Airports haven’t typically been known for their haute cuisine. Maybe the high prices, but not high-quality food.
And that sucks when you’ve got a long layover or your flight is delayed. It adds insult to injury when your best option is a soggy prepackaged sandwich or the free pretzels they handed out on the plane. Maybe that’s why so many people drink in airports: to distract themselves from their gnawing hunger, or the stale slice of pizza they were forced to eat.
Fortunately, the food selection at many airports has improved in recent years. Believe it or not, some people even look forward to layovers just so they can hit up their favorite airport restaurant. OK, we were skeptical too, but after extensive research, we here at Wanderu are convinced.
Employing a specific methodology, we tallied:
- the total number of restaurants in the 50 busiest U.S. airports,
- the number of restaurants in each airport that earned a rating of more than 3 stars on Yelp (out of a possible five),
- and the top-ranked restaurant for each airport.
From there, we ranked the airports based on their total number of high-rated restaurants. (For airports that tied, we gave the edge to those with fewer total restaurants, as it meant they had a higher overall percentage of good food.)
The section below features the top 10 food-friendly airports, followed by an expandable table with our full rankings to 50.
| Airport | Total Restaurants |
High-Rated Restaurants |
Top Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Denver International Airport | 51 | 19 | Root Down |
| 2. | Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport | 58 | 19 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen |
| 3. | Hatfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport | 88 | 18 | One Flew South |
| 4. | Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | 48 | 15 | The Refuge Coffee & Wine |
| 5. | Logan International Airport, Boston | 28 | 14 | Shojo |
| 6. | San Francisco International Airport | 43 | 13 | Napa Farms Market |
| 7. | Portland International Airport | 21 | 12 | Blue Star Donuts |
| 8. | Baltimore–Washington International Airport | 28 | 12 | Gachi House of Sushi |
| 9. | Miami International Airport | 30 | 11 | Corona Beach House |
| 10. | George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston | 52 | 11 | Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen |
- The included data is based on ratings and reviews from Yelp.
- Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were counted for the “Restaurants w/ 3+ Stars” and “Top Restaurant” categories, to ensure the star rating was statistically significant.
| Airport | Total Restaurants |
High-Rated Restaurants |
Top Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | William P. Hobby Airport | 12 | 10 | Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen |
| 12. | Los Angeles International Airport | 64 | 10 | Sealegs Wine Bar |
| 13. | O’Hare International Airport | 67 | 10 | Tortas Frontera |
| 14. | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport | 22 | 8 | Lake Wine Kitchen + Bar |
| 15. | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 30 | 8 | CAVA |
| 16. | Dulles International Airport | 20 | 7 | Bar Symon |
| 17. | Seattle–Tacoma International Airport | 30 | 7 | Beecher’s Handmade Cheese |
| 18. | Philadelphia International Airport | 36 | 7 | Aldo Lamberti Trattoria |
| 19. | San Diego International Airport | 17 | 6 | Phil’s BBQ |
| 20. | Tampa International Airport | 20 | 6 | Four Green Fields |
| 21. | Detroit Metropolitan Airport | 33 | 6 | Bigalora |
| 22. | Pittsburgh International Airport | 8 | 5 | Marathon Diner |
| 23. | Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport | 10 | 5 | Great Lakes Brewing |
| 24. | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport | 17 | 5 | The Peached Tortilla |
| 25. | Salt Lake City International Airport | 23 | 5 | Squatters Pub & Beers |
| 26. | Charlotte Douglas International Airport | 27 | 5 | Beaudevin |
| 27. | Midway International Airport | 22 | 4 | Gold Coast Dogs |
| 28. | Orlando International Airport | 30 | 4 | McCoy’s Bar & Grill |
| 29. | McCarran International Airport | 43 | 4 | Rachel’s Kitchen |
| 30. | Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport | 10 | 3 | Gold Star Chili |
| 31. | San Antonio International Airport | 12 | 3 | Raising Cain’s Chicken Fingers |
| 32. | Newark Liberty International Airport | 53 | 3 | Classified |
| 33. | John F. Kennedy International Airport | 55 | 3 | Shake Shack |
| 34. | Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (Tie) | 8 | 2 | Vino Volo |
