Gone are the days when your only option for grabbing a bite at the airport was greasy fast food. With many airlines limiting their in-flight snack and meal options, more airports around the world have been prompted to up their game. Offering everything from five-course dinners to regional delicacies, these 10 airport eateries bring the best of the local food (and, in some cases, drink) scene right to the airport. With so many diverse options, you will want to pack your appetite along with your luggage the next time you fly.
Plane Food, Heathrow Airport, London, UK
Kent Wang, Plane Food via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
Owned by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, this trendy London bistro serves up dishes that are anything but plain. Diners can feast on traditional English flair, including dry-aged British beef served with garlic butter or peppercorn sauce and top off their meal with after-dinner tea and scones. But even if you don’t have time for a sit-down dinner before your flight, you can still taste the restaurant’s gourmet menu. Plane Food allows hungry travellers to take an onboard picnic with them, packed in an insulated bag that can easily fit underneath the seat in front of you when finished. That sure beats a bag of peanuts!
Jamie Oliver Union Jack’s Bar, Gatwick International Airport, London, UK
Fat Les, Union Jacks cf via Flickr CC BY 2.0
Serving up fare of genuine British food, this establishment became a firm favourite among the travellers at Gatwick Airport. Nostalgic and comfortable British food with simple yet exceptionally executed menu ensures tasty and quality food. Full English breakfast might be the feature dish, however it’s the famous puddings that steal the show, from home made ice creams to apple crumble cheesecake. It’s also worth mentioning, that all wines are from British suppliers only. You can find Jamie Oliver Union Jack’s Bar after the security in North Terminal.
Porta Gaig, Barcelona El-Prat International Airport, Barcelona, Spain
MollySVH, Sea Bass via Flickr CC BY 2.0
Dubbed as the best airport restaurant in the world, Porta Gaig serves fresh and delicious gourmet food with Catalonian twist created by much celebrated chef Carles Gaig in the very heart of newly renovated Terminal 1. Think of delicious game, various poultry dishes, succulent meats and fish accompanied by seasonal vegetables and all of this seasoned with the greatest attention to detail.
Fresh Food Central, Glasgow Airport, Glasgow, UK
Nic McPhee, One scotch egg via Flick CC BY 2.0
Fresh Food Central serves freshly prepared organic and sustainable British produce, which is also Red Tractor approved. While traditional breakfast is served until 11am, delicious traditional dishes can be assembled in front of you, giving you a choice of choosing your own sausages and other foods. Conveniently located before departures at the Glasgow Airport, means you can eat before you jet off.
Legal Sea Foods, Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Toukou Sousul 淙穂鶫箜, Oyster Bar via Flickr CC BY 2.0
You can’t visit New England without tasting the region’s delectable seafood. Luckily, with an upscale Legal Sea Foods restaurant located right in Terminal C of Boston‘s Logan International Airport, you can get all of your Omega-3’s without even leaving the building. The famed dining hot spot offers travellers a sleek atmosphere, award-winning clam chowder and even a live crustacean to save for later. If you want to take a souvenir back to your hometown, Legal Sea Foods gives you the option to buy live lobsters packaged for travel, making a tasty token for any seafood-loving friends.
Airbräu Brauhaus, Munich Airport, Germany
Tammy Lo, Oktoberfest 2013 via Flickr CC BY 2.0
If you just can’t seem to get enough brews during your trip to Germany, have no fear! Situated in Terminal 1 in the Munich Airport, Airbräu Brauhaus is Europe’s only airport restaurant to feature an onsite brewery. The brewery prides itself on using only hops from the renowned Hallertau region and the finest Hofbräuhaus brewer’s yeasts. Plus, layovers won’t seem too bad when you get to sit back and relax in an outdoor beer garden that also serves up local grub such as Bavarian sausages and warm pretzels.
Shake Shack, John F.Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA
Jonathan Lin, Shake Shack via Flickr CC BY 2.0
Flavoursome and delicious food from Shake Shack isn’t your ordinary fast food restaurant, being awarded best fast food restaurant at the Airport Food and Bevarage Awards, the burgers and hot dogs do really taste heavenly. Try their staple deli style sandwiches served until 11am or sample one of their signature milkshakes. Shake Shack can be found in Delta’s Terminal 4.
Bubbles Seafood & Wine Bar, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands
A_marga, Bubbles via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
In the mood to eat like a true first-class flyer? Then pop over to Bubbles Seafood & Wine Bar when in Amsterdam. The upscale bar offers diners a selection of more than a dozen champagnes, a classy dining area surrounded by a saltwater aquarium, a luxe raw bar and even a casino. Dine on traditional flair like raw Dutch herring served with bread and onions or calm your pre-flight jitters with a glass of bubbly (pinky up, of course!).
La Moraga, Malaga-Costa Del Sol International Airport, Malaga, Spain
Jessica Spengler, Tapas via Flickr CC BY 2.0
If you can’t get enough of tapas while in Spain, here at the Malaga Airport, you can sample traditional Andalusian tapas within the rustic environs of La Moraga. Typically Andalusian foods in mini tapas versions are created by Dani García, who has under his belt a two Michelin-star restaurant in Marbella. Ham, choritzo, gazpacho soup or croquettes are among the signature dishes.
Imperial Treasure, Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore
Matt_Weibo, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport: Hotel Lobby via Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0
If you ever find yourself in Singapore, be sure to leave time before your flight to dine on traditional Cantonese and Shanghai cuisine. Braised shark fin with bamboo pith and seafood is just one of the many delicacies you’ll find at Imperial Treasure, located at the Crowne Plaza Hotel inside Terminal 3. The restaurant also offers a specialized vegetarian menu including deep-fried eggplant and stir fry.
