Top Airport Restaurants

Located before security and within the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, directly above the U.S. departures terminal, Globe@YVR offers Pacific Northwest cuisine and sustainable seafood. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner (as well as a children’s menu) are all available. Mornings feature a buffet and specialties like a West Coast seafood omelet, while a new dinner menu highlights items like scallops and bacon with a chili emulsion, morel mushrooms, chicharron, and pork belly, and wagyu beef carpaccio with cured egg yolk, black garlic wafers, caper black pepper aioli, and aged goat cheese. For dessert, go for a selection of cheeses from British Columbia. Wines hail from the region’s famed Okanagan Valley and around the world. 604-248-3281; fairmont.com. —Jane Levere

Located on the departures side of Terminal 5 at London Heathrow, Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food focuses on British cuisine with a twist—like monkfish and chorizo skewers, a short rib beef burger with chimichurri mayo, and Cumbrian pork and fennel sausage with spring onion mash. The space features an all-glass wall with direct views of the runway, and diners can also take a seat at the restaurant’s Asian-influenced bar to see chefs craft dishes like soy- and sake-cured Loch Duart salmon with yuzu avocado and lotus crisps. gordonramsay.com —JL

Inspired by the 2006 BBC television series In Search of Perfection, which followed the research work of British superstar chef Heston Blumenthal and his development team, Blumenthal’s Perfectionists’ Café is located in the airport’s Terminal 2, immediately after security. The food celebrates some of Britain’s favorite dishes while embracing elements of culinary discovery (such as hamburgers made by grinding the meat grains in the same direction to maximize juiciness). Fish and chips are coated with an outstanding crunchy batter, ice cream is made with liquid nitrogen, and pizza is baked in the airport’s first wood-burning oven. Expect fast, informal service. theperfectionistscafe.com. —JL

Hung’s Delicacies, located on level three of Terminal 2 at Hong Kong International Airport, is a branch of the Michelin-starred original that specializes in classic braised meats slow-cooked in a secret blend of spices—like sliced goose marinated in chef Hung’s signature “lou seoi” sauce, a stock resulting from the slow cooking of more than ten kinds of herbs. Soups, which vary daily, are homemade, and serve three to four people, while seafood dishes include cold crab and pan-fried pomfret. There are also vegetarian options, such as "goose" made of bean curd, congee, noodle, and rice dishes and braised vegetables in red marinated-tofu sauce. 85-2/3197-9332; hongkongairport.com. —JL

Deep Blue Sushi is the first high-end sushi restaurant to make an appearance at New York’s J.F.K. Located post-security in the marketplace of JetBlue’s Terminal 5, it offers dine-in options of chef Michael Schulson’s creations or takeout from Deep Blue on the Fly (perched next door). Travelers can choose from hot and cold appetizers; crudos of fluke and blue-fin tuna; various types of fried rice (crab, chicken, and pineapple, vegetable, rock shrimp, pork); noodle dishes like spicy seafood and roast-pork ramen; teriyaki sirloin and shrimp tempura udon; and tamarind pad thai. Meat and fish dishes (green coconut curry chicken, miso black cod) and, of course, sushi, sashimi, and specialty (tempura lobster, creamy tuna) and traditional rolls (yellowtail scallion, avocado) are also on offer. panynj.gov. —JL

Located after security in the food court of Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport, Custom Burgers features high-quality meats from famed New York-based purveyor Pat LaFrieda, who created a special blend exclusively for the restaurant’s made-to-order custom burgers. (Local produce is also served.) Choose from build-your-own single, double, and triple burgers, as well as turkey, veggie, chicken, and fish burgers, all served with a wide variety of condiments and toppings like cheeses, caramelized and fried onions, fried Italian peppers, eggs, pickles, bacon, and ham. Side dishes like chicken tenders, French fries, and tater tots, as well as six flavors of shakes and breakfast dishes, round things out. laguardiaairport.com. —JL

Chef Andrew Carmellini is the talent behind Minnow, at New York’s LaGuardia, which spotlights creations of local, fresh, seasonal, and sustainable seafood. Find it after security in the food court of Delta’s Terminal D. The bar has a dozen stools equipped with iPads, where customers can order food, track flights, or browse the web. The raw bar offers oysters, crab, and shrimp cocktails, a seafood platter, specialty rolls, nigiri sushi, and sashimi. Appetizers include snapper yuzu ceviche, Manhattan or New England clam chowder, and tuna sliders; entrees include lobster, seaweed, or Caesar salad, bento boxes, a tuna burger, and a smoked-salmon BLT. Breakfast options range from morning spring rolls to bagels and lox to apple-cinnamon buttermilk pancakes. laguardiaairport.com. —JL

Chef Rick Bayless, known for his masterful, award-winning Mexican cuisine, is behind Tortas Frontera, which has three locations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport—in Terminals 1 (by Gate B11), 3 (by Gate K4), and 5 (by Gate M12). They offer a delicious choice of built-to-order tortas, Mexican griddle-baked sandwiches, and mollettes, warm, open-faced versions. The former include smoked pork loin, chipotle chicken, and smoky garlic shrimp varieties, while the latter comes in bacon-and-cheese and smoked-pork options. A classic tortilla soup and a corn-and-poblano chowder are also served, and there is a guacamole bar with lots of toppings. rickbayless.com. —JL

One Flew South, which you’ll find at the center point of Concourse E at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, is the first upscale dining experience at the hub—the world’s busiest—and the first airport eatery to be a semifinalist for a James Beard award (it was nominated for Outstanding Service). Serving lunches and dinners made with premium ingredients from regional farmers and purveyors, the restaurant features globally inspired entrées and a full sushi menu, with eight rolls as well as raw and cooked nigiri, sashimi, hand rolls, and bowls. Other dishes include salmon hot pot, cornmeal-dusted trout, duck breast, and pan-roasted hanger steak with cashews; dessert lovers will fall for banana pudding and a warm waffle with a poached plum and ice cream. 404-816-3464; oneflewsouthatl.com. —JL

