One of the best airport meals on the planet, in accordance with readers

After studying via almost 600 submissions, we’ve chosen our favorites. Some solutions have been edited for size and readability.

One of the best airport meal I ever had was again at Christmas of 1972, once I was a university scholar headed for the West Indies, the place my household had a winter home. I needed to keep in JFK airport in NYC ready on a 7 a.m. flight for San Juan and stayed up all evening with some GIs who had been in on a constitution flight from Germany and had been headed dwelling for the vacation. Round 6 a.m., earlier than something was open, they requested a upkeep man the place we might get breakfast. He opened a door and the 5 of us went downstairs to the Jap Air Traces worker cafeteria beneath the principle degree of the terminal. They’d the whole lot. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, espresso … and for I believe solely $2 or $3. It was superb. I haven’t had that good a meal in an airport since.

In 1962, I noticed off my then-boyfriend at Idlewild Airport in New York. We ate on the (very fancy) airport restaurant. I ordered a bouillabaisse. The waiter lifted the lid of the terrine, and fish eyes had been gazing me. It turned out to be scrumptious, and nonetheless is one among my (uncommon) favorites. But it surely wasn’t simply the meals: We had been surrounded by a bunch of giant neckless guys. We requested the waiter — we had been consuming with the New York Giants.

Once I was a child (65+ years in the past), Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix was one of many locations to get a fantastic meal. People went there simply to eat … and to see the celebrities who got here via. I bear in mind each the prime rib and the fried rooster! Additionally, I can actually say that not solely did Clark Gable signal my little one’s “Sky Chef” menu however he additionally known as me “sweetheart.”

Linda Clements, Dayton, Nev.

My favourite airport second was having a Wild Turkey bourbon with Hunter S. Thompson on his Rolling Stone expense account. It was on the Columbia, S.C., airport within the early ’70s; I used to be a just-out-of-college reporter who’d been despatched to cowl a politician’s marketing campaign go to. That night, after submitting by studying my copy over the cellphone, I’m at an airport gate ready for my flight when Hunter comes over from his gate and tells me, “You requested the very best (BLEEPING) query of the entire day, and also you had been able to observe up by quoting him saying one thing else when he tried to (BLEEP) you. I need to purchase you a drink, and we’ll let that (BLEEP) Wenner pay for it.” It was just one bourbon on the rocks, and we each made our flights as a result of I believe that, at the very least whereas he was working, numerous that “Gonzo” stuff was a picture.

Gregg Wiggins, Indian Harbour Seashore, Fla.

In December 1968, at Haneda Airport in downtown Tokyo, my Cathay Pacific flight to Taipei was delayed. The airline gave me a voucher for a “particular dinner” in Shapiro’s restaurant. Surprisingly elegant setting, glorious service and the meals was beautiful. That night I had an unimaginable multicourse dinner served on seventeen (17!) separate plates: soup, salad, bread, shrimp Newburg, small good steak with greens to match, dessert and fantastic espresso. Among the finest and most memorable meals I’ve eaten in my 76 years — all free of charge.

George Wolske, Bumpass, Va.

Once I was in class domestically, the Williamsburg, Va., airport was a eating vacation spot for these within the know. Pilots would land there simply to eat lunch. They made their very own bread and desserts. The French dip sandwich was in all probability my favourite. I can nonetheless style the salty broth that soaked into the inside of the roll, as my tooth penetrated the crisp, egg-washed exterior and hit sizzling roast beef pay dust.

Charles Sweedler, Philadelphia

I must return to 1957, when my mother and father took me from dwelling in Bayonne, N.J., over to Newark Airport and the restaurant there known as the Newarker Restaurant. It was positioned above the principle concourse. I can bear in mind having an enormous filet mignon (at the very least to a 7-year-old). One different factor that I bear in mind effectively was a person in a chef’s coat, a big toque and a metallic field strapped to his chest handing out slices of garlic bread. I nonetheless bear in mind it effectively 65 years later!

My household lived as expats in Tokyo from 1988-1991. Our dwelling depart journeys had been solely every year and concerned flying world wide, actually. As soon as whereas ready in Narita Airport, we discovered a noodle store exterior the airline lounges on the higher flooring. The udon specifically was superb! It has lived on in household lore as “airport soup,” the very best and most comforting airport meals of all.

Jessica Chapman, Golden Valley, Minn.

