Airports throughout the world are experiencing a post-pandemic renaissance. They have emerged from the ashes of being virtual ghost towns and have been resurrected into not just the bustling transport centers they once were, but also completely transformed and markedly improved incarnations of their former selves. With that rebirth has come a new and renewed generation of airport dining options—a combination of classic joints and newer entrants—working to satisfy the palates of a traveling public that no longer wants to settle for subpar predeparture meals.
Which isn’t to say that all airport food is amazing. The landscape is still dotted with stereotypically overpriced and lackluster grab-and-go eateries. But during our recent travels around the world, we have come across some airport dining experiences that truly surprised and delighted us. Even better, the airport meals we’ve enjoyed the most were rooted in local cuisine and entrepreneurship and thus offered either one last, lingering taste of the place we were leaving behind or a quick sample of the destination we were passing through.
So, without further ado, here are the recent delicious airport meals we’ve had that we’d gladly spend a little more time in the airport for.
Bojangles at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Not all so-called fast-food chains are created equal. Some are markedly better than others. And whenever I have a morning flight from Charlotte, North Carolina I never fail to see Chick-fil-A’s long line snaking through the airport’s atrium. What a shame, as the true taste of the South is only a five-minute walk away at the Bojangles, located in CLT’s food court–style plaza (there’s also a spot in Concourse B, if you’re flying American). At this Charlotte-born food chain, biscuits reign supreme: Cajun filet biscuit, sausage and egg biscuit, steak biscuit, and even a Bo-Berry biscuit, if you’re feeling like having dessert for breakfast. Wash it all down with some sweet tea, and you have yourself a proper North Carolina start. Is it the healthiest meal you’ll ever eat? Not by a long shot. But the flavors—and the memories—hold me over until my return. —Chloe Arrojado, associate editor, destinations
Bun Mee at San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
I’m an early at-the-airport girlie and thus often have time to kill once I’m through security. But I don’t love spending too much on a meal at the airport, which is why the trend in elevated fast casual dining—including at airports—suits me perfectly. As someone who flies out of SFO regularly (it’s my home airport), I have to give a big shout-out to counter service outpost Bun Mee, a Vietnamese sandwich shop founded in San Francisco in 2011 by Vietnamese American Denise Tran that now has two locations at SFO: one in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 (near gate B3, pictured), and one in Terminal 3 in the food court area just before you get to the main gate hall. My go-to favorite meals here are the sandwiches and the bun noodle bowl, usually with the lemongrass pork. I opt for the sandwich—which is done in traditional banh mi style with garlic mayo, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, onion, jalapenos, and fresh herbs on a baguette—for when I am travel-famished (which is more intense than regular hunger, right?). When I want something a bit more refreshing, I order the bowl, featuring chilled rice noodles, a pork egg roll, lettuce, and all the same fixings as the sandwich, plus peanuts and nuoc cham sauce. There are also chicken, steak, tofu, and shrimp protein options. Couple that with one of their Vietnamese cold brews or, my personal favorite, the vanilla lychee tea, and you’re good to go. —Michelle Baran, deputy editor
Columbia Restaurant at Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Tampa International Airport is a standout for many reasons (not least of which is the enormously Instagrammable mega-flamingo statue, Phoebe), but one of the best parts is that many of the city’s top restaurants have outposts on site—which comes in especially handy when I’m visiting my folks. In “Airside C,” Ulele (named for a perhaps apocryphal Tocobaga princess who reputedly saved a Spanish explorer, à la Pocahontas) serves gator tail and okra fries; Goody Goody is the reboot of a local 1920s burger shop known for its tomato-based secret sauce; and Cigar City Brewing was the first micro-brewery in North America to make beer at an airport. But if this is your first time in Tampa, you have to try Columbia Restaurant—Florida’s oldest restaurant, which opened its doors in 1905. The original location in the historic cigar-manufacturing district of Ybor City is a tile-covered Spanish Revival gem with live flamenco, but the airport location in Terminal E has quite a bit of character as well, thanks to a dark-wood bar, ornate chandeliers, and framed archival photos. There’s a full menu of Cuban and Spanish dishes, but if you’re a first-timer, I’d stick to a trio of Tampa-specific specialties: deviled crab croquettes, best served doused in hot sauce; the signature “1905” salad, which is loaded with shredded ham, Swiss cheese, and olives; and a pressed Cuban sandwich, which in the Tampa iteration includes Genoa salami as a nod to the city’s Italian immigrants. —Nicholas DeRenzo, contributing editor
Ah Huat Hainanese Chicken Rice at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Singapore’s Changi Airport, a destination unto itself, is a treasure trove of food options—but the one I keep returning to there is the on-site hawker food center in Terminal 3, which features a handful of the city’s well-regarded street food vendors. I particularly love Ah Huat Hainanese Chicken Rice, which serves an iconic local dish with tender chicken and broth-flavored rice. Add a drizzle of that sweet-savory dark soy sauce and a touch of crushed red chilies, and you have the perfect final taste of the city state’s incredible culinary scene before departing. — Jennifer Flowers, senior deputy editor, hotels
Hermann’s bratwurst at Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