| 34. | John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Tie) | 8 | 2 | Vino Volo |
| 36. | Sacramento International Airport | 11 | 2 | The Gateway Bar |
| 37. | Indianapolis International Airport | 13 | 2 | Harry & Izzy’s |
| 38. | Daniel K. Inouye International Airport | 16 | 2 | Lahaina Chicken Company |
| 39. | Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (Tie) | 18 | 2 | Zona Fresca |
| 39. | Norman Y Mineta San Jose International Airport (Tie) | 18 | 2 | Pizza My Heart |
| 41. | Luis Munoz Marin International Airport | 3 | 1 | Casa Avila |
| 42. | Raleigh-Durham International Airport | 12 | 1 | Carolina Vintages |
| 43. | John Wayne Airport-Orange County | 13 | 1 | Javi’s |
| 44. | Dallas Love Field Airport | 15 | 1 | Dickey’s Barbecue Pit |
| 45. | St. Louis Lambert International Airport | 17 | 1 | Pizza Studio |
| 46. | LaGuardia Airport | 33 | 1 | Five Guys |
| 47. | Kansas City International Airport | 5 | 0 | N/A |
| 48. | Southwest Florida International Airport | 6 | 0 | N/A |
| 49. | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport | 12 | 0 | N/A |
| 50. | Nashville International Airport | 16 | 0 | N/A |
Essentially, we crunched the numbers to help you determine where to eat and drink at the airport next time you’re traveling. We believe you’ll find this info particularly useful, especially now that we’ve added flights on Wanderu, meaning you can compare them alongside bus and train tickets in one streamlined search.
As always, we want to help you find the cheapest travel possible, and now we can ensure you’re well fed along the way. Now check out our spotlights on the top 10 airports and some of their culinary highlights. Bon voyage, and bon appetit!
1. Denver International Airport — Denver, CO
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | 19 | Root Down |
Denver International Airport has a lot of dining options to serve its nearly 65 million annual passengers. But considering how large DIA is, it probably should. After all, it’s the fifth busiest airport in the entire U.S., and occupies more physical space than Manhattan and San Francisco combined!
With upwards of 50 food spots, there’s something for nearly everyone and every occasion. Early morning? You can grab a breakfast sandwich to go at Modern Market. Have a business expense account? Try dropping some coin on a filet during dinner at Elway’s.
And if you’re looking for a local favorite? We recommend Root Down – the highest rated establishment at the Denver airport. What started as a restaurant in Denver’s eclectic Highlands neighborhood now has a sister location in Concourse C. Root Down is known — and beloved — for its focus on locally-farmed, sustainable and organic ingredients. And while we know that it’s probably hard to get excited about a menu item that focuses on beets, the long list of people who rave about Root Down’s beets & goat cheese salad would impress even Dwight Schrute.
2. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport — Dallas, TX
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | 19 | Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen |
They say everything is bigger in Texas.
At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, that statement rings true when it comes to portion sizes at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Located in Terminals A and C, you don’t have to fly to New Orleans to get an authentic taste of Cajun food when you’re traveling through DFW.
From oysters to etouffee, po-boys to red beans and rice, one bite and you’ll feel like you stepped into the French Quarter — without all those beads flying everywhere.
Spicy and seafood not your thing? Bánh Shop is a highly-rated, award-winning alternative that specializes in Vietnamese–style sandwiches and bowls. In fact, their grilled pork meatball baguette was named the Best Meatball Sandwich in America according to Restaurant Hospitality. Take that, Angelo Pappas.
3. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — Atlanta, GA
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 88 | 18 | One Flew South |
If you travel often, you’ll probably find yourself in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at some point. After all, it’s held the record for the world’s busiest passenger airport for the past 21 years in a row.
But with the chaos that ensues from nearly 300,000 passengers traveling through per day, choosing where to eat — even with a whopping 88 restaurants — can be as difficult as stuffing your suitcase into an overhead bin.
