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Restaurants in Airports: Which Hub Do You Prefer?


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With airline cutbacks affecting food service so obviously, where have you found good food at a reasonable price between flights? Have you ever organized your travel plans so you can reach a favored stop-over?

I try to hit Chicago's O'Hare: It seems to be the only airport I know with a variety of good food choices.

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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Are you a very frequent business traveler? I admit that I've never had the thought of choosing a particular stopover because of availability of decent airport food. I choose stopovers based on price and schedule. And I never expect anything very good, let alone inexpensive, in an airport.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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I haven't organized travel plans for that reason, but I have gone to the Orlando airport, just to eat dinner at Hemisphere. The food is really good, and the view of the runways is great!

Life is short; eat the cheese course first.

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Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson Airport

Since this is the airport I always depart from to travel, I really like the variety that is now offered to the traveler (200 concessions) .. I remember it from the past when there was very little choice available... best choice is Paschal's which is local and soul foodish. :biggrin:

Food in SJC (San Jose, Ca.) where I often find myself is now much better and in SFO (San Francisco) there is a very nice set of choices as well. Didn't like the food in DFW particularly. Washington Dulles has a lot of choices. Newark is always a disappointment, even with the newer facilities.

CDG in Paris is fair but Munich was awful (or maybe just where I was waiting for my flight). Frankfurt was fine, lots of vendors for snacks.

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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No, I don't plan my travel accordingly. But I do remember several years ago having to cool my heels at Sea-Tac for a late night flight. They had this white nappery restaurant where I had probably one of the best steak dinners I have ever had... ever. The price wasn't bad either. It was such a shock that I still remember that steak to this day. (I have no idea what the name was or if it is still there.)

I don't go through DFW very often but I could not believe how lousy the choices were in the terminals. For an airport that size and with that traffic load, it was pitiful. At the time, I was stuck waiting for a colleague to come in from Boston and his plane was delayed. The only thing to do was to navigate the confusing automated tram system to the hotel. (Then the damn thing stopped for about 20 minutes in the middle of nowhere with me the only one on board... creepy.) Hopefully that has changed. I have successfully avoided the place for about five years now.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson Airport

Since this is the airport I always depart from to travel, I really like the variety that is now offered to the traveler (200 concessions) .. I remember it from the past when there was very little choice available... best choice is Paschal's which is local and soul foodish. :biggrin:

I was there again last month and again cursed the food selection -- all I could find was food-court dreck and the occasional Chi-Chi's or whatever. Of course, the lines everywhere are insufferable. Where is Paschals?

I'm also still bitter about them changing the juke joint theme bar in T Terminal into something generic and forgettable. Sure, it was a damn airport bar, but it did manage to bring a little soul into the flourescent-lit, industrial carpeted landscape.

I'm on the pavement

Thinking about the government.

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I try to hit Chicago's O'Hare: It seems to be the only airport I know with a variety of good food choices.

Which terminal? I fly American, and the food court in that terminal is awful. The best food around is the Wolfgang Puck bistro thingy, which is only okay.

Bruce

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Narita probably has the best food of any airport I've tried to eat a meal in.

just don't order the tacos.... :blink::angry:

I will be sitting at Narita airport exactly 48 hours from now, I guess I should start thinking about where to go for lunch. :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Won't you bring food from closer to home, Kristin?

Last summer, I was going to get pastrami and cole slaw from Katz's to take on my flight to Dubai and then Kuala Lumpur, but I decided the food would be good on Malaysian Airlines. It wasn't that good at all. The only thing that was better than mediocre was the Indian breakfast, and that was served on the Dubai-KL leg, after a 12-hour flight from New York. So I made sure to stock up on satay and cucumber from a good place in Petaling Jaya (recommended by eGulleteers Shiewie and Maukitten) for my flight back, and this August, I'll be sure to get food from Katz's to take on board my flight from New York to Beijing.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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There's a decent Tex-Mex place in the international terminal in SFO BUT the best I've come across would have to be the Oyster Bar in the domestic terminal in Sydney. God Sydney rock oysters, a touch of lemon and a beer you cant get much better than that

I want food and I want it now

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Won't you bring food from closer to home, Kristin?

food will actually be the last thing on my mind once I get ready to board the 12 hour flight with a four hour layover and another 2 hour flight with 3 small children, all alone..... :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Won't you bring food from closer to home, Kristin?

food will actually be the last thing on my mind once I get ready to board the 12 hour flight with a four hour layover and another 2 hour flight with 3 small children, all alone..... :biggrin:

12 hours?? Is that all?? Try Adelaide, Australia through to NYC then an hour and a half drive thru to NJ with a 5 and 3 year old .... oh and the wife. I'm trying to work out who's the worst of the three of them :biggrin:

I want food and I want it now

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Hmmm, I usually fly in and out of Philadelphia when I have to fly... and that airport is pretty bleak in all regards. On the rare occasion when I get my flight cheaper from baltimore I seem to recall BWI having a couple chain style places in each terminal, which while not good, is still better than fast food, or even worse, airport-specific overpriced fast food.

IIRC LAX has some pretty spiffy places to dine though.

He don't mix meat and dairy,

He don't eat humble pie,

So sing a miserere

And hang the bastard high!

- Richard Wilbur and John LaTouche from Candide

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Won't you bring food from closer to home, Kristin?

food will actually be the last thing on my mind once I get ready to board the 12 hour flight with a four hour layover and another 2 hour flight with 3 small children, all alone..... :biggrin:

Hmmm...won't they want decent food, too?