There could not be a more cliché German layover meal, and I am totally okay with that. With family who live in Poland and Romania, I have spent countless hours at Frankfurt Airport, a popular transfer hub for flights to Eastern Europe. No matter the time of the morning (yes, morning), day, or night, if I’m in the Frankfurt Airport, I’m getting a bratwurst. And ideally, I’m getting one at Hermann’s. It’s typically served on a crunchy roll with a side of sauerkraut and, of course, that perfectly spicy-but-not-too-spicy mustard. The main Hermann’s outpost is near gate A24, but a couple Hermann’s carts throughout the airport serve a pared-down to-go menu that includes frankfurters (another great option). At the fast-casual storefront, beer is served alongside a selection of sausages such as the pork-based bratwurst, the Berlin specialty currywurst (with spicy curry ketchup), frankfurters (German hot dogs, but better than ours), rindswurst (a beef sausage that reminds me a bit of Polish sausage), and bockwurst (made of pork and veal). Sides include potatoes, pickles, pretzels, coleslaw, and sauerkraut. It’s a simple yet hardy meal that will put you on the path to satisfied stomach success, no matter where you’re headed. —MB
La Lucha Sanguchería Criolla at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima (LIM)
It was 6 a.m. at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport, and I was looking for breakfast: There was Dunkin’ Donuts and there was Starbucks. Then I saw it: La Lucha Sanguchería Criolla, a Peruvian sandwich and juice shop that I’d read about but not managed to get to during my all-too-brief weekend in Lima for a friend’s pre-wedding festivities. I joined the line and ordered a sandwich and passionfruit juice. Within five minutes, my buzzer buzzed, and I got my tray and sat down. The crusty sandwich roll was stuffed more than my carry-on: with chunks of pork, a fistful of pickled red onions, and pressed sweet potato. I finished the sandwich in near-record time, wishing I’d bought two—but it was time to board. Transiting back through the airport two weeks later, I again hustled to join the line at La Lucha Sanguchería. (Even though it opens at 4 a.m., there always seems to be a line.) Other options were tempting—grilled chicken, roasted pork, ham and egg—but I went back to the chicharron, this time adding a glass of sweet, funky chicha morada, made from purple Peruvian corn, on the side. The roll was just as crusty and soft as I remembered; the meat just as crunchy and fatty. It’s hard to mess with a good thing. —Katherine LaGrave, deputy editor
Obrycki’s at Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)
The first time I stepped off a plane at what was then a fairly recently renovated and expanded Baltimore Washington International Airport, I was surprised—and pleased—to see an Obrycki’s restaurant right across from our gate. From the time I lived in Baltimore in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, I remembered Obrycki’s—known for its steamed crabs and the best and freshest crab cakes in town—as an institution in the city’s historic Fells Point neighborhood. Admittedly, I was skeptical that any airport version would live up to that reputation. But I gave it a go and was not disappointed, by either the blue crab cakes or the Bloody Marys. On the menu are plenty of other tasty options, from crab dip to Maryland crab soup, crab Benedict, burgers, and a variety of fresh seafood and non-seafood salads. With the original Obrycki’s in the city now gone, the restaurant acknowledges on its website the impossibility of duplicating its authentic crab house feel, but promises to maintain its authentic standards. So far so good. Fifteen years after our first visit, my husband and I always make sure to stop in anytime we fly through BWI. —Jeri Clausing, Afar contributor
Salt Lick BBQ at Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) or Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
I have lounge access in most airports thanks to co-branded credit cards and airline status, so I typically stick to noshing on whatever is in the lounges when I travel. Why spend money when I have this membership perk? But there’s one restaurant that lures me in when I pass through Dallas or Austin: Salt Lick BBQ. These are the airport outposts of a famed institution of Texas-style ‘cue that started in Driftwood, a community in the Hill Country outside of Austin, in 1967. I’m all about the pulled pork sandwiches, which come with a generous serving of tender, slow-cooked shredded meat topped with a tangy vinegar-based sauce. Each includes a choice of side (I usually opt for the smoky baked beans or creamy coleslaw) and a fountain drink. At $17, it’s a fairly reasonably priced airport meal. Even if it’s too early or I don’t have enough time for a sit-down meal (it’s really too messy to get to-go), I’ll still run over to that terminal to grab a bottle of their dry rub to make wings, pork chops, and burgers at home; we go through a lot of it. — Bailey Berg, Afar contributor
Tia’s Authentic New Mexican Eats at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)
In New Mexico, it’s all about the chile. Red or green is the question you’ll be asked anytime the state’s famed peppers are part of a dish. (I prefer Christmas, which means a mix of both.) And the flavor and quality of the chile will make or break an authentic New Mexican meal, including breakfast. From gas stations to the finest New Mexican restaurants, burritos loaded with eggs, cheese, hashbrowns, and bacon or sausage (meat optional), and—of course—lots of chile are a staple. Despite their abundance, one of my favorite breakfast burritos spots, even after I’ve spent 13 years living in the Land of Enchantment, is Tia’s Authentic New Mexican Eats at Albuquerque International Sunport (the only other Tia’s location is at Denver International Airport). It’s a must-stop for locals and flight crews alike. But bring your appetite, or make sure to get a to-go bag—and a fork. These are hard-to-fit-in-your-mouth big, and hard to finish in one sitting. Oh, and if your visit has turned you into a chile addict, you can also pick up a small tub or two of frozen chopped chile to bring home—Tia’s is just inside security. —JC
