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America's busiest airports are quietly becoming unexpected food destinations - and smart travelers know just where to grab the best bite before takeoff.
Airport lounges have elevated their food offerings even as they remain pricey and require memberships or a certain credit card or frequent-flier status.
For the average traveler, regular airport restaurants are still costly, partly due to real estate costs and the challenge of getting staff and ingredients through security, Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert, told Fox News Digital.
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They operate in tight spaces and are run by a single concession operator, leading to an "incredible sameness," Leff added.
"It's not simple to run a restaurant inside an airport," noting it can be a "recipe for bad food."
There is one exception, he said.
That would be Tortas Frontera, a Mexican restaurant at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Illinois.
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"I even choose to connect through Chicago rather than another hub sometimes for it," Leff said.
Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless, the well-known chef, is often named online as a favorite of frequent flyers; one Reddit user raved it offered the "best airport food I've ever had." Other favorites named include O'Hare's Publican Tavern, Wicker Park and Gold Coast Dogs.
And while Leff thinks One Flew South, a southern and sushi fusion restaurant at Georgia's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), is "overrated," many tout that as their favorite flying pit stop.
"The most outstanding meal I have EVER had in an airport!" one woman wrote in a recent Yelp review.
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ATL, which also houses the beloved Chicken and Beer, owned by rapper Ludacris, and the soul food institution Paschal's, won first place in the 2025 Food & Wine Global Tastemakers Awards for U.S. airport dining.
Another southern hub with sought-after food is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas.
"Dallas-Fort Worth is a massive airport with numerous dining options," said Melanie Musson, an insurance expert from Montana who frequently travels with her husband and six kids.
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"They have several Texas barbecue options, so even when you're just stopping for a layover, you can get a taste of Texas."
Justin Goldsberry, a business owner and seasoned traveler from New Jersey, also said he loves traveling through DFW for its barbecue and seafood.
"Since seafood is my favorite, I'm always on the lookout," Goldsberry said.
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"Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen delivers every time."
Musson's other favorite place to stop is Root Down at Denver International Airport (DEN) in Colorado, where she and her family have been going for years.
"But Root Down isn't the only great eating establishment at DEN," Musson said. "It offers a wide array of chain restaurants and several local options."
Reddit users also say they appreciate the variety at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California.
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"SFO is a dream for anyone who loves Asian food," Maricel Gentile, owner of Maricel's Kitchen in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital.
Gentile frequently travels for culinary events and often gets a bowl of udon or miso soup from Japanese restaurant Wakaba.
"It's simple, warm and soulful, perfect before a long flight," Gentile said.
After SFO and her hometown Newark Liberty International Airport, Gentile said she enjoys eating at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in Washington.
SEA is home to Floret, a vegetarian spot that one recent Yelp reviewer said was "hands down … the best/cutest restaurant" she ever visited in an airport, and Beecher's Handmade Cheese, another favorite on the Reddit channels.
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Gentile also recommended the fried chicken at The Country Cat at Oregon's Portland International Airport (PDX).
Employees at travel site The Points Guy also recommended PDX as well as Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah, according to its managing editor, Clint Henderson, in part because they're reasonable. Both prohibit restaurants and shops from charging more than they would outside the airport.
Henderson thinks dining at New York's LaGuardia Airport has improved lately.
"LaGuardia's Delta Terminal C is now full of some of my favorite restaurants, including Calista Taverna, Prime, Soleil Brasserie, Chuko Ramen and, of course, Bubby's," he told Fox News Digital.
"Airports have come a long, long way over the past few years with airports investing heavily in food and beverage offerings."
