The best 35 airport restaurants in the world

For most travelers their vacation starts as soon as they clear security and are free to shop, eat and drink to their heart’s desire (and to their wallet, waistline and liver’s dismay.)

Airplane food hasn’t had the best rep (read our article here) so it’s no surprise travelers are filling up on the array of exotic culinary options which wait for them at the terminal. Usually, passengers have plenty of time to kill, so why not, they’re on vacation after all.

The food website The Daily Meal compiled a list of the world’s best airport restaurants. They asked chefs and food writers to condense existing ranking to a list of the top 35 establishments, they took inspiration from the likes of CNN, Conde Nest Traveler and Travel Channel and narrowed down their findings to just 35 winners.

The World’s 35 Best Airport Restaurants

1. The Gorgeous Kitchen, Heathrow Airport, London
2. Legal Sea Foods, Logan International Airport, Boston
3. Sushi Kyotatsu at Narita International Airport, Tokyo
4. Brasserie FLO, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris
5. Globe@YVR, Vancouver International Airport
6. One Flew South, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
7. Altitude, Geneva Airport, Switzerland
8. Tortas Frontera, Chicago O’Hare International Airport
9. Corky’s Ribs &BBQ, Memphis International Airport
10. Porta Gaig, Barcelona -El Prat Airport
11. Cafe Versailles, Miami International Airport
12. Saison, Newark Liberty International Airport
13. Crust, La Guardia Airport, New York
14. Cat Cora’s Kitchen, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston; Salt Lake City International Airport; and San Francisco International Airport)
15. Le Sommelier Bar & Bistro, Copenhagen Airport
16. ink.sack, Los Angeles International Airport
17. La Pausa, Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos Aires
18. Piquillo Tapas Bar, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City
19. Airbräu, Munich Airport
20. Caviar House and Prunier, various airports worldwide
21. Deep Blue Sushi, John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City
22.LEE Kitchen by Susur Lee, Toronto Pearson International Airport
23. Barrio Café, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
24. Jamie’s Italian, Gatwick Airport, London
25. Maxim’s Jade Garden, Hong Kong International Airport
26. Obrycki’s, Baltimore-Washington International Airport
27. Giraffe, Birmingham Airport and Gatwick and Heathrow airports, London
28. 8 Bubbles Seafood & Winebar, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
29. Cádiz Tapas Bar, Dubai International Airport
30. The Salt Lick Bar-B-Que, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
31. Kampong Café, Singapore Changi Airport
32. Chef Jimmy’s Bistro & Spirits, Denver International Airport
33. Perry’s, San Francisco International Airport
34. Kyotaru, Narita International Airport, Tokyo
35. Casa do Pão de Queijo, Viracopos International Airport and São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, São Paulo