Salt Lick. Decent, fast bbq.

Harlon's BBQ: Good ribs, great french fries. Ask for lots of napkins. A little pricey.

 

Baltimore

The Vino Volo wine store in the Southwest Airlines Concourse near gate A13. Not only can you get great small dishes -- artesal cheese plate, steak/potatoe plate, mixed sausage plate -- you can get fine wines by the glass or in a tasting flight. And they sell food and bottled wine to go. It's a lovely oasis and bonus - there are power outlets at each table!! Benet Wilson Attach: VinoVoloinside.jpg

Obrycki's Restaurant & Bar (also Concourse A/B) does a nice soft-shell crab sandwich. Pricey but worth the splurge (and, IMO, a little better and less crowded than the Phillips that's just inside the security checkpoint).  "I assume that the picture is Phillips Seafood in BWI right by the entrance to A concourse. We much prefer Obrycki’s around gate B-9" (Jim Parker, via G+)

 

Boston Logan

Legal Test Kitchen in Logan Airport,
1 Harborside Drive
Logan International Airport Terminal A
Boston, MA 02128
Phone: (617) 568-1888
Fax: 617 568-2888,
Chef: Paul Booras
Hours: 5:00 am - 9:00 pm
Legal Test Kitchen is a new concept for the traveler on the go. The Legal Test Kitchen offers contemporary global cusine at warp speed. Seating 80 guests, you can enjoy a full meal in about 15 minutes or choose from a wide selection of fresh made, grab and go sandwiches.
The light hearted atmosphere is complimented with a black, white and red decor, Fully stocked red granite bar and large tv's for travelers with a long layover.

 

Burlington

One Flight Up, eclectic American. Located on second floor, easy to find. Very good food, good service. The chef experiments daily. Google Maps info

 

Casablanca Mohammed V (CMV)

Nothing past the security checkpoint is remotely worth eating.  However, if you go to the second floor of the terminal before going through security, there's actually quite a good Moroccan restaurant.  Nothing innovative, but good. (Joe Saul)

 

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)

1: A nice seafood restaurant:
2: At the intersection of concourse C & D/E on the main level is a great place called Tequileria. Excellent Mexican food, great selection, calming ambiance, pleasant staff and very quick service. The waiter tried to get us to sample one of their many selections of tequila (obviously their specialty) - we didn't, but the choices were vast if that's your drink. Map (PDF) | Video (Quicktime) (video is from Travel ala Mode)
Another vote from Steven Greenlaw.

 

Chicago O'Hare

  • Billy Goat Tavern Legendary greasy spoon hamburgers. In Terminal 1, Concourse C food court.
  • Berghoff Cafe. This bar and carvery at O'Hare offers hand-carved sandwiches, salads, pizza, and their Berghoff label beer along with a full complement of beer, wine and liquor. Terminal 1, Concourse C, Gate 25. Open 5:30am-9:30pm  (April 2007)
  • Tortas Frontera Terminal 1, gate B11 and Terminal 3, gate K4. (thanks, Pumpkin Yang!)

 

"O’Hare — the nation’s second busiest airport, with 76 million passengers in 2007 — was easily the worst airport I visited, particularly disappointing since Chicago is one of America’s great restaurant cities... I watched my fellow diners with envy: a woman who pulled a packet of Alka-Seltzer from her purse; a bald, beefy man in handcuffs who was no doubt looking forward to decades of prison food... 'Advice? Don’t eat!' joked the hefty fellow..."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

 

Give Burrito Beach a try: it is in the American concourse food court. Huge burrito <$7 --Anne Lake Forest College

 

Tortas Frontera: "O'Hare now has a fine place to eat: Tortas Frontera (locally sourced ingredients/Mexican fare/great Chicago chef)." (Barbara Ganley, 2011)

 

Dallas-Forth Worth

"Cousin’s Bar-B-Q [gates B27 and D28] was easily my favorite — the brisket had just the right balance of meat, fat and chewy, charred burnt bits — while Dickey’s Barbecue Pit [gates A19, C6 and E12], whose brisket was watery and ribs dry, made an intriguingly spiced hot link."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

 

Denver (DEN)

There is a Hope's Cookies in DIA, Concourse A, 303.342.0300, Mon-Sun 5 AM-9 PM They're local to Philly and make some great gourmet cookies.
I've also had okay bistro food in DIA. Maybe Chef Jimmy's Bistro & Spirits in Concourse A?
Concourse B: Pour La France is recommended, bistro better than sit-down.
Stay away from the steak and burger place.  You'll know it when you see it.  I think they truck the food in from somewhere already cooked.  (Joe Saul)

 

Detroit (DTW)

There's a good Irish pub on Concourse B at the MacNamara Terminal. It's even Guinness-affiliated.

