7 Airports Around the World With Delicious Dining Options!
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.Enjoying a delicious sit-down meal from a Michelin-rated chef or a tasty fast-casual option is a nice treat if you’re at the airport early or have time to spare during a layover.
Emily and I typically prefer visiting airport lounges where we can save money on a quick bite to eat. But there are exceptions. Like the time at San Diego Airport when I saw a veggie burger on the menu!
Certain airports have better choices when it comes to dining options. I’ll share where you can find the best airport restaurants!
Find the Best Airport Restaurants at These Airports!
I haven’t tried a meal at all of these airports (yet 😉). But many are well-known for their dining options and get great reviews!
1. Denver Airport
One of the best parts about dining at the Denver Airport is you can easily access restaurants in any of the 3 terminals. Because the airport train quickly gets you to each concourse! So you’re not restricted to just eating by your gate!
Some popular restaurants at the airport include:
Team member Keith loves when he has a layover in Denver. Because he can grab a sandwich or pizza at Modern Market, which is a fast-casual chain that started in Boulder, Colorado.
2. London Heathrow Airport
London is a melting pot and is known as one of the top cities in the world for food. Emily and her mom thought so on their recent trip! And at the airport you can find a wide variety of cuisines and restaurants including:
I’d love to try the Indian food at Priya’s the next time I fly into or out of London. The restaurant gets excellent reviews on Yelp. And the prices are very reasonable!
3. Los Angeles Airport
Los Angeles Airport has 7 terminals, which means you have many dining options to choose from.
Unlike Denver Airport, it’s not easy to move around to different terminals in Los Angeles. So you’ll have to settle for the restaurants that are in your airport’s terminal.
Here are some of the popular restaurants located throughout the airport:
Los Angeles is team member Keith’s home airport. And he says you’ll find great restaurants in most terminals with the exception of Terminal 1, which is home to Southwest.
4. Dubai Airport
Dubai Airport has one of the world’s best airport lounges. But if you can’t access a lounge, these are some of the top-rated restaurants to consider:
I’d recommend checking Zomato for other top restaurants at the Dubai Airport. It’s like Yelp, but they have a lot more reviews in many international destinations.
5. New York Airport – JFK
Whether you’re looking for a New York-style slice of pizza, sushi, or just a burger, you have many options at New York – JFK. Some highly-rated restaurants at the airport include:
Team member Scott enjoyed a deliciously greasy Shake Shack burger in Terminal 4 before boarding an international Delta flight.
6. Chicago – O’Hare
Chicago – O’Hare has my favorite airport restaurant. I love Tortas Frontera, which is a Mexican-style sandwich shop.
The best part is you can order online. I always order from their app as soon as I land in Chicago. This way the food is ready for me when I walk off the plane!
You’ll also find these great restaurants at the Chicago airport:
7. Newark Airport
There’ve been lots of upgrades at Newark Airport, including the addition of many new restaurants. Most of the good options are in Terminal C, which is home to United Airlines.
For an upscale dining experience, you can visit Saison. Michelin-rated chef Alain Ducasse helped develop the menu for the restaurant, which includes foie gras, escargot, and croissant bread pudding.
These are some other popular restaurants in the airport:
And if you’re just looking for a coffee, there are multiple Dunkin’ Donuts in the airport. 😉
Don’t Forget to Pay With a Card That Earns Bonus Rewards on Restaurant Spending!
You can boost your miles and points balance or earn cash back by paying for airport meals with a card that includes restaurants as a bonus category. And if you’re traveling overseas, save money on pesky foreign transaction fees by using a card that doesn’t charge any!
Here are cards I recommend:
| Card | Bonus at Restaurants | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|---|
| AMEX SimplyCash Plus | • 3% cash back at U.S. restaurants if you choose this as your bonus category | 2.7% |
| Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card | • 2% cash back at restaurants | 3% |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | • 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining at restaurants | None |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve℠ | • 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining at restaurants | None |
| Citi Double Cash | • Up to 2% cash back with 1% cash back on spending and 1% cash back on payments | 3% |
| Citi Prestige | • 2X Citi ThankYou points on restaurant purchases | |
| Chase Freedom | • 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter when you register (sometimes includes restaurants) | 3% |
| Discover it® | • Enroll every quarter to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases made in various categories throughout the year • 1% unlimited cash back automatically on all other purchases | None |
And remember to link your credit card to ThanksAgain to earn bonus miles and points, which you can transfer directly to airline and hotel partners.
Bottom Line
Most folks don’t expect much from airport food. But there are some airports with delicious dining options.
For example, Chicago – O’Hare is home to my favorite airport restaurant, Tortas Frontera. You can even order their delicious Mexican-style sandwiches online or from an app, so you don’t have to wait!
Or find a variety of cuisines at London Heathrow. Highly-rated restaurants there include Gordon Ramsay Plane Food and Priya’s.
And if you’re looking to save money eating at the airport, remember you can get access to many airport lounges with certain credit cards.
What’s your most memorable airport meal? I’d love to hear any airports you’d add to the list!
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