Consolidated "Best Airport Restaurants / Meals / Food" thread
 

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best airport restaurants in the U.S.? I'm not talking about those in-terminal Pizza Huts or franchizes but real, full service local businesses. Thanks.



MODERATOR'S NOTE/CLARIFICATION: After a review of posts on the thread, this is clearly the place for airport restaurants anywhere in the world, not just the U.S. Please therefore feel free to post any.

Here are links to websites that review airport restaurants. I think this is what you want:
http://www.skyguide.net/reference/airportwait.html

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m...le.jhtml?term=

For example, the first site notes that SLC's Terrace Restaurant has excellent seafood. Before 9-11, locals sometimes came there just to eat. The second site praises SLC's Squatters Brew Pub. To be truthful, I have no experience with either place. Since I am a SLC local, I almost always come to the airport having already eaten, or I just grab a cinnamon roll at the airport's Cinnabon or a breakfast sandwich at the airport's Burger King.


[This message has been edited by amanuensis (edited Jan 16, 2004).]

Welcome to Flyertalk rscott

If ever at the Scottsdale Municipal Airport, try the Blue Fig Restaurant, see: http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...ML/000191.html

Here are a few of my personal faves:

BOS:
Legal Seafoods is pretty decent as long as you stick to the seafood and clam chowder. (Before security near the UA check-in area.)

DEN:
Personally, I thought the Wolfgang Puck's Express at DIA (which seemed closer to a a full-service restaurant compared to the one at ORD) is some of the best airport food I've ever had airside. Terminal B, Level 2.

PDX
Rose City Cafe at PDX has lots of Pacific Northwest fare, local microbrews and a pretty decent sushi bar. (Before security near the D/E concourses.) Also, check out the Portland Brewing Co. Pizza Pub in the food court area on the main concourse. They offer, IIRC, ~dozen-plus local micros. Prosit!

SFO
Sanraku Japanese Cuisine, in the food court, offers a limitied selection of sushi packed to-go, but if you have time, order up a nice big bowl of udon. Yum! (Just before gates 68-90, Terminal 3.)

I agree with Ess but with a couple of changes to the following:

I loved the Lobster Roll here. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...m/thumbsup.gif

Try Que Bueno near terminal 51 in the B Concourse. They have the best airport Burritos I have had as of yet. I like to wash them down with a Sam Adams. Yum.

If multiplying your segments by doing PDX-EUG-SFO instead of PDX-SFO, the seafood chowder at the little restaurant 100 feet from the two UA gates at EUG is excellent and cheap.

At MIA -- La Carreta, in the main terminal around the base of sections D-E. An outpost of a local chain of Cuban cafeterias / cafes. Very good and creative food, even if some of it is served from a steam table, and it's just different.

In BOS, there's also a branch of Legal Seafoods in the USAir Terminal. It's a nicer atmosphere than the Lagal in Terminal C.

ORD -- at the big food court near the American airlines main Admirals's Club -- the Burrito stand. Just look at all the airline people in line. They Know.

Interesting idea for this segment padder. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdi...um/biggrin.gif

Another great couple of places are the two food courts in the international terminal. There one can get good dim sum and sushi. There's also a place called Emporio Rulli ( http://www.rulli.com ) that sells excellent sandwiches and pastries; perfect way to help one get through those endless hours across the ocean in coach. There's also an outpost of Il Fornaio ( http://www.ilfornaio.com ) airside, which is one of my favorite Italian restaurants, even if it is a chain.

MIA, the worst airport in the world, has a decent restaurant on the 7th floor, attached to the worst airport hotel in the world (or at least in the running...) quite a lovely place with decent food & good service. A great place to kill time when you've mis-connected/missed again a flight X MIA.

Houston
 

PapaDoux - seafood restaurant

Do you include private airports?
 

if so, among the very best are The Hump and Typhoon at the Santa Monica airport, discussed in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=307939

For commercial airports, try something truly bizarre, Encounter at LAX:

http://www.encounterrestaurant.com/

My vote goes for the Japanese restaurant, Ebisu, in the SFO International Terminal Food Court on the boarding gates G side. The original full-service restaurant in San Francisco proper is one of the SF Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants--five years in a row. It also rates as one of the top Japanese restaurants in Zagat's SF guide. Of course the airport outlet is not as full service as the main location, however, it still has a sushi chef making great sushi and serves great bowls of udon, teriyaki and other dishes.

If one is hungry and has time to spare before, during connection, or after flights, Ebisu is definitely worth a trip on the SFO AirTrain that quickly connects all the various terminals.

As an additional SFO perk, obtain two hours of free (validated) parking in any Terminal Garage by spending $20 at any participating International Terminal restaurant or shop.

A link to the SF Chronicle's reviews of Ebisu:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/listin...nue?vid=181322

At DEN, I like Lefty's Mile High Grill in concourse B has good chili and buffalo wings. I might experience turbulence 1/2 hour into flight. :D

I also like the Burger Joint in the intl terminal at SFO. They are an iDine member as well. I always get a few quick points before heading to Asia.

Mexican
 

Maui Tacos at the Minneapolis airport. Good salsa bar and big burritos.