The best restaurants in every terminal at the Atlanta airport
Airport food has a bad rap. But if you know what to look for, you can find some true gems among the standard prepared fare. Here are our 20 favorite restaurants at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
How we picked our favorite ATL eateries
It would be ill-advised to eat at every single restaurant at the Atlanta airport. There are, after all, more than 100 places to eat and drink. Instead of stopping into every national chain and kiosk, we limited our selections to chains with local connections, notable regional chains and independent establishments. If you love to eat at TGI Friday’s every time you go to the airport, your choice is valid, but you don’t need our guidance on what to order.
After narrowing down the list to 24 restaurants, we visited the airport over the course of two days, eating and photographing at least one dish from each restaurant. If asked, we told servers what we were up to, but we did not accept any free food or drinks. Most of the restaurants we visited were quite good and made it to the list below
Note that several local establishments, such as Local Green and Antico Pizzeria, are still under construction.
Concourse T
If you have time to kill
Vino Volo (Gate T17)
This wine bar tucked at the end of the concourse is a lovely way to pass an hour or two. You will have friendly service and a wide selection of wine, cocktails and local beers. Each section of the wine menu offers pours by the glass or as a flight of two or three. Beers come from larger local breweries like Monday Night Brewing and Scofflaw.
Duane Nutter, of Summerhill’s Southern National, designed the menu at ATL’s Vino Volo, and several of the cocktails and dishes — such as the Creole salmon and the Southern National cocktail — are similar to those featured at the Southeast Atlanta restaurant. If you’re in the mood for a snack or a smaller meal to complement the wine, cheese boards offer three types of cheese, plus nuts, jam and optional cured-meat add-ons.
Southern National Pizza Boxx (Gate T21)
Next to Vino Volo is the Southern National Market. The market offers local tchotchkes and a few snacks, but the real winner is the Pizza Boxx counter-service restaurant inside. It’s a version of Summerhill’s Pizza Boxx, a restaurant-within-a-restaurant in Southern National. Offering an array of creatively topped pizzas, along with calzones, strombolis, wings and sandwiches, the Pizza Boxx is a great choice for a larger meal. Choose from pizzas like the Hotlanta Buffalo chicken (smoked chicken, three cheeses, buffalo sauce and jalapenos), a fungi pizza pie (mozzarella, mushrooms and pickled onions) or “pigs in heat!!” (bacon, sausage, pepperoni, jalapenos and a freshly made hot sauce).
Each pizza is cooked to order, so allow at least 20 minutes between ordering and food arrival. There are a few seats by the windows or you can take your food to go.
If you’re in a hurry
Goldberg’s Bagel Co. and Deli (Gate T12)
For a quick bagel or sandwich, Goldberg’s Bagel Co. and Deli can’t be beat. The Atlanta bagel brand has two stand-alone locations in the airport, a smaller space in Concourse T and a larger counter at Gate A16. Goldberg’s also operates the Atlanta Braves All-Star Grill in Concourse D.
The bagels are fresh and chewy, with abundant toppings and a generous amount of cream cheese. The sandwich menu includes classic deli sandwiches like pastrami and Reuben, along with the restaurant’s signature po’boy. (A Goldberg’s po’boy is a high stack of assorted deli meats, Swiss cheese and pickles on traditional po’boy bread, not a New Orleans-style sandwich.)
Concourse A
If you have time to kill
Varasano’s Pizzeria (A Center)
Head straight to the back of the food court at the entrance to the A Concourse for Varasano’s Pizzeria, the best pizza at the airport. The airport is the pizzeria’s second location; the first, in Buckhead, has been recognized for the best pizza in Atlanta by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Food & Wine, The Washington Post, Serious Eats and more. And even at the airport, Varasano’s skill shows. Each Neopolitan-inspired pizza is made to order with just the right balance of toppings and a properly charred crust. (Purists will note that the ovens at Varasano’s are not wood-fired, but they get hot enough that the pies come out in minutes.) A simple Margherita is a good bet, with bright, fresh sauce and gooey buffalo mozzarella cheese.
Pizzas can be prepared to go or for sit-down service; either way, prepare to wait for at least 20 minutes for a pizza during a mealtime rush. If you grab a seat at the bar, you can choose drinks from an extensive list of mostly Old World wines and several pizza-friendly beers.
Atlanta Bread and Bar (Gate A12)
While there are plenty of places to grab a simple deli sandwich, Atlanta Bread and Bar is the best place to get a beer as well. It offers a full suite of SweetWater Brewing Co. beers along with its extensive menu of sandwiches, soups and salads. The 30-year-old local chain makes each sandwich on freshly made bread and it shows. No gooey or dried slices of week-old bread here.
