Often the most we expect from airport food is a sandwich or, if we're lucky, a tasty burger or bowl of noodles. But a few restaurants across the US are flying in the face of stereotypes and changing the concourse dining scene. We've searched airport terminals around the country for the spots that soar above the rest with some delicious food and drink, from the best chains to outposts of regional favourites.
This stylish restaurant, which overlooks the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Concourse A, is one of a kind. Floret's kitsch green and pink colour scheme, trendy logo and excellent vegetarian and vegan fare make it a favourite with everyone who stops by. Many have called it the best airport meal they’ve had. Even those only popping in for a caffeine fix rave about the Stumptown Coffee.
The menu changes seasonally (another factor that makes this place stand out among airport dining options) but typically includes fresh, zingy Mexican-inspired dishes like quesadillas, tacos and avocado toast with elote (grilled or roasted sweetcorn). There's also a selection of filling salads, grain bowls and pasta dishes, while a menu regular (and customer favourite) is the portobello mushroom French dip, a sub roll packed with cheesy mushrooms and caramelised onions, served with a side of mushroom and garlic jus.
One Flew South is an upscale sushi, global cuisine and cocktail spot located in Concourse E of Atlanta's airport. The restaurant describes its food as 'Southernational' – inspired by world travels and made with regional ingredients. The space, with beautiful forest-inspired decor, is closed off from the rest of the airport, so it’s easy to forget where you are. It’s a bit pricier than some of the other options but customers rave about the dishes, cocktails and amazing service.
Start with shishito peppers in ginger soy, pink salt and sesame seeds. They're a popular choice and guests describe them as out of this world. Next, try the salmon sashimi or spicy tuna roll – the sushi is said to be on par with high-end restaurants. If you're not rushing to the gate to catch your flight, stay for dessert; tempting options might include cardamom chocolate cake and miso caramel ice cream.
If you’re heading through Denver International Airport, schedule a stop at Root Down in Concourse C. The cheerful and colourful café serves organic, seasonal, globally inspired food, with plenty of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Expect dishes such as scrambled tofu for breakfast and veggie burgers, shareable bites and salads throughout the rest of the day.
Among the most popular items on the menu are the lamb sliders, the beet and goats' cheese salad and incredible duck wings with a sticky, crunchy marinade. The sliders come with bacon, Cheddar, coleslaw, spicy aioli and a side of sweet potato fries, and are said to be delicious. The salad, a medley of beetroot, goats’ cheese, rocket, radish, toasted hazelnuts, pesto and vinaigrette, is fresh and divine. All in all, this is about as good as airport food gets.
This cool, casual restaurant, in the Barbara Jordan Terminal of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, started life as a food truck and there's now a restaurant and separate bar in Austin. The airport brand of The Peached Tortilla serves comfort food inspired by Asian and Southern American cuisines with tacos and bowls topped with Korean steak, brisket, barbecue chicken or cauliflower.
The fresh yet unconventional flavours consistently blow diners away, with people especially impressed to find this level of cooking and service at the airport. Aside from the tasty tacos and satisfying rice bowls, customers also praise the fact there are plenty of tables and that the food is pretty good value for money too.
Some of the best airport sushi, sashimi and maki can be found in Concourse A at Chicago Midway Airport, at the second outpost of acclaimed Japanese restaurant Arami. It’s a small and minimalist counter bar serving alcohol plus dine-in and to-go meals. The prices are pretty reasonable and dishes like teriyaki chicken come highly recommended.
The fresh and flavourful poke bowls are a top choice. You'll get a generous helping of ahi tuna or salmon with avocado, cucumber, onion, pickled radish, coriander and poke sauce. Top tip: customers say it's also a great place to grab a pre-flight glass of wine, beer or martini. The original location is in Chicago's West Town neighbourhood, while you can also find it at the city's Time Out Market.
This upmarket bar and restaurant can be found on the lobby level of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Orlando International Airport so it's easy to forget you're in the main terminal. McCoy's has an eclectic menu where appetisers such as Thai chicken tenders and meatballs laced with jalapeños sit alongside burgers, pizzas, salads and sushi.
The speciality is crawfish chowder, pictured, made with big chunks of tender crawfish, shrimp and vegetables in a rich, creamy broth. Other popular choices include a range of juicy burgers and big sandwiches and heartier lunch options like fish and chips. In the evening, customers love sushi rolls like the international (with lobster, seared tuna, salmon roe, teriyaki, wasabi and spicy mayo) and dueling dragon (tuna, asparagus, avocado, tempura eel, spring onion and spicy mayo).
