Where to Eat at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

Over two years since the coronavirus sidelined travel plans for Philadelphians, flying domestically and internationally has become a thing again for the city’s residents. This means more people will be at Philadelphia International Airport, looking for somewhere to eat before their trips.

While PHL’s dining options have slimmed down, there are still plenty of places to fuel up on snacks or a leisurely meal before a flight. More than a dozen locations offer contactless pickup or delivery to your gate including local favorites like Chickie’s and Pete’s, Geno’s, and Bud and Marilyn’s, and diners are permitted to eat within their designated gate area or in food courts next to restaurants.

The full list of open restaurants at PHL can be found here.

PHL [official photo]

BEST BETS AT PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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]

Baba Bar: The Mediterranean fare from Top Chef Nicholas Elmi at Baba Bar includes mezze (hummus, babaganoush, stuffed grape leaves, roasted veggies, and the like), wraps, and kebabs. [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]

Bar Symon: Celebrity chef Michael Symon brings his pierogies, pulled pork sandwiches, and Fat Doug burgers (coleslaw, pastrami, mustard, and Swiss cheese) to Philly. [Terminal D]

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]

Jim’s South Street Steaks and Hoagies: The airport location of the crowd-pleasing cheesesteak shop on Philadelphia’s famed South Street. [Terminal C]

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]

Smashburger: If you’re on the hunt for a burger and fries, Smashburger is a solid choice. [Terminal B/C Connector, 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]

PHL [official photo]

ALL OPTIONS BY TERMINAL

TERMINAL A WEST

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Good 2 Go: Good enough, anyway. A grab-and-go place to get bottled drinks, snacks, and pre-made salads and sandwiches.
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Bruegger’s Bagels

Restaurants and Bars

• For American Express cardholders of a certain level, Terminal A boasts a Centurion Lounge complete with a Michael Solomonov-designed menu (5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
• La Tapenade: A casual sit-down spot with Mediterranean-inspired dishes like hummus, fire-roasted vegetables, and grilled meats

PHL/official photo

TERMINAL A EAST

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• La Colombe: Coffee and baked goods from the Philly-born chain.
• Piattino: Neapolitan-style pizza and panini, plus pastas.
• Currito Burrito: Fusion burritos, salads, and smoothies that are highly customizable for those seeking healthier options or with dietary restrictions.
• Gachi House of Sushi and Noodles

Restaurants and Bars

• Jack Duggan’s Pub: A fairly standard Irish pub.
• Yards Brewing Company

PHL [official photo]

TERMINAL B

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Auntie Anne’s Pretzels: Soft pretzels, but not Philly-style soft pretzels. If you order most of the pretzels without butter, they’re vegan.
• La Colombe
• Cibo Express Gourmet Market: Pre-made sandwiches and salads, packaged snacks, bottled drinks, and an assortments of sundries.
• SGR: Candy, snacks, La Colombe coffee, souvenirs, and sundries.
• Passyunk Steaks: Philly favorite cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken sandwiches and combos. There’s also breakfast, too.
• 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

• Independence Prime: A steakhouse with steak (of course), salads, a kids’ menu, beer, and wine.
• Baba Bar: The Mediterranean menu here includes hummus, grape leaves, Greek salad, and kebabs, plus alcohol.
• 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.
• Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar: Italian cafe with beer, wine, and cocktails.

PHL [official photo]

TERMINAL B/C CONNECTOR

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Geno’s Steaks: Cheesesteaks galore from the famed South Philly spot, minus the neon.
• Starbucks
• Subway
• Chick-fil-A
• La Colombe
• Smashburger
• Philly PHLavors

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 Sushi & Noodles: Grab a seat at the sushi bar or grab packaged sushi, sashimi, and hot Japanese entrees to go.

PHL [official photo]

TERMINAL C

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Jim’s South Street Steaks and Hoagies: The PHL location of the crowd-pleasing cheesesteak shop on Philadelphia’s famed South Street.
• Balducci’s: Breakfast sandwiches, lunchtime sandwiches, salads, and pastries to go.
• Jamba Juice: Smoothies and juices.

Restaurants and Bars

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Chickie’s & Pete’s: The Philly chain serving crab fries, crab cakes, wings, sandwiches, and surprisingly good bloody Marys, with TVs for game-watching.

PHL [official photo]

TERMINAL D

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Good 2 Go
• Jamba Juice
• Dogs on the Fly: A hot dog stand near baggage claim.
• Mo’ Burger

Restaurants and Bars

• Bar Symon: Filling eats from Iron Chef Michael Symon like burgers, deli sandwiches, and loaded fries.

TERMINAL D/E CONNECTOR

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Good 2 Go
• Currito Burrito: Fusion burritos, salads, and smoothies that are highly customizable for those seeking healthier options or with dietary restrictions.

Restaurants and Bars

• Chickie’s & Pete’s
• Vino Volo

TERMINAL E

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• La Colombe
• Sbarro
• Subway
• Yummy Pretzels
• Burger King

Restaurants and Bars

• California Pizza Kitchen: The pizza chain is serving a Philly cheesesteak pizza at this location, plus a pie with a crust made from cauliflower. There are alcoholic drinks too, including sangria.
• Chickie’s & Pete’s
• Gachi Sushi & Noodles

PHL/official photo

TERMINAL F

Grab-and-Go Meals and Snacks

• Le Bus Cafe: Sandwiches on good bread, pastries, and coffee from a long-running Philly favorite.
• Sbarro
• Smashburger
• Philly Pretzel Factory
• Tony Luke’s

Restaurants and Bars

• Local Tavern: Robust beer selection and a menu of beer-friendly foods like fried calamari, mussels, and a salmon burger. (limited hours)
• Re:vive: Tex-Mex cuisine with alcoholic drinks and charging stations. (limited hours)

PHL [official photo]