Fuel-Up on Italian Fare at These 6 U.S. Airports

The holidays are here—which means so is the busiest travel time of the year. Whether you’ll be hopping a flight to enjoy the season with family and friends, or are headed somewhere warmer for a winter vacation, chances are you’ll be joining the other 1 billion (yes, that’s a billion!) passengers who will be navigating the U.S. airports over the next month. With all the crowds (and, more than likely, the weather delays), there’s also a good chance you’ll be spending some time in those airports—so it’s important to know where to find the best places to refuel with tasty and nourishing meals.

Here are six airports in which you can skip fast-food options for delicious Italian fare—some even from noted chefs.

Newark Liberty International Airport

As an international and domestic hub for travelers both from New Jersey and New York City, Newark Liberty is often chosen for its convenience—but not necessarily its efficiency or overall vibe. Luckily, it does have some solid food options, including from some top names in Italian dining. The team behind New York City’s Carbone operates Casciano Italian Specialties, which specializes in rotisserie-style meats (including slow-roasted porchetta) and made-to-order sub sandwiched like chicken parmigiana and Italian sausage. Also look out for the brightly-colored Nonna’s Meatball Kitchen in Terminal C, where Chef Amanda Freitag of NYC’s Empire Diner has created a meatball menu that takes you around the globe—from traditional Italian versions to Vietnamese pho beef balls.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

There’s lots to keep travelers entertained at this major U.S. hub, from an airport-wide art program and an aeroponic Urban Garden (that grows herbs for the airport restaurants) to a yoga room and even a health club. Food-wise, the are lots of local restaurants mixed in with the chains—including, of course, places for Chicago-style pizza. A city staple for over 40 years, Reggio’s Pizza has multiple airport outposts serving both thin-crust and deep-dish pies, as well as lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and salads. There are also some non-Italian items on the menu, like Chicago-style hot dogs—which come with tons of toppings

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

The home base of American Airlines (and one of the busiest airports in the country) offers a wide array of places to eat, including several outposts of popular local eateries. On the Italian front, you’ll find menus from a celebrated California-based chef at The Italian Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, where you can sit down to enjoy parmesan zeppole, crispy calamari, Tuscan minestrone soup, and a large selection of pastas, sandwiches, and pizzas (try the Salumi Misti, topped with cured Italian meats, red onions, and chiles.) In Terminal C, Maggiano’s Little Italy will fuel up for your travels with zucchini fritte, pepperoni flatbread, baked ziti, “Mom’s Lasagna” (with crumbled meatballs and sausage) and the signature rigatoni with chicken and mushrooms.

John F. Kennedy International Airport

With over 59 million passengers going through New York City’s main international airport each year, it makes sense that this hub is full of world-class shopping and dining—the latter from several well-known NYC names like Danny Meyer (of Shake Shack and Blue Smoke fame), Robby Cook (of Morimoto), Andrew Carmellini (of Locanda Verde) and Marcus Samuelsson (of Red Rooster.) If you’re craving Italian, head to Due Amici, where Cesare Casella, formerly of Salumeria Rossi, has created a shareable menu of dishes like arancini, hearty pastas, calamari, and panna cotta, all paired with a robust wine list. Meanwhile, pizza gets an elevated spin over at by-the-slice place Tagliare, overseen by Dom DeMarco, Jr.—whose father was behind Brooklyn’s legendary (and sadly, now closed) Di Fara pizzeria.

Portland International Airport

Portland is known for celebrating its local food, wine, and beer, so it’s no surprise that its airport is full of restaurants from beloved area names. While it was born in neighboring Seattle, not Portland, MOD celebrates Pacific Northwest flavors in its delicious artisan pizzas, which are made-to-order for each guest. Doughs are pressed daily, and can be topped your choice of sauce (such as pesto, white sauce, an extra virgin olive oil) and toppings; the over-30 choices of the latter include arugula, artichokes, salami, and asiago. Can’t decide? Go with one of the house combinations, like the Tristan (mozzarella, asiago, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and pesto) or the Mad Dog (mozzarella, pepperoni, mild sausage, ground beef and red sauce.)