Dining becomes an elevated experience as high

EN ROUTE
TRAVEL FARE
F
rom sushi to steaks, airport food certainly isn’t what it used
to be. In the past, dining options at these transportation
hubs were simply an afterthought—a classic example of
sustenance over style. Today, however, thanks in part to jet-setters’
demand for meals catering to refined palates, there are a growing
number of gourmet options. Although most airports still have fastfood joints, terminals in many cities now boast Michelin-starred
chefs, local eats and unique culinary concepts, which means that
travelers don’t have to wait until reaching their final destination to
indulge in impressive dishes.
Dining becomes an elevated experience as high-end restaurants and local hot spots
land at airports across the country.
BY MATT VILLANO
CHICAGO
Food options abound at O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and some are markedly
better than others. Among the top choices is Tortas Frontera, a modern Mexican eatery
from James Beard Award-winning chef Rick Bayless with three locations at O’Hare,
that serves up griddle-baked tortas (sandwiches) filled with meats such as chipotle
chicken and beef. Another restaurant worth a splurge: Wicker Park Seafood &
Sushi in Terminal 2, which offers a comprehensive complement of nigiri, maki and
dessert rolls, and serves sake, shochu (also called soju) and cocktails from a full bar.
Dish D’Lish
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
DALLAS-FORT WORTH
Texas barbecue is famous
around the world,
and Dickey’s Barbecue
Pit, with two locations
inside Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport (DFW)
offers travelers an authentic representation of what this local delicacy
is all about. Although this brand is a chain, the airport locations
cook all of their beef brisket, chicken and pork ribs on hickory
wood-burning pits daily. The Asiago cheese creamed spinach is
a perfect side for a taste of down-home dining.
SAN FRANCISCO
Terminal 2 is the smallest
of the four terminals
at San Francisco
International Airport
(SFO), but it has the
biggest number of topshelf dining options. Two
of these eateries—which
both source ingredients
from local purveyors—include
Lark Creek Grill, a San Franciscoonly cafe, and Cat Cora’s Kitchen, the airport outlet of internationally renowned chef Cat Cora that offers organic cuisine.
Also be sure to check out Napa Farms Market, a high-end
store that sells artisan products and foods made and grown in
Northern California.
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ink.sack
LOS ANGELES
The new food scene at
Los Angeles International
Airport (LAX) is all about
high-end convenience, especially at Tom Bradley International
Terminal. A pizza shop named 800
degrees prides itself on Neapolitan-style pizzas that are madeto-order in two minutes or less, while ink.sack—from acclaimed
chef Michael Voltaggio, who won the sixth season of “Top
Chef ”—offers 4-inch sandwiches perfect for sampling banh mi
to Cuban varieties. Another option is Petrossian where travelers
can pair caviar with top-shelf Champagne and vodka to toast
their trip or their return.
Uptown
Brasserie
TOP RIGHT: HMSHOST; BOTTOM RIGHT: COURTESY OF
UPTOWN BRASSERIE; BOTTOM LEFT:
AMES CAMP PHOTOGRAPHY
Cat Cora’s
Kitchen
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF KATHY CASEY FOOD STUDIOS; COURTESY OF
DICKEY’S BARBECUE PIT; COURTESY OF SACK SANDWICHES; SCOTT FINSTHWAIT
SEATTLE
Locals swear by market-fresh
menu items at the two SeattleTacoma International Airport
(SEA) locations of Dish D’Lish
from hometown chef, Kathy
Casey. Alaska Lodge, found at
the intersection of Concourses C
and D, also has at least a dozen
Washington-state microbrews
on tap.
This trend is gaining the attention of frequent fliers like Henry
Harteveldt, co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group, which
studies the travel industry. Harteveldt has savored the byproducts
of this movement, and notes that his favorite restaurants are those
that mix fresh ingredients with a local approach.
“Any restaurant that gives you a sense of what the destination
is all about is worth trying,” Harteveldt says. “This enhances the
travel experience. It also fills you up on good food you’ll remember
forever.” Here are seven airports making a mark with their dining
selection, for a culinary experience that’s worth writing home about.
Wicker Park
Seafood & Sushi
NEW YORK
No airport has evolved in the food
department as much as John F. Kennedy
International Airport ( JFK) in New
York. As recently as a decade ago, Sbarro
pizza was about as sophisticated as one
could get. Today, you can nosh on upscale
American eats from James Beard Awardwinning chef Marcus Samuelsson’s
Uptown Brasserie in Terminal 4, or
go with burgers from one of two
JFK outposts of the popular Shake
Shack chain, which is expanding
across the country but has local
roots—it started as a hot dog
stand to support the first art
installation of Madison Square
Park Conservancy. And, there’s
even a Balducci’s, one of New York
City’s first specialty markets offering
high-quality prepared dishes in Terminal
7, if you want to grab food to go.
One Flew
South
ATLANTA
Frequent travelers rave about One Flew South, an original restaurant in Terminal E at HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport. Some even say they’ll fly out
of their way for the “Southernational” food that mixes Deep South favorites with a worldly approach. One
of the all-time favorites: the melt-in-your-mouth Miso BBQ Rib-eye with baby chickpea succotash, asparagus, corn,
bok choy and chilies. “One Flew,” as it’s known, also boasts a full sushi bar and a heralded cocktail program. C
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