(from Bryan's Flickr) Across from it is a series of lame food joints - skip 'em.

If you have time, the airport Westin has a congenial bar/restaurant, Dema, in a spectacular atrium complete with a bamboo forest - accessible from Concourse A.
Coney Island at the end of A terminal, right near the main nexus, has fast service and good hot dogs.
Japanese sushi/bento box place in the food court near the fountains:
There's a Japanese place at DTW called Sora, one slidewalk in the direction of Gate 1 from the central fountain in the MacNamara (NW/Delta) Terminal. It's quite good, and only slightly overpriced relative to similar places outside the airport.  Here's a photo of their katsudon (from Joe Saul); the tentoji udon is also exceptional:
 
There's a great place to get a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich in concourse C: PB&Js, I think. There's also one at the low-numbered end of councourse A.  $6+ for a sandwich but so worth it.

There is a Vino Volo on the main (A) concourse, not too far from the middle in the direction of the higher-numbered gates, if a glass of wine, a small plate, and a place to plug in your laptop would hit the spot. (It's a small chain; see Baltimore and Seattle entries.)

 

Flint, Michigan (FNT)

Good burger place, just past security (thank you, Michael Griffin)

 

Frankfurt Airport

TAKEoff Food Corner A pretty decent pasta/Asian/sushi place. The restaurant is located in terminal 1, area A. Open 6:00am-10:00pm

 

Hong Kong (HKG)

HKG has some traditionally Hong Kong-styled restaurants just beyond security after check-in. Reasonably priced jook and similar homestyle/local restaurant foods.

 

Houston

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen (via Sokolov article)
Harlon's Barbeque. Multiple locations. I believe one is in terminal C but someone should verify this. The one I ate at was tucked a little bit out of the way behind some much glitzier, neon-heavy chain stores in a small food court. Decent-size portions, reasonably good ribs, okay brisket and links, unremarkable sauce, good coleslaw and beans, about ten dollars for a hefty meal. Linkage: Company website (very out of date), positive Yelp review. I thought it was pretty good, but I'm no connoisseur.
There is a bigger one in Terminal E up a level. Been there a few times (being a Contintental Frequebt flier, every flight goes through Houston). Can't recall what I had there, mosty likely seafood. It can get busy but the staff hustles (Alan Levine).
A few IAH reviews from Chowhound.

 

Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD)

Very modern terminal (kind of a downscaled version of DTW's MacNamara), has a lot of great-looking and hygenic Indian snack stands. (Joe Saul)

 

Indianapolis

The new Wolfgang Puck has an avacado sandwich recommended.

Kansas City Arthur Bryant's BBQ in Terminal B near Gate 56. The legendary BBQ restaurant comes to the airport. The ribs are to die for!! Benet Wilson

Home Turf Sports Bar is ok.

 

 

London Heathrow Terminal Five

LHR Terminal Five, the new British Airways terminal, got a lot of well-deserved bad publicity for fouling up their opening (lost luggage, cancelled flights, etc), but it's full of some of the best restaurants I've seen in any airport. (Howard Rheingold)

 

Los Angeles (LAX) One Berghoff outlet around gate 70.

There is one JavaJava (coffee and pastries) outside security in between terminals 6 and 7, there's no food outside security at terminal 1. (I don't know about the others).

You can walk from terminal 1. to terminals 6/7/8 by going left around the parking garage (P-1) accross from the terminal, crossing the street (no crosswalk), then walking straight through the parking garage (P-7, which is usually empty on the ground floor) in front of you. This is much faster than taking a shuttle all the way around the whole airport.

