[Purposely not mentioning all the chain restaurants at US airports as we already have a Chain thread]

I've eaten at a whole lot of them in every continent. Here are a few...

The best overall for gourmet quality is Les Etioles in the Sheraton CDG which is inside the airport. Almost Michellin worthy. The businessmans special is €57 each, plus drinks. ;)

The private restaurant in the Wing at HKG is pretty darn good.

The Swiss Chalet on the upper level at ZRH.

I ate at a good restuarant at FCO once. It was upstairs and kind of hidden. I don't recall if it had a name or not.

I'm transiting NRT on UA soon. Is there any good restaurant in that part of the airport? Or should I just eat the junk they serve in the RCC?

A few years ago, I had an incredible chilled seafood platter smorgasbord in CPH. Can't remember the restaurant though and as a whole, decor-wise and all, it was nothing to write home about. But great fresh simple seafood.

Figs at LGA is very good (and moderately priced, to boot)....

I've never eaten here, but every time I've walked by Caviar House at LHR/LGW, I've been tempted to stop there for a nice platter of smoked salmon.

I've always wanted to try Balik salmon. I just love the salmon at Petrossian.

The Balik salmon by Caviar House is incredibly good. You won't believe how good until you try it. Best I can tell it is identical at all of their locations (so it is quite easy to get, and the price is reasonable given the quality).

No good food of any kind at NRT. The best strategy is to go into Narita City which has some excellent sushi takeout counters near the railway station. But it takes 30 minutes each way to get there, so it is about a 2 hour outing.

Agree about the Wing F dining room -- it is catered by the Peninsula, and really is better than most restaurants in the world. Remarkable for an airport lounge. If they know you, the chef will make almost anything for you by special request (but this is very much an unofficial service).

Maybe the best airport restaurant in now at LAX, in the spider (former control tower). See http://www.encounterrestaurant.com/

Agree about the Wing F dining room -- it is catered by the Peninsula, and really is better than most restaurants in the world. Remarkable for an airport lounge. If they know you, the chef will make almost anything for you by special request (but this is very much an unofficial service).


Is this for F pax only or is it a publicly accessible restaurant?

The Wing in HKG is for F only or OneWorld Emerald members. I got in with my BA Gold card even though flying economy on CX.

[QUOTE=francophile]I've never eaten here, but every time I've walked by Caviar House at LHR/LGW, I've been tempted to stop there for a nice platter of smoked salmon.

You should let your temptations win! I eat there frequently, and never have the same thing, other than a nice couple of chilled vodkas. It's always been extremely fresh, tasty and satisfying.

A vote for Caviar House LGW from this corner. ^ Apart from the fish & seafood they have great chutneys and other British staples on sale.

Maxim's Restaurant, Hong Kong.

Sounds like next time I'm at LHR/LGW, I will have to indulge in some Balik salmon.

off topic: I'm surprised that since Paris prides itself as a culinary capital, the restaurant offerings at CDG are so meagre.

off topic: I'm surprised that since Paris prides itself as a culinary capital, the restaurant offerings at CDG are so meagre.

Did you see my OP? CDG has the best inside-airport restaurant in the world.

I think we went through this once before, but if you include non-commercial airports, Typhoon/The Hump, along with DC3, at the Santa Monica, California airport.

For truly unique, try the buffalo burger at the Catalina Island airport.

I gotta say - my favorite is Legal Sea Foods at the Reagan National Airport in Washington - divine!

Did you see my OP? CDG has the best inside-airport restaurant in the world.

Sorry. I was referring to the airside.

The DAILY GRILL Restaurant on the mezzanine at Tom Bradley Int'l Terminal at LAX is the largest full-service airport restaurant in the United States, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their food is fabulous, especially the meat loaf. Airplane food being what it is, whenever we travel from LAX on an International flight departing the Bradley Terminal, we usually eat at the DAILY GRILL before the flight, or order up a sandwich to take on the flight, forsaking what's served onboard. FYI, the The restaurant is before Security, so it's easy to access.

http://www.dailygrill.com/ ^

The Top Air restaurant at Stuttgart Airport is one of two airport restaurants in Europe to have a Michelin star. It is one of the best restaurants in Stuttgart. Here is their URL:

http://www.woellhaf-airport.de/de/index-uk.php?nr=topair&ha=oben2

The DAILY GRILL Restaurant on the mezzanine at Tom Bradley Int'l Terminal at LAX is the largest full-service airport restaurant in the United States, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their food is fabulous, especially the meat loaf. Airplane food being what it is, whenever we travel from LAX on an International flight departing the Bradley Terminal, we usually eat at the DAILY GRILL before the flight, or order up a sandwich to take on the flight, forsaking what's served onboard. FYI, the The restaurant is before Security, so it's easy to access.

http://www.dailygrill.com/ ^

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with airplane food?.... when food is actually served, that is. :rolleyes:

The Top Air restaurant at Stuttgart Airport is one of two airport restaurants in Europe to have a Michelin star.Wow! That is quite an accomplishment. Now if it makes 2-stars then it is supposed to merit a special trip ... lots of MRs via Stuttgart (have to admit that I don't know the airport code for it, would never consider flying there vs. taking the train from FRA -- but with a restaurant like that ...). Wonder if they cater those special Daimler flights from Stuttgart to Detroit?