If you’re willing to splurge, take the Plane Train to One Flew South in Concourse E. Marketed as the first upscale dining experience within the Atlanta airport, One Flew South’s menu features items like hamachi crudo, thyme roasted pork belly and a collard green ramen you can try to duplicate at home with the purchase of Chef Todd Richards’ debut cookbook.
Still hungry? Chicken + Beer is just one concourse over. Don’t let the fact that rapper/actor Ludacris is behind the concept fool you. It was actually the first airport restaurant in the country to be considered for the prestigious James Beard Award. Guess he knows a thing or two about Southern hospitality…
4. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport — Phoenix, AZ
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | 15 | The Refuge Wine & Coffee |
When it comes to beverages, airports are strange places, and rules about what’s appropriate to drink at what time of day kinda go out the window. After all, just because you’re sitting in Phoenix doesn’t mean that your body isn’t on New York time, or that it isn’t 5 o’clock somewhere.
Whether you’re thirsty for a glass of wine at 7 a.m. or craving a cup of coffee at 7 p.m., The Refuge Coffee & Wine in Terminal 4 has got you covered. In addition to all the usual caffeinated suspects, The Refuge also serves up wine, beer, micheladas, and an assortment of breakfast and lunch options.
Averaging a five-star review, patrons of Refuge’s airport location frequently use Yelp to call out employees by name (looking at you, Tony, Matt and Gary!) for their kindness, humor and exceptional service. The bad news? They close each day at 9 p.m., so maybe not the best spot to grab a nightcap.
But Wildflower, located in the Main Concourse, is open 24 hours if it’s late and you need a pick-me-up — like their wildflower cappuccino or something from the bakery. The only bummer? They don’t serve alcohol.
5. Logan International Airport — Boston, MA
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 14 | Shojo |
Shojo — the Chinatown darling — just opened its second Boston location in Terminal C of Logan International Airport in 2019, but it’s already a favorite among fliers.
You can credit the breakfast congee for winning over more than one weary traveler. Open earlier than any sane person would like to arrive at the airport, and closing late, the restaurant features modern Asian favorites from their original menu, plus some items exclusive to the trendy Logan location.
Long layover in Boston? If you aren’t getting out of the airport and into the city, Legal Sea Foods’ Logan digs may be your only chance for a lobster roll or New England clam chowder (pronounced chow-dah). It’s pricey, but hey, you’re on vacation, right?
6. San Francisco International Airport — San Francisco, CA
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | 13 | Napa Farms Market |
With two locations in the San Francisco International Airport, Napa Farms Market brings a little bit of Northern California culture to Terminals 2 and G.
Featuring wines from Napa Valley, beers from local brewers, and a variety of organic and local foods, the restaurant/bar/grocery isn’t your typical grab-and-go spot. Here, a granola bar means something different than at every other airport market: It means building your own parfait.
In fact, you can also build your own picnic to take with you. But no pressure. If sitting next to your gate with gourmet cheese on a paper napkin doesn’t sound glamorous, you can stick around and dine on fresh mozzarella caprese or kale Caesar salad (topped with organic chicken, obviously).
Or weave your way to the back of Napa Farms Market to find Tyler Florence Rotisserie. Though you probably won’t run into the celebrity chef, you can try his mac and cheese and a variety of roasted meats.
7. Portland International Airport — Portland, OR
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | 12 | Blue Star Donuts |
Remember when doughnuts only came in glazed or powdered? Today, you can order flavors like blueberry bourbon basil, real maple bacon and Cointreau crème brûlée — at the airport. Blue Star Donuts and Coffee, a Portland purveyor of gourmet brioche-dough confections, opened its doors at the PDX Airport three years ago.
Doors open at 5 a.m. everyday, so you can grab a doughnut before your early-morning flight. And with the location in the main terminal before security, you’ll have enough caffeine and sugar in your system to make the hassles of TSA more tolerable.
Doughnuts not your thing? That’s OK. (But seriously, what’s wrong with you?!) Flying Elephants at PDX is also located pre-security, selling bagels and burritos, coffees and cabernets.