October 2006, Hippopotamus, CDG Paris. Steak frites, bien sûr. However amazed {that a} chain might have such good caramelized shallots. Deep brown. Additionally amused {that a} uniformed firefighter sitting reverse me ordered sole meunière.

Mic Fleming, Agios Nikolaos, Greece

Simply and clearly No. 1: After spending spring break sweating our means via Cambodia in the midst of the new dry season, checking in to the Siem Reap airport and discovering a Dairy Queen contained in the terminal introduced extra pleasure to my household than you can think about.

Brian Sapp, Howard, Colo.

The Sternen Grill, housed in a shiny Airstream trailer exterior one of many entrances to Zurich Airport, serves the very best St. Gallen sausages, gold Bürli rolls and home made potato salad that simply cures the worst jet lag. I place an order nearly as quickly as I’ve dropped my luggage in my lodge room, all the time order the normal brat. After you order, it’s prepared in 1-2 minutes, and you are taking the brat wrapped in a serviette over to an out of doors desk with an umbrella. Don’t overlook to get some sizzling mustard, assured to take the highest of your head off just a bit.

Terry Terhaar, Davenport, Calif.

London Heathrow. The Caviar Bar, smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye. They’ve good cappuccino. It’s gentle and nourishing after a number of actually nerve-racking days. I stay up for it each time I journey via London.

Diane Nelson, Charlottesville

Duck cassoulet in 2014. When Ecco first opened an outpost on the worldwide terminal at Hartsfield, they had been making an attempt arduous to maintain the neighborhood gem really feel, together with the superb dinner specials. That duck cassoulet modified how I finish my holidays. Now I linger over one final good meal. Laundry can wait.

The dosa stand at Singapore’s Changi Airport. One par with the very best dosas I’ve ever had!

Andrew Tynan, Brisbane, Australia

One Flew South, Atlanta — it’s actually the primary time I ever had meals in a restaurant at an airport on par with meals you’d discover from a great place not adjoining to boarding gates. The pork stomach is superb; the bar whips up an unimaginable pisco bitter. It’s grow to be the place I schedule layovers round every time I’m flying via ATL, and I do know I’m not alone.

Sit-down meal at Oslo Airport ready for a Norwegian Airways flight to the USA, in summer time of 2017. Fish soup, after all.

Earlier this summer time we had a fast cease at Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik, Iceland. On the wood-fired pizza place within the C gates they make a contemporary Icelandic cod dish that’s so, so good. I believe it’s roasted within the pizza oven, and is served on a candy potato puree with seasonable greens. I’d return to Iceland only for one other serving.

Susan Pierson-Brown, Seattle

Genuine Polish pierogies at Wroclaw Airport [Poland]. I’m keen to journey to Wroclaw simply to style these pierogies once more. They remind me a lot of my mom’s home made pierogies.

Bartosz Szewczyk, Manville, N.J.

At Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport, an area brewery had a counter they usually served heat “leberkäse” — a Bavarian specialty of beef and pork loaf paired with a laugenbrezel.

One of the best meal I had was a Malaysian curry laksa on the Melbourne Worldwide Airport. It was a small, no-frills sit-down restaurant, however the meal I had was genuine and might effectively go nearly as good in any Malaysian roadside place.

Christine Orita, Madera, Calif.

Jonesy’s restaurant on the Napa, Calif., airport, in 1973. They served fantastic steaks that had been grilled on a flat-top grill below a Napa River rock, with hash brown potatoes. Fantastic with a bottle of the native wine, which was a fantastic deal at the moment.

I obtained the very best deep-friend cod I’ve had exterior of Newfoundland, at Humpy’s within the Ted Stevens Anchorage Worldwide Airport. So good I needed to snap a pic and textual content it to my Newfy husband!

Sue Steinacher, Nome, Alaska

Hen and waffles from Flyrite Hen within the Austin airport. The rooster was good, however the waffle was completely incredible. They’d a type of low-cost waffle makers like the sort your mother buys after you progress out, and she or he instantly buys all of the home equipment she ought to have purchased whenever you had been nonetheless dwelling at dwelling.

Ian Curtis, Faculty Station, Tex.

Pizza from Varasano’s within the Atlanta airport! It’s an ideal margherita, and a welcome respite from the chaos of touring contained in the world’s busiest airport. I’ve deliberately scheduled lengthy layovers in Atlanta round lunchtime as a way to devour my pizza. Throughout peak hours there’s a piano bar.