United flies out of both terminals 6 and 7. The terminal 6 entrance is before terminal 7 on the driveway, so maybe more United passengers try to use Terminal 6 enterence and security? Plus, 6 has lots of other airlines, while 7 has just United and TED. Maybe this helps if you like to play the find-the-hidden-short-security-line game.

Maps: http://www.lawa.org/welcome_LAX.aspx?id=256

 

Memphis

Backyard Barbeque. Good report on their hamburgers.

 

Miami

"La Carreta, outside security near the E gates; (305) 871-3003; www.lacarreta.com."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

 

Minneapolis (MSP)

French Meadow organic bakery, concourse F. As well as Concourse E. Lots of organic / vegan bakery items and fruit, great coffee. Especially helpful for me as they have some sugar free goodies (Alan L) 
Other than that, it's a wasteland of chain restaurants. (Joe Saul)

 

Nashville

Noshville is a real Jewish-style deli in Nashville's airport. The potato pancakes were excellent.

 

New Orleans (Louis Armstrong)

Somewhere is a place serving good red beans and rice, according to the New York Times.

 

New York: Kennedy

"In Terminal 1’s pre-security-area food court, Jikji Café specializes in Korean food; its pure and spicy kimchi soup would be a great post-red-eye restorative. And at Vino Volo, the post-security wine bar in Terminal 8, you can slouch in a soft leather chair, listen to good 1940s jazz, sip a 2004 Rioja and nibble an earthy duck confit and lentil salad. Ah ..."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

Terminal 2 (Delta): Todd English's Bonfire. Full sit-down restaurant, with menu emphasizing meats. Steaks, chops, etc. Good, pricey stuff. And vast nacho plates:

Some reviews: Yelp, Dining in Midtown, Serious Eats.

Terminal 2 (Delta) at Kennedy Airport. Balducci’s satellite.
"JetBlue’s new $800 million Terminal 5, however, that’s the real stunner — airy and futuristic, with the kinds of restaurants you’d expect to find in New York City itself. La Vie, a narrow French cafe with canary-yellow tiled walls and a wide mirror behind the bar, served a lovely breakfast. My cappuccino was mellow, the scrambled eggs on a warm croissant admirably light, and the grilled asparagus tasted sweet and delicate, especially because they were so expertly charred."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

also Terminal 5: "Piquillo, a tapas bar, had fresh, plump olives and a just al dente tortilla Española, and the elaborate tiles on the arcing ceiling bent light into oily rainbows. Deep Blue, a sushi restaurant that resembled a nightclub for dolphins, went well beyond your raw-fish standards to offer golden Thai snapper sashimi (lush and fatty) and yakitori-style duck-and-foie-gras meatballs (lush and fatty, yet in a totally different way). There was also a steakhouse and a hip-looking Italian restaurant, both designed with the same modern, plasticky angles and fancy lighting."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

Terminal 8, Vino Volo

 

New York: LaGuardia

Terminal C, Victory Grill. Kathleen Fitzpatrick: "Thanks, LGA terminal C, for the totally overpriced but pretty tasty glass of wine. There's something to be said for not flying Continental."
"At La Guardia, the only place I found worth eating at is Figs, the upscale restaurant from Boston celebu-chef Todd English."

-Matt Gross, "Grabbing a Bite Between Flights"(Dec 2008)

 

Newark

Rio Douro Cafe, Portuguese cuisine. Located in food court between gates 70 and 90.
Oakland, California (OAK)
The airport was recently renovated. Terminal 1, which is the Southwest hub, has a variety of good food choices with reasonable amounts of seating.

 

Orlando The food court outside security has a Krispy Kreme outlet, complete with the hot donut flashing sign. Mmmmmm..... Benet Wilson

 

Philadelphia

Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar - nice ambience, from cloth tablecloths to good jazz and cool color scheme. Decent breakfast, with rich omelette. Nice dinner: shrimp scampi. Service sometimes slow. On in terminal B, another in A West.