May you have a good flight!

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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Where is Paschals?

It's just off the rotunda between security and baggage claim. If you come in from the concourses, you'll have to make a u-turn off the escalator and head back toward ticketing. Keep looking toward the center of the terminal -- if you're headed down the South terminal, the rotunda will be on your right; for the North terminal, on your left. The lines are generally shorter at the terminal concessions, but don't try this unless you've got at least an hour layover. Between the trains and passing back through security, anything less would be pushing it.

If you've got time for a drink, the two-story Houlihan's (or is it a TGIFridays?) across the rotunda is decent for a chain bar; at least they have live music -- usually a piano player. The service is brisk but friendly.

Dave Scantland
Executive director
dscantland@eGstaff.org
eG Ethics signatory

Eat more chicken skin.

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Are you a very frequent business traveler? I admit that I've never had the thought of choosing a particular stopover because of availability of decent airport food. I choose stopovers based on price and schedule. And I never expect anything very good, let alone inexpensive, in an airport.

I'm not a frequent business traveller.........I'm a fussy four-times-a-year vacationer. With enough time to plan ahead, prices tend to be about the same, give or take $50. I will pay an extra $50 to avoid DFW if at all possible. For a state with great BBQ and wonderful Tex-Mex, that terminal is full of depressing corporate sameness.

I have re-routed myself through Chicago just so I could be certain of having a good meal at Wolfgang Puck's, rather than an uncertain meal anywhere else.

I can see the airlines starving their passengers in favor of pursuing their bottom line. What I find unforgiveable is terminals who don't pick up the slack, and offer more of the same greasy carbs one avoids eating on the plane! I want to have a civilized day of travel: To me, this means good, or passable food, in balanced quantities.

Buffalo has outstanding sandwich wraps near the Southwest gates. Charlotte, NC has a fantastic concession with pork or beef BBQ as a sandwich or a plate, with great slaw. ABQ has breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs and green chile that make your mouth burn for hours!

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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Austin has one good barbecue restaurant.

Bruce, I've been there! I liked it alot! It was actually the genesis for this thread: Why can't more airports have restaurants representing local food?

Kristin, you have my deepest sympathy. Best wishes for your patience and perseverence!

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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There's a Pappadeaux in the Houston Intercontinental airport in terminal E.

The nice restaurant is no longer at SeaTac anymore, they've totally remodeled that entire part of the terminal. In fact, there's probably a security checkpoint right there. Most terminals now have decent food courts, nothing too special, but a few unusual and possibly good things sprinkled in (the new terminal A lists "Africa Lounge" as one concession.) When the finish construction, there will be a new 'fine dining' restaurant in the terminal.

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"Why can't more airports have restaurants representing local food?"

Actually there was a recent controversy in Austin because the City Council was asked to permit a non-local food vendor in the airport - when the new terminal was built, all vendors were to be local. Not sure what the final outcome was. A more recent controversy is the lack of vendors outside security - there's only one little "coffeeshop" where folks can get sustenance while awaiting arriving planes.

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Does anyone have a sugestion for the Ft. Lauderdale, FL airport? (Travelling very soon)!

Edited by Susan G (log)

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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I like O'Hare and Hartsfield/Atlanta for the variety of food available and Chicago in particular for the Hot Dogs and that incredibly convenient Hilton IN the airport. A great idea if there ever was one.

I hate, with all of my cold little heart, Salt Lake International Airport. I am a frequent flyer on Delta and sadly damn near everything smoking from New Orleans to the Western US connects through Salt Lake. I hate the Salt Lake Airport. No Food. Crummy Drinks governed by their bizarre laws.

Did I mention that I hate the airport in Salt Lake? Because if I didn't, I should have. The airport in Salt Lake is awful in the most extreme sense of the word.

New Orleans has a crummy airport setup (parking situation is pretty abismal), but the foods pretty good. How many other airports in the country have a "seafood to go" outlet where seafood is sold and packed for travel or they will pack what you bring in yourself. A great service.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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I was just in Stockholm's Arlanda airport yesterday AM; the coffee/pastry joints in there beat most of the coffeehouses I've ever been in Stateside. Coffee was thick and full-bodied, and the pastry I had (vanilla bun) was damned good. The tiny bakery in Bastad made a far better one, of course...:wub:

When a modest coffee joint in a captive-audience public space beats out 95% of the coffee you've ever tasted in the US, then you know something is wrong with the way we're doing things :wacko:

"Give me 8 hours, 3 people, wine, conversation and natural ingredients and I'll give you one of the best nights in your life. Outside of this forum - there would be no takers."- Wine_Dad, egullet.org

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I hate, with all of my cold little heart, Salt Lake International Airport. I am a frequent flyer on Delta and sadly damn near everything smoking from New Orleans to the Western US connects through Salt Lake. I hate the Salt Lake Airport. No Food. Crummy Drinks governed by their bizarre laws.

Did I mention that I hate the airport in Salt Lake? Because if I didn't, I should have. The airport in Salt Lake is awful in the most extreme sense of the word.

LOL :raz: Now see? That's information we NEED!!

Maybe I should expand this topic to include: What airports do you try to avoid because of dismal food?

I'm a canning clean freak because there's no sorry large enough to cover the, "Oops! I gave you botulism" regrets.

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Maybe I should expand this topic to include: What airports do you try to avoid because of dismal food?

I thought that I was clear, but perhaps not.

I hate Salt Lake International Airport with a hate I feel for few other things on this earth (or any other planet, for that matter). :angry::laugh:

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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