The sit-down service is friendly and relatively quick, but if you have fewer than 20 minutes to spare, grab a sandwich from the kiosk next to the bar.
If you’re in a hurry
LowCountry Restaurants New Southern Cuisine (A Center)
Operated by James Beard-nominated celebrity chef Gerry Garvin, this Southern buffet serves some of the best traditional fried chicken in the airport. Served bone-in, each piece is expertly seasoned, with crisp skin and moist meat. Each order of chicken comes with two sides that rotate depending on what is available when you walk up to the counter — don’t skip the mac and cheese.
Other entrees include salmon fillets, white Georgia shrimp, baked rosemary chicken and General Tso’s chicken. Each of these can be added to a Caesar or chopped salad for a lighter meal.
Concourse B
If you have time to kill
SweetWater Last Cast Bar and Grill (Gate B31)
If your priority is beer first, then food, SweetWater Last Cast Bar and Grill is a solid choice. Featuring SweetWater’s generally hoppy beers on draft and in cans, the sit-down restaurant serves bar food — burgers, hot dogs, wings — to accompany the drinks. Even though it’s a sit-down establishment, you can still get in and out in 20 to 30 minutes.
If you’re in a hurry
Proof of the Pudding (Gate B10)
The airport does not lack grab-and-go kiosks, but most offer last-resort, running-to-the-gate foods. Proof of the Pudding, the local catering and events company, offers something nicer. Sandwiches taste fresh, and many are loaded with vegetables. A chicken Caesar wrap tastes like, well, more than just mayonnaise. Salads contain crisp lettuce and vegetables. Sure, you’re not going to get a full-service experience, but if you’re in a mad dash for your flight, this kiosk hits the spot.
Paschal’s (B Center)
This quick counter-service version of the famous Castleberry Hill restaurant serves Paschal’s menu favorites. Choose from chicken (baked or fried), fish, pulled pork, country fried steak or ribs, and load up on sides. Three- and four-vegetable plates are a strong choice for vegetarians. Be sure to include collards — they’re tangy, well-seasoned and tender.
Concourse C
If you have time to kill
Duff’s Deli & Market (Gate C7)
Possibly the cutest restaurant at the airport, Duff’s Deli & Market opened in February in Concourse C. Chairs and walls are pink, illustrations of wine and cake adorn the walls, servers are decked out in tasteful flair. The restaurant is owned by celebrity chef and baker Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes fame and serves hot and cold deli sandwiches, matzo ball soup, bagels, black and white cookies and — of course — grab-and-go cakes.
The sandwiches are well-constructed and satisfying. Make sure you have at least 30 minutes to spend before sitting down.
Umaizushi (C Center)
For no-frills sushi and an extensive bar, Umaizushi delivers. The relatively small sit-down restaurant near the Centerpointe food court has a concise menu of sushi rolls, two rice bowls (poke and chicken teriyaki) and a few appetizers. The raw fish is fresh, and the rolls are (for the airport) affordable. The drink list, which features standard large American craft beers and decent wine, is longer than the food menu. And with friendly, relatively quick service, it’s a fine stop if you need to sit down for 45 minutes.
If you’re in a hurry
Bantam and Biddy (C Center)
In the Southern buffet category, Bantam and Biddy has the freshest branding and most updated flavors. The Atlanta-based “diner” builds its Southern fare around local ingredients from purveyors like White Oak Pastures and Atlanta Harvest.
The menu is simple: Choose a meat and two sides or a vegetable plate, or opt for a sandwich or salad. The rotisserie chicken was deftly seasoned and generously sized. Fried Brussels sprouts are a standout, as are the jalapeno-flecked corn muffins.
Concourse D
If you have time to kill
Chicken + Beer (Gate D5)
Even if you know nothing about Atlanta rapper Ludacris (though you should), you can enjoy a meal at his Chicken + Beer. Both namesakes have strong showings at the sit-down restaurant. The beer list is one of the best in the airport, with extensive local offerings in addition to large-format Belgian and Belgian-style beers and a couple of local ciders. Draft beers are available as singles or a flight. And the chicken? It’s not the same traditional fry that you’ll find at LowCountry New Southern Cuisine, but it is tasty in its own right. Generously breaded and shatteringly crisp on the outside, the boneless thighs are juicy, tender and coated in a flavorful spice blend.
At Chicken + Beer, the service is plenty friendly and quick once seated.
Phillips Seafood (D Center)
Maryland-based Phillips Seafood is known for its crab, and as far as its crabcakes are concerned, the airport location does not disappoint. Nicely pan-fried, piquant and full of large pieces of lump crab, the cakes are a must-order at Phillips, and they appear in multiple places on the menu. Other nonshellfish options include burgers, fish tacos and salads.
