A double patty burger at Bud & Marilyn’s, which has a location in Terminal C of Philadelphia International Airport. | Bondfire Media
Travelers can order Philly favorites like Geno’s Steaks, Bud & Marilyn’s, and La Colombe coffee before taking off
Despite repeatedly ranking in last place among large airports based on an annual survey of customer satisfaction, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has some above-average dining options to ease the stress of flying. Some of the top spots — including a restaurant from celebrity chef Michael Symon and one of Philly’s favorite sandwich shops, Jim’s South St. Famous Cheesesteaks — even offer online ordering.
Here are the best places to eat and drink at PHL as well as a more comprehensive selection of all the current restaurants, a list that’s also available on the airport’s website.
PHL
Bar Symon.
BEST BETS AT PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Baba Bar: The Mediterranean fare at Baba Bar includes meze (hummus, baba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves, roasted veggies, and the like), wraps, and kebabs. [Terminal B]
Bar Symon: Pierogies, pulled pork sandwiches, and Fat Doug burgers (coleslaw, pastrami, mustard, and Swiss cheese) from celebrity chef Michael Symon. [Terminal D]
Bud & Marilyn’s: Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran bring their popular Midwestern comfort food restaurant to the airport. It’s a full-service spot with a bar. [Terminal C]
Good Luck Pizza Co.: A sibling to Bud & Marilyn’s, this attractive Italian restaurant with a full bar prioritizes Neapolitan-style pie (including a solid gluten-free option) but also features apps and entrees like arancini and rigatoni. [Terminal E]
Geno’s Steaks: Cheesesteaks galore from the famed South Philly spot, minus the neon. [Terminal B/C Connector]
Jim’s South St. Famous Steaks: The airport location of the crowd-pleasing cheesesteak shop on Philadelphia’s famed South Street. [Terminal C]
La Colombe: Early morning flights have gotten much more bearable thanks to outposts of Philly’s premier homegrown roaster and cafe. No need to suffer through another cup of watery drip when you can get the same expert pours and pastries available at La Colombe’s other locations. [Terminal A East, B, B/C Connector, and E]
Le Bus Cafe: The airport location of this long-running Philly cafe serves sandwiches on top-notch bread and baked goods like muffins and scones. [Terminal F]
Mezzogiorno: Say goodbye to sorry slices and hello to real deal Neapolitan pies thanks to Stalin Bedon of Nomad. Along with the signature wood-fired pizzas, Mezzogiorno is offering a menu of light Italian bites ideal for pre-flight grazing. [Terminal B]
Noobar: Hiroyuki Tanaka, known for Zama, lends his sushi and ramen skills to the airport. Noobar’s open kitchen lets diners watch the sushi chefs in action, and there are grab-and-go options for those rushing to catch a flight. [Terminal B]
Smashburger: If you’re on the hunt for a burger and fries, Smashburger is a solid choice. [Terminal A West, B/C Connector, Terminal F]
Tagliare Pizza: Find Italian pies by the whole or square slice, topped with cheeses, meatballs, artichokes, ham, and more. There’s also stromboli for breakfast. [Terminal B]
Winkitchen: This relative newcomer serves appealing Southeast Asian dishes such as banh mi sandwiches, fried rice, bao, and pho, including a robust breakfast selection. Grab a bubble tea or Vietnamese iced coffee while you’re at it. [Terminal F]
PHL
Baba Bar, Terminal B.
ALL OPTIONS BY TERMINAL
TERMINAL A WEST
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Bruegger’s Bagels
Dunkin’
Gachi House of Sushi & Noodles: Grab a seat at the sushi bar or grab packaged sushi, sashimi, and hot Japanese entrees to go.
Good 2 Go: Good enough, anyway. A grab-and-go place to get bottled drinks, snacks, and pre-made salads and sandwiches.
Illy Caffè
Sbarro
Smashburger: A solid choice for burgers and fries.
Restaurants and Bars
Centurion Lounge: American Express cardholders of a certain level can access this lounge with a menu designed by renowned Philly chef Michael Solomonov.
Chickie’s & Pete’s: The Philly sports bar chain serving crab fries, crab cakes, wings, sandwiches, and surprisingly good bloody marys, with TVs for game-watching.
La Tapenade: A casual sit-down spot with Mediterranean-inspired dishes like hummus, fire-roasted vegetables, and grilled meats.
PHL
Jack Duggan’s Pub & Restaurant, Terminal A East.
TERMINAL A EAST
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Currito Burrito: Fusion burritos, salads, and smoothies that are highly customizable for those with dietary restrictions.
La Colombe: Coffee and baked goods from the Philly-born chain.
Piattino: Neapolitan-style pizza and panini, plus pastas.
Yummy Pretzels
Restaurants and Bars
Jack Duggan’s Pub & Restaurant: A fairly standard Irish pub.
Yards Brewing Company: English-inspired ales from one of the originals of Philly’s craft beer scene.
PHL
Love Grille, Terminal B.
TERMINAL B
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Auntie Anne’s: Soft pretzels, but not Philly-style soft pretzels. Most of the pretzels are vegan if you order them without butter.
Cibo Express Gourmet Market: Pre-made sandwiches and salads, packaged snacks, bottled drinks, and an assortments of sundries.
La Colombe: Coffee and baked goods from the Philly-born chain.
Passyunk Steaks: Philly favorite cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and combos. There’s breakfast, too.
