I was actually kind of surprised at how many search results came up for “very best airport food.” Considering myself somewhat of a foodie, I felt like I’d missed the boat. But then I looked a little closer and realized that all of these sites are talking about major airports. Yeah, so what? How hard is it to pull off sushi in San Francisco or Chik-Fil-A in Atlanta? Chain restaurants were not what I had in mind.
I wanted to find out about the hidden gems in the small, more rural airports spread throughout the U.S. Like Charlie’s Restaurant at Bolingbrook’s Clow International Airport, where you can eat Charlie’s Garbage Omelet and watch planes and helicopters take off.
Or the Southern Flyer Diner in Brenham, Texas. The waitresses wear poodle skirts, and the burgers and malts are homemade. It’s always a good sign when locals drive to the airport for the food! Sweet tea and fried pickles, anyone?
Of course, $100 Hamburger is considered the authority on fly-in food. But restaurants change quickly, and this book hasn’t been updated since 2006. Where to look? If you’re in the Midwest, Charlie Ventura reviews airport restaurants near there. In fact, I’d like to try some chile rellenos at Mi Tierra in the Griffith airport, just south of Gary, Indiana.
I’m hungry! Tell us about your favorite airport restaurant!