Phillips Seafood also offers another benefit: a quiet dining room off the main drag of the concourse with views of planes taxiing in and out of the gates. Service is fairly fast and helpful, but you should allow at least 30 minutes to eat here.
If you’re in a hurry
Grindhouse Killer Burgers (D Center)
There is no better place at the airport to satisfy a burger craving than Grindhouse Killer Burgers, which recently made the move from further down the D Concourse to the counter service food court area. While the lines can be long, the ordering process (on a large tablet) is quick. Build your own or choose one of Grindhouse’s signature styles (Double Grindhouse style FTW). If you need a side, you can’t go wrong with an order of Frings (fries and onion rings combined).
Concourse E
If you have time to kill
One Flew South (E Center)
If you have at least an hour of downtime and don’t mind spending a bit more money, venture to Concourse E for One Flew South, the darling of all food-focused flyers. The formal-ish restaurant consistently ranks at the top of airport dining lists, and the lists are not wrong. Friendly, attentive service? Check. Expertly prepared cocktails? Check. A vibe that doesn’t feel like you’re at the airport? Check. A relatively expansive, internationally inspired Southern menu? Check.
The food menu is split into sushi and everything else. Standouts on the hot menu include the collard green ramen, the longest-running item on the menu, and the indulgent New York strip with classic steakhouse sides. Sushi is fresh and well-seasoned; it’s easy to assemble a meal out of rolls and nigiri, or eliminate decision anxiety and order the bento box. Wines lean heavily on chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon, and beers have a mix of local purveyors and macrobreweries. The cocktail list, on the other hand, is creative and fun — the Smoke Signal is a boozy treat for mezcal lovers, and the Fly by Night brightens up rye whiskey with fig and lemon.
If you’re in a hurry
Johnny’s World Famous Chicken and Waffles (Gate E40)
Originally based in College Park, Johnny’s World Famous Chicken and Waffles is the brainchild of Crystal Smith and singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. As with other airport restaurants, this quick-service location offers an abbreviated version of the original’s menu, with an emphasis on its namesake dish. The chicken comes in wing- or boneless tender- form, and the waffle in plain or red velvet.
The chicken tenders are juicy and thickly breaded for a crisp crust, which pairs well with the soft, not-too-sweet waffle. A sprinkle of lemon pepper seasoning livened up the dish even more — don’t skip this. Johnny’s uses tablets for ordering, and the food comes out quickly in to-go boxes. Eat at the tables inside the restaurant or take them to your gate.
Concourse F/International
If you have time to kill
Ecco (F Level 2)
The “European-inspired” restaurant’s airport location is a calm, tucked-away oasis in Concourse F. Walking in feels like you’re walking out of the terminal into Ecco’s Midtown or Buckhead locations. Ecco at the airport serves an abbreviated version of its standard menu (no wood-fired hearth cooking here), but it still encompasses the basics: charcuterie, tapas-adjacent snacks and sides, flatbreads, panini, pastas and a few larger entrees. To drink, stick with the mostly Old World wine list; it has shockingly good deals on wines by the bottle.
Ecco’s signature pasta dish — pappardelle with pork ragu, peppadew peppers and Grana Padano — is far better than expected airport fare. Toothsome pasta and tender pork get pops of tangy sweetness from the peppers. Other recommended dishes are the goat cheese bites and seared branzino with potatoes, peas and asparagus.
Before walking in, the host will confirm that you have at least an hour to spare before your flight; while the service is certainly not slow, you should prepare for a leisurely meal.
Jekyll Island Seafood Co. (Gate F9)
For a more casual sit-down experience, Jekyll Island Seafood serves impressively fresh seafood and a few chicken dishes. Like Umaizushi, the restaurant is situated right in the hustle of the terminal, but the servers are friendly and efficient. Choose from appetizers, “handhelds” (aka sandwiches and tacos) and a few well-prepared entrees like a blackened fish sandwich, shrimp tacos and fried fish. The shrimpin the shrimp and grits were springy, juicy and flavorful. The drink menu includes a few nods to local producers — Creature Comforts and Jekyll Brewing Co. both appear.
If you’re in a hurry
The Original El Taco (F Level 2)
Concourse F does not offer many quick-service choices beyond national chains, but it does contain one of two remaining locations of the Original El Taco. (The other location is in Concourse C; the stand-alone restaurant in Virginia-Highland closed in 2023.) El Taco offers a short and sweet menu of tacos, nachos, burritos, quesadillas, taco salads and burrito bowls, each customizable with different proteins. The tacos are generously sized and taste far fresher than what you’d get from a fast-food restaurant.
