Best Airport Restaurants
If you think the exclusive airline club lounges is where it’s at, you’ve got another thing coming. Airport terminals are no longer dens of broken dreams & shameful layovers. In fact, some have proven to be great places to meet other travelers for drinks and stylish settings to swap stories about frequent flier mileage conquests in the comfort of swanky restaurant lounge ambiance. No matter if it’s during the crazy holiday travel season, or in the middle of the summer – no one likes being stuck inside of the airport, NO ONE. Fortunately, all airport food doesn’t have to be BAD food – and we’ve got the top restaurant picks to prove it. Discover the best airport restaurant stops in America below.
MINNIBAR (Minneapolis, MN)
The Restaurant: MINNIBAR
The Airport: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
The Terminal: Terminal 1; Concourse G (near gate 2)
The Lowdown: Ever want to grab a quick bite at the Fortress of Solitude before flying back to Metropolis? Then try MINNIBAR, the upscale sandwich shop from chef Andrew Zimmern and OTG, the award-winning airport food and beverage operator. MINNIBAR’s got a full bar; an unmistakably modern-icy look and 20 global-inspired sandwiches such as The Sven and Ole with Swedish veal meatballs. A sumptuous tribute to the town’s Scandinavian residents.
One Flew South (Atlanta, GA)
The Restaurant: One Flew South
The Airport: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
The Terminal: Terminal E
The Lowdown: Who says airports don’t do upscale? As the top culinary standout at the world’s busiest airport, One Flew South offers its diners “Southernational” cuisine such as pork belly sliders (lower picture) inside a setting filled with indigenous eye candy. From native heart pine floors and ceilings to the Georgia forest photo mural and Cherokee marble sushi bar, this one is a true homage to the region. And did we mention, it’s at an airport.
Encounter (Los Angeles, CA)
The Restaurant: Encounter
The Airport: Los Angeles International Airport
The Terminal: Inside the famous Theme Building
The Lowdown: If you’ve been to LAX, you’ve likely seen this one, situated in the center of its most iconic structure, the Theme Building, with its 135-foot-high parabolic arches. The interior of the restaurant is equally iconic. From the space-age sound effects to the “floating” bar stools to the laser lights emitting from the crater-shaped bar, Encounter “captures the optimism of a futuristic L.A.” What else would you expect from a place designed by two Walt Disney Imagineers?
Sky Asian Bistro (Phililadelphia | Tuscon | New York City)
The Restaurant: Sky Asian Bistro
The Airports:
• Philadelphia International Airport
• Tucson Airport
• LaGuardia Airport – Terminal C
The Terminal: Terminal 1; Concourse G (near gate 2)
The Lowdown: From fresh sushi to Cantonese cuisine, Sky Asian Bistro has an extensive menu that’s almost as elaborate as its interior design. The Philadelphia Airport location (pictured above) has 32 wines and all sorts of authentic Asian beers on hand so you can get your buzz on you take flight.
Piquillo (New York City, NY)
The Restaurant: Piquillo
The Airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport
The Terminal: Terminal 5
The Lowdown: As the first-ever Spanish tapas restaurant in a U.S. airport, Piquillo blends a Dali-esque architectural excellence with an authentic Spanish menu — starring everything from albondigas to paella. If you’re meeting someone for an international rendezvous, try the three- or six- tapas-tasting menu to satisfy all strains of epicuriosity.
Bisoux (New York City, NY)
The Restaurant: Bisoux
The Airport: LaGuardia Airport
The Terminal: Delta Terminal; Terminal D
The Lowdown: From the tabletop iPad holders to the bistro-inspired Provencale cuisine, Bisoux is a scintillating standout that makes you forget about your invasive pat-down at airport security. The menu comes from Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson, the talented twosome behind some of New York’s finest restaurants — Balthazar, Pastis,Schiller’s and Minetta Tavern. Even fresh off a plane from Paris, this one’s bound to impress.
Lounge 5280 (Denver, CO)
The Restaurant: Lounge 5280
The Airport: Denver International Airport
The Terminal: B Concourse, Mezzanine Level
The Lowdown: Aptly named after the Mile High City, Lounge 5280 is a stylish lounge, upscale bar … and by far the best place in Denver International to wet your whistle. The evidence? Infinite wine flights, Colorado-inspired cocktails, local wines and more generally, a drink menu that’s thicker than the Denver Broncos playbook. In terms of actual food, they have that too. Appies, cheese platters and small plates starring Brie, olives and roasted Spanish almonds amongst others.
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To see the complete list of “Top Airport Restaurants in the U.S.” on YP.com, please click here.