Sorry, but I don't care for the Daily Grill at LAX-Bradley International Terminal. My husband always insists on stopping there before our flight to LHR. I think that it's overpriced with not much healthy food choice. I usually like quesidillas sp? but I don't like theirs. And what can you do to a quesidilla, it's very simple to make. The trouble is, the Daily Grill is the only "nice" restaurant in the Bradley, all the rest is fast food. I never thought that I'd miss that old cafeteria but they had a fair choice and at least they had fresh fruit. Although we usually get to the airport early we don't feel we can make it to another terminal for a meal, especially with today's security stops.

Sorry, but I don't care for the Daily Grill at LAX-Bradley International Terminal. .... The trouble is, the Daily Grill is the only "nice" restaurant in the Bradley, all the rest is fast food.Try the restaurant in the spider (the former control tower building at the center of LAX). It is called "The Encounter" and probably is the best food at LAX (or the nearby hotels for that matter). See http://www.encounterrestaurant.com/
p.s. The encounter appears to be the Jetsons meeting the 21st century, perhaps an inevitable theme given the iconic building.

Another vote for The Wing in Hong Kong. For dinner there is always a choice of several hot main courses (including a carvery), a range of desserts, five or six good quality cheeses, champagne (Billecart Salmon), three premium red wines (an Australian, a bordeaux and a burgundy), three premium whites - hell they even have a sauterne! All served by a bevy of waiters on high quality tableware with good, starched linen. Best of all, absolutely free. Breakfast is equally impressive.

I usually try to get to the airport very, very early... :p

Another vote for The Wing in Hong Kong.The food is identical at the Pier (both are CX F lounges at HKG airport, free if you are flying in F on CX or otherwise have F lounge access). Catered by the Peninsula, hence the high quality of the buffet (and it is a buffet, despite plentiful waiters). The wines are mediocre to moderate, as is the champagne -- the food is better than the wine. Deserts are a strong point, often some very good pastry. Steamed fish is another strong point when available (really remarkable, and consistently good). But it isn't a publicly accessible restaurant so it really doesn't count for this thread (btw, even better food is available in DXB in the private F lounge for EK ... roughly equivalent in the public F lounge; LH also has better food in their new F terminal at FRA, so the Wing has tough competition now).

A few more places apart from the still very nice LHR/LGW Caviar House branches:

The "8" at the ICN Hyatt Regency Incheon - Good lunch buffet with a mixture of Korean and International dishes

The "Bubbles" Seafood & Wine Bar at AMS - Not quite the level of Caviar House but still very good fish & seafood and nice selection of Wines

The "Teppan Grill Icho" in the Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport at KIX - (Expensive) Surf'n'turf type dishes ( yes, Kobe/Matsutaka beef ) along with great views over the sinking artificial Island

Still the worst Airport food if no lounge access: Doha, Qatar. :td: Horrible fast food joints with no signs of local cuisine or even an Arabian mocca. The food in the lounges is very nice, why do the public restaurants have to be so poor? :confused:

While it can't compare to the Wing, I'm in the Singapore Silver Kris First Class lounge now and the lunch-time self-serve food is pretty darn good. Good free WiFi too. ^

Ikarus at Hangar-7
Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart
Wilhelm-Spazier-Straße 7A
5020 Salzburg
Österreich
Tel.: 0043-(0)-662-21 97

On the grounds of Salzburg Airport, in the kitchens of the restaurant "Ikarus" at Hangar-7, guiding light Eckart Witzigmann has been cooking up a storm since the hangar's grand opening in August 2003.
A top-flight restaurant in a futuristically styled aircraft hangar presided over by "cook of the century" Eckart Witzigmann - such ingredients would provide more than sufficient punch for any normal culinary hotspot. But at "Ikarus," it's all different than anywhere else - and nothing's normal.

From the beginning, Hangar-7 is playing host to a restaurant concept unique the world over: each month, an internationally acclaimed guest-chef will man the kitchen at Hangar-7... to be followed by a new guest star the month thereafter.

http://engl.salzburg-airport.com/essen_1348.html

Is Ebisu on the SFO International terminal any good?
I've always been a fan of the SF location but I haven't had a chance to try to the airport one yet.
-g

Is Ebisu on the SFO International terminal any good?
I've always been a fan of the SF location but I haven't had a chance to try to the airport one yet.
-gPretty good. In fact it should have been mentioned on this thread, but obviously it isn't as good as the real Ebisu. I usually take some pastry from AA Bakery to SFO and eat that, but I happen to think AA is one of the best bakeries in the US (and such a hole in the wall it is, too).

Am I the only one who doesn't have a problem with airplane food?.... when food is actually served, that is. :rolleyes:

Nope, I love airline food too. I really do :D