Eating Well on the Fly

The best spots for airport dining in 18 cities around the U.S.


Life on the road is no picnic, but there is good news: Food at the airport is getting better. And it’s getting better the right way: with respected local dining outlets being given a chance to serve up their specialties to ravenous and gastronomically adventurous travelers like us.

If you’ve had it with Mickey D’s and Taco Bell and can’t stuff another greasy slice of pizza down your gullet, download this list of top airport tables into your palmtop or BlackBerry. And I’d love to hear the places where you love to nosh at the airport. Just add your favorites in the comments section.

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Atlanta
I still grieve for the Flying Pig, the legendary barbecue pit that used to smoke across the street from Hartsfield Jackson Airport. Now Paschal’s is the place to stop when you’re passing through Hartsfield. Southern comfort food reigns supreme at its branches, which are scattered through the main terminals. The biscuits at breakfast are notably top-notch.

Austin
At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, there’s an outpost of Salt Lick, the beloved barbecue joint in Driftwood, Texas. Try the chopped-beef-brisket sandwich; it’s sinful on a soft roll with Salt Lick’s tangy sour-sweet sauce.

Baltimore
The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille has more than a dozen locations in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, and has just opened an outlet in Concourse D of Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The chain’s turtle wraps, available in styles like ‘Philly cheesesteak,’ are famous, if not particularly healthy.

Boston
What would a visit to Boston be without a stop at Legal Sea Foods? Logan Airport has two traditional Legal outlets and a specially configured restaurant called Legal Test Kitchen, which can serve up a real meal in less than 30 minutes.

Chicago
The Berghoff is a magical name in Chicagoland, and a branch of the German-Austrian landmark that once stood on West Adams still operates at O’Hare Airport. But I prefer a quick bite at Burrito Beach, a local Mexican chain with a kiosk in the food court between Concourses H and K in Terminal 3. The black-bean-and-red-rice burrito appeals to my inner vegetarian.

Cincinnati
I’m not sure I fully understand Cincinnati’s love affair with Gold Star Chili. But you can find a branch of this ubiquitous Queen City chain inside Terminal B of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport and taste for yourself. Even I find the chili cheese fries irresistible in small quantities.

Dallas-Fort Worth
There are Dickey’s Barbecue Pits all over the place now, including rest stops along the New Jersey Turnpike. But I think the food is better in the chain’s home state of Texas. The DFW Airport has four Dickey’s kiosks. I know it’s almost heretical to talk pig in Texas, but I like their dry-marinated pulled-pork sandwiches.

Denver
At Denver International Airport’s three terminals, there are Lefty’s bars and restaurants in various configurations. If you pass a Lefty’s that is selling the portobello mushroom sandwich, grab one. They’re tasty and will make you feel virtuous when you go by the 24-hour Burger King.

Detroit
Detroit Metro Airport has come a long way from the days when Cinnabon was the best food option, but I still don’t find anything notably tasty inside the terminals. Instead, I walk to the adjacent Westin hotel and have a sit-down meal at Dema. It has excellent omelets at breakfast and wood-fired appetizers and pizzas for dinner, as well as a good roster of wines by the glass.

Houston
Branches of the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen gladden the hearts of fish fans in seven states. The biggest and best locations seem to be in Texas and that includes the outpost in Terminal E of Bush Intercontinental Airport. Fresh oysters at an airport—what a concept!

Los Angeles

The fancy restaurant in the iconic, arched Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport has been closed since March. That’s okay with me, because I always seem to end up at Wolfgang Puck Express stands inside Terminals 2 and 7. I’m a sucker for Puck’s Chinois chicken salad, and it seems to taste better so close to where he first invented it.

Miami
Even with its newly opened terminal, Miami International Airport is unpleasant: too dark, too crowded, and too chaotic. But an espresso and a Cuban sandwich from Café Versailles is always restorative. The 24-hour airport branch of this legendary Little Havana diner and bakery is located in Concourse F.

New York
All of John F. Kennedy International’s sprawling terminals now have gussied-up dining options. But nothing there has excited me since the branch of Sylvia’s soul-food emporium closed. Two weeks ago, I found myself moping over a mediocre bowl of French onion soup at the Sam Adams Brewhouse in Terminal 4. LaGuardia Airport, by contrast, is more manageable and has better dining too. The omnipresent Todd English has an outpost of Figs in the Central Terminal building.

Newark
The late Joe Baum, who created the Four Seasons and Windows on the World restaurants, got his start in the 1950s with the Newarker, an airport restaurant so good that people used to go to the airport just to eat. Newark Liberty Airport has nothing like that today, of course. Still, I’ll happily settle for a garlicky hot dog and chunky fries from the Nathan’s Famous kiosk in Terminal C.

Philadelphia
When you’re at Philadelphia International, have a drink at Cibo’s, the cozy bistro with outlets on Concourses A and B. There are about three dozen wines available by the glass. But hold your appetite. The first airport location of Chickie’s & Pete’s, the local seafood chain, is expected to open this fall.

Phoenix
I adore the fresh, tasty, and inventive burritos from Blue Burrito Grille. The Scottsdale, Arizona, restaurant has opened outlets in Terminals 3 and 4 at Sky Harbor Airport. There are Blue Burrito kiosks at the airports in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City too.

San Francisco
Like the city itself, San Francisco International has always had good eats. But these days, the jewel in the SFO dining crown is Ebisu. The airport branch of the city’s favorite sushi purveyor is in the food court of International Terminal G.

Washington
Travelers who believe the only true road foods are burgers, fries, and hot dogs find their holy grail at Five Guys. The burgers are hand formed, and the meat is never frozen. Its hot dogs are 100 percent kosher, and the fries are cooked in peanut oil. The fast-growing, family-owned chain got its start in Northern Virginia, so it’s only natural that it would put branches in both Dulles Airport (Terminal A) and Reagan National Airport (North Pier).

The Fine Print
Food management is a big issue at the airport. Food purchased from outside the security checkpoints will be scrutinized by screeners. (And remember, outside beverages cannot be brought through security.) I tend to buy food inside the so-called sterile area after clearing the checkpoint. Meanwhile, have pity on your fellow fliers if you plan to bring your purchases onboard. Food odors—say, the smell of McDonald’s fries—can be oppressive in the confined space of aircraft cabins.