Once upon a time, airport dining was a laughing stock. But no more. Especially at San Francisco International where the ample eating options are on a higher level than most airports. You might miss your flight being indecisive. Let us help you make a decision. Here are the nine best places to eat at SFO.
1. 24th & Mission Taco House
Located in the pre-screening International Terminal food court (near boarding area G), this taco joint will give you one last taste of Mission-style tacos and burritos before heading back to Dubuque (or wherever you live that serves inferior tacos, which is almost everywhere else in the country).
International Terminal food court.
2. Bun Mee
A play on banh mi, this Vietnamese sandwich spot deviates from the classic banh mi sandwich – pork, pate, carrots, cilantro and more pork – to give travelers updated variations. Instead, the stars of the show here are ingredients like smoked eggplant, red curry ground beef, grilled flank steak, or catfish.
Located in Terminal 3.
3. Cat Cora's Kitchen
For travelers who needs their celebrity chef fix, let Cat Cora come to your palate's rescue. The Terminal 2 restaurant serves up comfort on a place and has a pretty good wine list to boot. Greek fisherman's stew, flank steak tacos, and the juicy lamb meatballs should satiate you enough that you can turn down your subpar inflight meal until you land in your next destination.
Located in Terminal 2.
4. Koi Palace Express
From the famed Daly City dim sum pros, the SFO food court outpost won't have any roving ladies pushing carts of overflowing baskets of shrimp dumplings, pork buns, and boiled chicken feet, but you can get it packaged here to eat it at the airport or on your flight. Well, maybe not the chicken feet. But if you have a dim sum craving, you're in luck.
SFO food court.
5. Lark Creek Grill
Terminal 2's Lark Creek Grill is your go-to SFO eatery for straight-up comfort food. Menu standouts include the pulled-pork sandwich, crispy fried chicken, Monterey fried calamari, and grilled salmon.
Located in Terminal 2.
6. