The original Second Bar + Kitchen began as a standalone New American restaurant in downtown Austin, opened in 2010 by chef and restaurateur David Bull. Over time the concept expanded with new locations — including one inside Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2017. The menu includes oatmeal and benedicts in the morning, alongside salads, sandwiches, burgers and pizzas later in the day. I ordered the baked brie with currant-apricot mostarda, basil, roasted garlic and baguette. This had a bit more funk to it than expected, but with the fruity topping, I was able to temper it a bit. Grade: B

Beercode is a gastropub located in the Airside Terminal of Pittsburgh International Airport and is known for its extensive selection of local craft beers from breweries like Dancing Gnome, Abjuration and Eleventh Hour. The food menu features items such as burgers, chicken and waffles, and pierogies. Wings, fish & chips, and even breakfast round out the menu. Pierogies are popular in Pittsburgh because of the city’s strong Eastern European immigrant history, especially Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Rusyn communities who settled there in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These immigrants came to work in steel mills and coal mines and brought pierogies with them as affordable, filling comfort food made from simple ingredients like potatoes, cheese, and onions.

Beercode's pierogi plate includes caramelized onions and a sour cream sauce. I love pierogies. These were an OK version. The pierogies had some golden exterior, but they were a bit too greasy on the outside, which weighed down the first bite. Inside, the filling was dense and slightly dry, lacking the creamy softness that makes a great pierogi so comforting. While the flavors were there, the contrast in texture kept them from fully hitting their potential. Grade: B

Local Craft Kitchen + Bar is located in the Pittsburgh airport and serves breakfast options like Cheddar Biscuits, Avocado Toast, and Egg Melt sandwiches. For lunch and dinner, there arw hearty sandwiches, including Pulled Pork, California Clubs, BLTs and Cuban sandwiches, along with a selection of soup and salads and side dishes that range from Mac & Cheese to Loaded Potato Salad. I had the Mr. Rogers Grilled Cheese - Granny Smith apples, caramelized onions, and brie on Texas toast, plus a side of tomato bisque. And, I can't lie. That comfort food hit the spot on a busy travel day. Plus, the sweetness from the grilled cheese elevated the dish a bit for me, adding new layers of flavor. Grade: A

The JFK airport terminal 2 is home to Tagliare, which has slices of pizza and strombolis for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are not made to order, so there's a good chance the food may have been sitting behind the glass for a bit. I had a slice of sausage & broccoli rabe. It was definitely a bit dried out, but it was not bad.



Grade: B

Terminal 2 at JFK Airport is home to Due Amici, a fast Italian "restaurant." I seated myself, ordered at the tablet and waited for my meal to be delivered. I actually love this process because the airport is already people overload for me, so it was nice to decompress a bit.



It's a pretty casual and open dining area. The menu has a good variety no matter what time of day you're traveling. I instantly gravitated toward the pastas, which included a mushroom ravioli. Pasta is always a comfort food for me, and the earthy, umami flavors in this dish were enjoyable. I wouldn't mind my pasta being a little bit more al dente, but considering the location, it was adequate.



Grade: B

Another airport - this time in Chicago! Chicago is one of my favorite food cities, so I get excited to try any new restaurant here. Even if it's in an airport. Gene's Bistro is a sit-down spot that felt welcoming after getting off the plane.



"Wide ranging menu, featuring yummy appetizers, handheld sandwiches, fresh salads and a handcrafted cocktails and wine list. Elegant bistro style location with airy seating area, full bar, and flight information to keep up to date on eye on before heading to the gate," reads the website.

The menu is not huge, but it does have a little variety for each meal of the day. I ordered the penne à la vodka. It's no secret that pasta is my love language. This dish was decent - I liked the flavor of the creamy and spicy sauce. The penne was done well. And the parmesan and chili flakes added a little extra depth. But it kind of became a monotonous mouth feel with the same texture over and over. I would've loved some meatballs or hunks of sausage or even roasted garlic to make it a bit more exciting to eat.



Grade: B

Stephanie’s is a classic Boston restaurant with an outpost at the local airport. "Stephanie’s has been serving award-winning “sophisticated comfort food” in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere since 1994," according to the website. While I couldn't visit the original location this trip, I got a taste of the experience at the airport. I ordered the skirt steak with chimichurri and truffle parmesan fries. While I wish the steak had a harder sear on the outside, I did enjoy the flavor. The fries needed some oil to adhere that parmesan so you dont inhale it while trying to eat. Again, though, solid meal for an airport.

Grade: B

Paschal's is an iconic Atlanta restaurant known for its fried chicken. The restaurant has an outpost at the Atlanta airport, which has been named one of the best airport dining spots in the country by Food & Wine Magazine.



I opted for a chicken tender meal with sweet potatoes and macaroni & cheese, which were all options on the hot bar. This was a pretty good lunch - especially considering it is airport food. On the whole, the flavor was good, but the texture suffered a bit. The crunchy exterior of the chicken seemed to have been steamed a bit, making it softer. All in all, not bad.



Grade: B

I'm slowly making my way through all the offerings in the Charlotte airport.

Next up is PZA, which features pizza, meatballs and salads.

They have a number of pizzas you can get by the slice, or you can get a personal pizza, sub sandwiches or strombolis.

So I got one slice of "MUSHROOM" - Marinated mushrooms, spinach, garlic, mozzarella.

And, I got a stromboli - with mozzarella and spinach.

Have you been?

Bad Daddy's Burger Bar sounds as good as any place to have an airport meal, right?

In 2007, the first Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar opened on East Blvd. in Charlotte, NC. It was an immediate success, and for good reason. Our philosophy to prepare simple foods–such as the quintessential American dish, the hamburger–with culinary passion satisfied a craving among restaurant-goers like nothing had before.

With the success of the East Blvd. location, a second Bad Daddy’s opened in 2007. By 2012, there were five. From there, one Bad Daddy’s followed another. Today you can find Bad Daddy's amazing cuisine in restaurants in multiple cities and states. And the response everywhere is the same: “Wow.” 

Now, in 2018 with 34 locations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee and Colorado, Bad Daddy’s has been steadily building its reputation as a unique player in the burger world. Plans for continued growth promise more locations throughout 2018 and beyond.

I created my own burger with bleu cheese, fried onions and mayo.

Berkshire Farms Market is a cool airport shop that has local goods, as well as locally sourced food.

The menu features local growers from the county and state as a whole.

I love that their concept is "farm to flight."

There are grab & go items for those on shorter layovers.

I went for something off the menu.

And, I couldn't resist a lox bagel - lox, cream cheese, capers and red onions.

Not bad for airport food.

Have you been here?

I don't know what everyone else does during a long layover but I can tell you that I seek out the best food.

Philadelphia's airport has some great food, including Mezzogiorno.

Chef Stalin Bedon brings a menu featuring thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas with artisanal toppings to the terminal with Mezzogiorno. The individually-sized pies are baked at nearly 700 degrees for the perfect crunch. Diners may choose from a list of composed pies or build their own. The pizza menu is complemented by a selection of housemade meatballs, antipasti, light entrees, and snacks. The wine list pulls heavily from Southern Italy and the beer selection focuses on regional ales and lagers, including Tröegs HopBack Amber from Hershey, PA and Yuengling Traditional Lager from Pottstown. This sleek modern Italian eatery has the feel of riding through Milan on a yellow and chrome Vespa. The main palette elements include sunshine-yellow backpainted glass, a sleek black bar top, zebrano wood walls, and polished stainless steel accents.

It was a cool concept - you look for an open seat, place your order on the screen, even run your own credit card and then food magically is delivered to you.

I ordered this meatball sub that was plated all fancy, as well as a side of truffle fries. Have you been here?