Looking for a laid-back airport dining experience? Head to Corona Beach House at Miami International Airport. The open-sided spot looks like your typical airport bar but customers say it's a cut above the rest with friendly service, delicious burgers (including vegetarian options) and the best fries around. The restaurant, found in Concourse D, has a sports bar vibe, playing upbeat music and screening games on TV while serving great drinks and a range of dishes like nachos, tacos and chicken wings.
On arrival, head to the bar for a 'margarona' (a frozen margarita with a tiny bottle of Corona lager), a mojito or a local beer. Then fill up on bar food – the buffalo wings, blackened shrimp quesadilla and sandwiches, from toasted cheese to grilled chicken, all come highly recommended. There are also heartier plates like veggie pasta, salmon with zingy mango salsa and a New York strip steak with mashed potatoes and a herb-packed chimichurri sauce.
While many restaurants on our list are outposts of popular city eateries, Bar Symon has always been about elevating the dining scene in airports. James Beard Award winner and TV chef Michael Symon opened his first spot at Pittsburgh International Airport in 2012, following two years later with this one at Washington Dulles International Airport's Concourse C (there's another at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport). The quality of the organic, American-style comfort food has customers longing for a branch nearer to home.
If you're passing by for breakfast, try the buttermilk pancakes or biscuits with gravy. Throughout the rest of the day, there's bar food like chicken wings, loaded fries, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Top choices include the fat Doug burger (pictured) with coleslaw, a generous amount of pastrami, mustard and Swiss cheese. Order rosemary and Parmesan fries on the side and don’t miss out on the spicy Lola ketchup. Airport restaurants aren’t particularly known for great service but Bar Symon is an exception, with customers complimenting individual servers.
Tortas Frontera isn't just excellent for an airport restaurant – it's a great restaurant, full stop. The speciality is tortas, griddled Mexican sandwiches here served with fillings like smoked pork and garlic shrimp. For people travelling through Terminal 3 in Chicago O'Hare International Airport, there's simply nowhere better to grab a pre-flight bite. Customers highlight the complex flavours of the food and particularly the guacamole and salsas.
The tortas, which are crisped on the griddle, come generously filled with crispy chicken or chorizo and Monterey Jack cheese along with all the lovely extras like flavoursome black bean spread, salsa, avocado and Cotija cheese. The menu also includes Mexican classics like tortilla soup and huge salads, while the breakfast tortas – with eggs and chorizo, bacon or roasted peppers in a cream sauce – are not to be missed for those with an early flight.
This swanky seafood restaurant is part of the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen chain, which is mostly based in Texas. Customers reckon the location in Houston airport's Terminal E is as good as the others and will actually make you look forward to a pre-flight meal. The full-service restaurant is known for decadent dishes such as lobster, baked oysters and Southern fried fish.
Choice options include the oysters Pappadeaux, pictured: baked oysters with crab meat, spinach and hollandaise. Another unusual treat is the crispy alligator, which comes as a shareable portion of deep-fried yet super tender alligator bites served with shoestring fries and Creole-style dipping sauce. Customers praise the portion sizes, personable service and cocktails. There's also an outpost at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
This all-day spot, at San Francisco International Airport’s shiny new Harvey Milk Terminal 1, opened in spring 2020 and is the first Filipino restaurant in a US airport. Goldilocks is no newcomer, though. Founded in the Philippines in 1966, the fusion spot also has restaurants across the US and Canada. Those who’ve stopped by for noodles, combo plates and pastries can’t praise the place enough.
You can also get gluten-free noodles and there’s a good range of vegetarian and vegan options. Travellers looking for a heartier meal should go for the entree or combo meal, consisting of one meat dish, white or garlic fried rice or pancit (a noodle dish) and a side. Everything, from the textures to the flavours, is absolutely spot-on. To top it off, the service is friendly and the prices reasonable too.
New Orleans unveiled its shiny new airport in late 2019 and you could call it a Big Easy makeover. Additions include a circular stage in the arrivals hall, where musicians play the jazzy strains of the city, plus outposts of beloved local shops and restaurants. One of the best places for a last taste of delicious Creole cuisine before hopping on a plane is Leah’s Kitchen, an offshoot of the city’s longstanding Dooky Chase's Restaurant.
The New Orleans’ favourite was founded by revered chef Leah Chase, who died in June 2019 aged 96, and is now run by her grandson Edgar. This airport branch pays homage to the ‘Queen of Creole Cuisine’ with a huge wall mural and a menu of favourites like gumbo, red beans and rice, pulled pork, barbecued shrimp and the best fried chicken sandwich. Those who’ve eaten there advise getting to the airport early for one last great meal in this vibrant city.