SGR: Candy, snacks, La Colombe coffee, souvenirs, and sundries.
Tagliare Pizza: Italian pies by the whole or square slice are topped with cheese, meatballs, artichokes and ham, and more. For breakfast, there’s stromboli.
Restaurants and Bars
Baba Bar: The Mediterranean menu here includes hummus, grape leaves, Greek salad, and kebabs, plus alcohol.
Boule Cafe
Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar: Italian cafe with beer, wine, and cocktails.
Germantown Biergarten
Independence Prime: A steakhouse with steak (of course), salads, a kids’ menu, beer, and wine.
Love Grille: American bar and grill serving cheesesteaks, half-pound hot dogs, sandwiches, and a few salads.
Mezzogiorno: Wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza.
Noobar: Airport sushi doesn’t sound particularly appealing, but this is from sushi expert Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka. Noobar also has grab-and-go noodle bowls.
PHL
Sky Asian Bistro, Terminal C.
TERMINAL B/C CONNECTOR
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Chick-Fil-A
Geno’s Steaks: Cheesesteaks galore from the famed South Philly spot, minus the neon.
La Colombe: Coffee and baked goods from the Philly-born chain.
Philly PHLavors
Smashburger: A solid choice for burgers and fries.
Starbucks
Subway
Restaurants and Bars
Vino Volo: Pricier than many of the alternatives, but with a decent wine list. It’s one of the better places to get a salad or sandwich.
Gachi House of Sushi & Noodles: Grab a seat at the sushi bar or grab packaged sushi, sashimi, and hot Japanese entrees to go.
PHL
Independence Prime, Terminal B.
TERMINAL C
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Balducci’s: Breakfast sandwiches, lunchtime sandwiches, salads, and pastries to go.
Jamba Juice: Smoothies and juices.
Jim’s South Street Steaks and Hoagies: The PHL location of the crowd-pleasing cheesesteak shop on Philadelphia’s famed South Street.
Starbucks
Restaurants and Bars
Aldo Lamberti Trattoria: Grab-and-go pizza, salads, and sandwiches from the owners of Positano Coast in Philadelphia’s historic district and Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Bud & Marilyn’s: A retro-styled American comfort food restaurant named after the chef’s grandparents with chicken noodle soup, chicken and waffles, cheese curds, a bacon cheeseburger on brioche, and the like. The original sits in downtown Philadelphia.
Chickie’s & Pete’s: The Philly sports bar chain serving crab fries, crab cakes, wings, sandwiches, and surprisingly good bloody marys, with TVs for game-watching.
Sky Asian Bistro: Sushi and dim sum in an attractive space with an open kitchen, so diners can watch the sushi chef roll. It also has wine, sake, and Asian beers.
PHL
Geno’s Steaks, Terminal B/C Connector.
TERMINAL D
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Auntie Anne’s: Soft pretzels, but not Philly-style soft pretzels. Most of the pretzels are vegan if you order them without butter.
Dunkin’
Good 2 Go: Good enough, anyway. A grab-and-go place to get bottled drinks, snacks, and pre-made salads and sandwiches.
Jamba Juice: Smoothies and juices.
Mo’ Burger
Restaurants and Bars
Bar Symon: Filling eats like burgers, deli sandwiches, and loaded fries from Food Network celeb Michael Symon.
TERMINAL D/E CONNECTOR
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Currito Burrito: Fusion burritos, salads, and smoothies that are highly customizable for those with dietary restrictions.
Dunkin’
Earl of Sandwich
Good 2 Go: Good enough, anyway. A grab-and-go place to get bottled drinks, snacks, and pre-made salads and sandwiches.
Restaurants and Bars
Chickie’s & Pete’s: The Philly sports bar chain serving crab fries, crab cakes, wings, sandwiches, and surprisingly good bloody marys, with TVs for game-watching.
Vino Volo: Pricier than many of the alternatives, but with a decent wine list. It’s one of the better places to get a salad or sandwich.
TERMINAL E
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Burger King
Chick-Fil-A
La Colombe: Coffee and baked goods from the Philly-born chain.
Subway
Yummy Pretzels
Restaurants and Bars
Chickie’s & Pete’s: The Philly sports bar chain serving crab fries, crab cakes, wings, sandwiches, and surprisingly good bloody marys, with TVs for game-watching.
Gachi House of Sushi & Noodles: Grab a seat at the sushi bar or grab packaged sushi, sashimi, and hot Japanese entrees to go.
Good Luck Pizza Co.: A sibling to Bud & Marilyn’s, this Italian restaurant with a full bar prioritizes Neapolitan-style pie but also features apps and entrees like arancini and rigatoni. [Terminal E]
PHL
Good 2 Go, Terminals A West, D, and D/E Connector.
TERMINAL F
Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks
Le Bus Cafe: Sandwiches on good bread, pastries, and coffee from a long-running Philly favorite.
Philly Pretzel Factory
Qdoba
Sbarro
Smashburger: A solid choice for burgers and fries.
Tony Luke’s
Winkitchen: Appealing Southeast Asian dishes such as banh mi sandwiches, fried rice, bao, and pho, including a robust breakfast selection. Grab a bubble tea or Vietnamese iced coffee while you’re at it.
Restaurants and Bars
Local Tavern: A robust beer selection and a menu of beer-friendly foods like fried calamari, mussels, and a salmon burger.
Re:vive: Tex-Mex cuisine with alcoholic drinks and charging stations.