 

Phoenix

Taberna del Tequila (or "Tequileria"), Mexican cuisine. Bar and grill across from Gate A23.
Notes: decent food, served fast. The servers are surly, and half-efficient. I could have gotten at least one more drink in had they moved faster. Prices not cheap but normal for sit-down meal by airport standards. The margarita's are a cash-grab, not worth the outlay. Free wireless in this section of airport. Smoking in most parts of restaurant, small non-smoking section, reasonable air quality. Great spot for people watching and eavesdropping, I type this at a table next to a thirty-something bombshell talking dirty to her older businessman-type, by tone and general drift it seems certain they are on an illicit adventure. If not, they should write a book on adding spice to a marriage.
Its nothing too special, but I always stop at Blue Burrito. And the whole freaking airport has free wireless, take that T-Mobile thugs! Other airports, please emulate!
Flo's Shanghai Cafe in middle of Terminal 4 is top notch for fresh style Asian food.
Providence Airport (PVD)
"Wolfgang Puck Express in PVD by gate 7 has a passable breakfast."
San Diego, California (SAN)
Terminal 1 is notoriously bad for dining choices; best to eat before you go, if possible. The Southwest terminals have a Quizno's with almost no seating and a Starbucks with absolutely no seating. However, right outside Gates 1 and 2 there is the Karl Strauss Bar, which despite the name also has a small sit-down area with a decent bar-and-grill menu. Prices are not outrageous by airport standards.

San Francisco (SFO)

Perry's has a good breakfast (Terminal 1).

 

Seattle (SEA)

The Vino Volo wine store in the Central Terminal Marketplace. Not only can you get great small dishes -- artesal cheese plate, steak/potatoe plate, mixed sausage plate -- you can get fine wines by the glass or in a tasting flight. And they sell food and bottled wine to go. It's a lovely oasis and bonus - there are power outlets at each table!! Benet Wilson

 

Tampa

Marriott Hotel "The View at CK's Revolving Rooftop Restaurant" 5:00pm - 9:00pm Sun - Thur 5:00pm - 10:00pm Fri & Sat (enter hotel from the main landside terminal)

 

Tokyo (NRT)

NRT has several Japanese restaurants (of the everyday, normal type...not exactly sushi/teppanyaki stuff) scattered throughout that tend to be priced similarly to Tokyo with similar food quality...which is to say expensive and decent, but no more expensive than anywhere else if you head into Tokyo. I seem to recall spending no more than 1000 yen even on large meals and could definitely be fed for around 500-600 yen.

 

Vancouver

Tim Bray recommends one sushi place. He doesn't name it, but offers this description:

Just around the corner [from the Air Canada frequent-flyer lounge] there’s an Asian-food joint that sells a passable tray of sushi at a fair price...

 

Washington Dulles (IAD)

California Tortilla Located in Concourse C at C22. Not the best Mexican food I've ever eaten (like that awesome family-run Mexican seafood restaurant off I-5 in the valley), but better than average and only moderately priced. Everything made fresh daily, except for their collection of 75 different hot sauces.

The Vino Volo wine store in the United Airlines Concourse C near gate C1. Not only can you get great small dishes -- artesal cheese plate, steak/potatoe plate, mixed sausage plate -- you can get fine wines by the glass or in a tasting flight. And they sell food and bottled wine to go. It's a lovely oasis and bonus - there are power outlets at each table!! Benet Wilson

 

Washington Regan National (DCA)

Legal Sea Foods Located in Terminal C of the new wing of the airport. We like it enough that we have used this as a lunch rendezvous. Another good thing is if you tell them you are short on time they'll try to serve you more quickly or will at least let you know what food choices can be delivered more quickly. -- c/o George Brett

Matsutake Sushi in the National Hall Center. Airport offshoot of a popular area sushi bar and restaurant. If you're a sushi lover, this place is great. Make sure to try the chef's special rolls. Benet Wilson



Stuck at the Airport series on Expedia, including some food recommendations.
Air Power offers useful information about electrical power outlets in airports - very scarce resource, often enough.
2006 Healthy Airport Food Review from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Raymond Sokolov, "Duck Confit in Terminal Five" (Wall Street Journal, August 2007)

This wiki blogged by Aviation Week, October 2007.

Frommer's guide.

Eater.com.

 

Question for everyone: how low should we go? Should we mention bad ones to avoid, so-so ones only in case of starvation?

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