8. Baltimore–Washington International Airport — Baltimore, MD
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 12 | Gachi House of Sushi |
Fresh, healthy and authentic may not be the first three words that come to mind when you think of airport food. But changing that perception is the idea behind Gachi House of Sushi, located in both Piers A and B of BWI. The restaurant opens daily at 5 a.m., but if raw fish in the morning doesn’t sound appetizing, there’s also fruit sushi and a breakfast sushi that’s better suited for an early wake-up call.
If crab cakes (and football) are more your style, grab a seat at Obrycki’s Restaurant and Bar. Serving “crab cakes and more since 1944,” the Concourse B spot offers its original recipe and a spicier version — on a platter, a sandwich, or even frozen and packed in an insulated bag to shove in your carry-on.
9. Miami International Airport — Miami, FL
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 11 | Corona Beach House |
Nothing says “Welcome to Miami” like Will Smith … or a cold beer.
Corona Beach House, located in Terminal D, offers one of the two. However, don’t let the name deceive you. The restaurant’s menu includes more than just these beachy beers, although you do have the option to add an upside-down Coronita to any margarita. Warning: a few of those and you might be staying in Miami. Tacos, burgers, breakfast and a N.Y. strip round out the menu – perfect for when you’re done soaking up the sun but need to soak up that last drink.
Further down Concourse D sits La Carreta, a restaurant dishing up an extensive menu of Cuban cuisine, including its popular empanadas. Available in beef, spinach, chicken, or ham and cheese, you can grab these to-go for your next flight at just $2.25 a pop.
10. George Bush Intercontinental Airport — Houston, TX
| Total Restaurants | High-Rated Restaurants | Top Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | 11 | Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen |
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen may be popular in Dallas–Fort Worth, but in Houston it’s a hometown hero. The New Orleans–style chain got its start in the city’s Galleria area more than 30 years ago. Today, there’s 13 Houston area locations, including the one next to Gate 3 in the George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Whether you’re dining in or grabbing something on the go, the Pappadeaux menu offers a variety of fresh fish, bisques and decadent (fried) appetizers for dipping. There’s also a selection of salads to balance things out.
Not to be outdone, The Breakfast Klub’s IAH outpost (there’s also a downtown location) specializes in Southern comfort food. We’re talking wings and waffles, catfish and grits, and green eggs and ham good enough to eat here and there (or anywhere).
City-to-City with Wanderu
Hungry yet? We hope so. And maybe next time you book a flight (through Wanderu, of course), a long layover won’t be so scary. In fact, it could be a perfect opportunity to sample local, even gourmet, cuisine — from seafood to sushi, brioche to bánh mi, and sea to shining sea.
Of course, some airports still have a ways to go to catch up with the likes of Denver or Dallas–Fort Worth’s food scene, so you might want to keep that in mind next time you’re planning your travel. But that should be fairly easy when you’re using the Wanderu app or Wanderu.com to compare routes, schedules and prices for the very best (and most delicious) travel deals.
In search of even more travel inspiration? Using our own Wanderu data, we found the top 10 cheapest city pairs for a multi-city trip, so you can indulge in double the vacation destinations for one low cost.
Methodology
We analyzed the following categories to determine the Best Airports for Food in the U.S.:
- Busiest airports in the United States
- Total number of airport restaurants
- Total number of highly rated airport restaurants
Data sourcing:
- To determine the busiest airports in the U.S., we used 2018 data from the Federal Aviation Administration that listed the total number of enplanements, and pulled the top 50.
- To find the total number of airport restaurants for each of the 50 busiest airports, we counted the number of “Restaurants” within each airports’ premises with at least 20 reviews on Yelp.
- To find the total number of highly rated airport restaurants in each of the 50 busiest airports, we counted the number of “Restaurants” within each airports’ premises with at least 20 reviews on Yelp, and with an average rating of more than 3 stars.
- Finally, we ranked those 50 airports by those with the most high-quality restaurants in an extensive list from best to worst.
You are welcome to use the information on this page, crediting Wanderu. If you do so, please link back to this page, so that hungry travelers around the globe can find out how we did this study.