Chef Suzanne Goin of the critically acclaimed L.A. restaurants Lucques and a.o.c. opened a laid-back version of her popular Brentwood spot, The Larder at Tavern, in the newly renovated Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX in 2013. Specializing in quick but haute takeout, this is definitely more of an eat-and-run spot than a place to linger. But if you’re in a rush, you won’t do better than Goin’s herb-roasted organic chicken sandwich with curried cauliflower—not to mention the desirable baked goods. They also serve breakfast at all times and offer a full gourmet coffee bar. 310-258-9556. —Rachel Hurn

Located in Delta’s Terminal 4, this New York-style brasserie from James Beard Award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson celebrates some of the beloved Harlem restaurant’s signature dishes, with starters like house smoked salmon (hickory-smoked and marinated with brown sugar and sea salt, and served with toasted brioche) or the “Lower East Side Pastrami Sandwich” (with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, tangy dressing, and a side of fries). The restaurant’s open kitchen also allows guests to settle in and watch the action. uptownbrasserie.com. —Avery Stone

Like its parent restaurant in Denver’s Highland neighborhood, the fare at Root Down (DIA) focuses on organic and locally sourced ingredients. The menu features an abundance of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, and there is also an additional takeout menu; popular dishes include Colorado lamb sliders, pan-seared Skuna Bay salmon with country fried tofu, cobb salad, and for dessert, a pretzel brownie. Travelers will find the closest thing to fresh air in the restaurant’s 4,000-square-foot space: one whole side of the dining room is covered in a “living wall” of moss and other green leafy things. 303-342-6959; rootdowndia.com. —AS

An outpost of Los Angeles chef Michael Voltaggio’s Melrose Avenue hotspot, ink., ink.sack serves up artisanal sandwiches in LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Its name is a nod to the “sack” lunches Voltaggio’s mother made for him when he was a child.) The sandwiches on offer are globally influenced, with popular picks like the Spanish Godfather (with ham, chorizo, manchego, olives, mayo, peppers, lettuce, tomato, and sherry), the Banh Mi (with pork shoulder, caramelized onion spread, bacon, rinds, pickled vegetables, jalapeños, and cilantro), or the Frenchy (with turkey, brie, fruit chutney, arugula, and mayo). mvink.com. —AS

Saison, located in Newark-Liberty’s Terminal C, offers travelers a taste of classic French cuisine with signature bistro dishes like onion soup gratinee, steak-frites, tuna tartare, filet au poivre, and hand-cut beef tartare, prepared tableside. Sandwich staples like a croque monsieur and jambon-buerre are also on offer. The space’s design is a nod to a traditional café (with penny tile flooring, marble counters and tabletops, and antiqued mirrors) with more modern touches (wood and blackened metal dining chairs, custom bronze pendant lights, and iPads at each seat). panynj.gov. —AS

Opened in 2015 in Charles de Gaulle’s Terminal 2E (Hall L), this concept from Michelin three-star chef Guy Martin (of lauded Parisian restaurants Grand Véfour and Le 68) is, as its name suggests, a celebration of French cuisine. Signature dishes on offer include terrine of duck foie gras with Colombo-spiced apricots or fillet of veal in a paprika rub with crispy vegetables. Dessert lovers should opt for oeufs à la neige (“snow eggs,” or soft meringues) in a creamy vanilla sauce. 33-1/7425-0304; parisaeroport.fr. —AS

This concept from Koshiki Yonemura Smith, chef-owner of popular St. Paul Japanese restaurant Tanpopo, features a Japanese menu that includes dishes like ramen, sushi, sashimi, and udon utilizing fresh, creative ingredients. Think duck pho with seared duck breast from Minnesota farm Wild Acres, duck confit, grilled asparagus, scallions, jalapeno, cilantro, mint, and sprouts. Find the restaurant in the airport’s Terminal 1, Concourse G, and watch the restaurant’s cooks make your noodles and dumpling wrappers fresh daily from within a glass structure adjacent to the seating area. mspairport.com. —AS

This traditional Tokyo sushi shop, located near Gate 34 in Terminal 1, is one of the best sushi restaurants in Tokyo—not to mention the world. Given how hard it usually is to find those renowned but inconspicuous sushi spots in the city's center, this is quite surprising, but Sushi Kyotatsu is quite literally worth a trip to the airport. The fish is super-fresh, deep in color, lightly sweet, and perfectly textured. The customers there tend to eat silently—not necessarily due to decorum, but because they’re in awe. 81-476/32-1777; narita-airport.jp. —RH

One of the many reasons Singapore’s airport is considered the best in the world, according to Skytrax, is due to its vast amount of gourmet dining options. If you happen to be flying out of (or into) Terminal 2 and are craving traditional, local-style Chinese food served in a sit-down restaurant, check out Peach Garden Chinese Dining, an outpost of one of Singapore’s most popular restaurant branches. Make sure to try the manager’s favorite dim sum item, Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Fresh Cordyceps Flowers, and for the main dish don’t miss the house specialty, Roasted London Duck. The Sio Bak Roasted Crispy Pork is lean and not too oily, and if you’re in the mood for soup, the Seafood Soup in Golden Melon is both delicious and artistic, served in a husked melon. Oh, and if you need a last-minute souvenir, grab some Mooncakes from the restaurant’s Gift Corner. 63-86/3033; changiairport.com. —RH