Airport restaurants face more challenges than your typical eatery.

Heck, they face more challenges than a food truck with a flat.

First, there’s the time factor, as many hungry diners are on the clock. There’s also finding good help — servers, chefs, and bartenders who don’t mind fighting through the gauntlet of security and other inconveniences every shift. And then there’s always dealing with the passenger whose flight was canceled for the third time and hasn’t smiled in a fortnight (Hopefully they have travel insurance, in which case there’s plenty of reason to grin ear to ear. But we’ll get to that later.)

Airport restaurants are getting the job done despite the obstacles. In fact, many airports have become foodie destinations in their own right as they offer elevated cuisine that might just have you scheduling a longer layover.

That’s good news for business travelers and jetsetters alike. In fact, we talked to them to help make our list of the best airports for finding a first-class meal — even when you’re stuck in Terminal D.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport

It only makes sense that the world’s busiest airport is also among the best options for finding a good meal when you have an hour to burn before boarding your connecting flight to Rochester, NY.

With more than 300 airport restaurants and shops, it can be tough to narrow our list down to a few Hartsfield-Jackson favorites, but we’ve done just that. Over at Concourse A, you can belly up to Beercode Kitchen & Bar for a generous selection of local and national craft beers. And if you want to chow down on some fresh Georgia seafood, make your way to Concourse F, where Jekyll Island Seafood Company serves oysters, seafood gumbo, shrimp and grits, and a slew of other saltwater favorites. If you’re over at Concourse D, you’ll likely catch the scent of the 24-hour smoker working overtime at Mustard Seed BBQ, where the pulled chicken and beef brisket are worth writing home about.

That brings us to what’s widely recognized as the very best airport dining experience: One Flew South, an upscale, award-winning spot smack dab in the middle of the airport. The Concourse E restaurant is presided over by 2-time James Beard nominee, Chef Todd Richards. One Flew South serves “travel-inspired provisions” with nods to Asian and Southern cuisine, including curry cauliflower soup, spicy jerk Cornish hen, collard green ramen, as well as sushi and craft cocktails. The restaurant, which has earned accolades from USA Today and Food Network, also has a location in Atlanta’s Beltline.^{1, 2}

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Fun fact: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the 11^th busiest airport — in the world! And with nearly 40 million passengers passing through the airport’s gates each year, there are a lot of mouths to feed.³

(Besides being an airline hub, we’re guessing being neighbors with State Farm Stadium in Glendale has something to do with it. In addition to playing host to the 2023 Super Bowl, the venue is the home stadium for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.)

Fortunately, the airport restaurants at Sky Harbor — known as “America’s Tastiest Airport” — are up to the task, especially if you have an empty stomach and some time to burn at Terminal 4. Here you’ll find Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar, which offers sandwiches, burgers — and you guessed it, an extensive selection of wine and cheese. Close by is Blanco Tacos & Tequila, another eatery where the name says it all. Find tasty tacos, fajitas, breakfast burritos, and some sangria to wash it all down.⁴

Another dining destination is Christopher’s, which is named after James Beard-winning chef Christopher Gross. Located in Terminal 3, popular choices here include margherita pizza and house-smoked salmon. The restaurant is reopening after being temporarily closed due to the pandemic.⁵

Portland International Airport

What will it be — a Blueberry Bourbon Basil? How about a Strawberry Mojito Old-Fashioned?

These are just a few of the brioche-style donuts that keep passengers at Portland International Airport flocking to Blue Star Donuts. While the popular spot has 7 locations across Portland and California, it’s the airport location right beside the TSA checkpoint draws customers from around the world.^{6, 5}

Head over to Concourse C and follow your nose to Bambuza, a Vietnamese hotspot boasting healthy, flavorful fare. And if you’d like to take your palette on vacation, swing by Westward Whiskey’s PDX Tasting Room, where you can sample a flight before boarding yours.^{7, 8}

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

O’Hare airport houses 13 Starbucks… 13! On top of that, the third busiest U.S. airport has 5 McDonald’s, 4 Chili’s, and 3 Dunkin’ Donuts.^{9, 10}

So, if you’re a creature of habit, you’re in luck. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that O’Hare features several highly rated eateries with eclectic menus. These include Terminal 1’s Tortas Frontera, which draws diners with tortas in the morning and pepito in the afternoon — all sourced from local farms.⁵ Also in Terminal 1, Berghoff Café wins over diners with super-sized portions. Order the Reuban or a panini — and ask for a to-go box.¹¹ The Publican emulates its Fulton Market location, bringing a big city meat market to the Terminal 3. And it begs the question: why fill up on airplane peanuts when you can grab some homemade Spicy Pork Rinds?

If you have dietary restrictions, not to worry: O’Hare offers more than a dozen gluten-free options.⁹

Bonus International Recommendation: Narita International Airport

Japan’s largest airport, also called Tokyo-Narita, is a regular atop lists recognizing the top airport restaurants. Find fresh tuna rolls at Sushi Kyoptatsu, or if your tastes run a bit more exotic, Sendai Tanya Riku will set you up with grilled beef tongue, a specialty in the city of Sendai. Of course, noodles dishes are also popular, and you’ll find options ranging from ramen to Halal-certified soba noodles. Of course, if you truly miss home, you’ll find Western choices as well.^{12, 13}

Eat for Free?

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, right?

Wrong. There can be such thing as a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner if you have a travel insurance plan from Allianz Global Assistance with a Travel Delay benefit. If you’re delayed for 5 or more hours for a covered reason, you can be reimbursed for additional travel expenses including meals. You’ll also have the option to receive a daily, fixed inconvenience payment if you don’t want to submit receipts. Limits vary by plan, but any way you slice it, it’s more cheddar (or Swiss) on your pocket when you need it most. Find the travel insurance plan that’s best for you.¹⁴

We think we’ve given you plenty to chew on. Just remember, when it comes to setting the itinerary for your next trip, don’t forget to take a peek at which airport restaurants you might cross paths with. Otherwise, you could have a lunch date with a lackluster bagel, a salad that wilted long ago, or some vending machine pretzels.

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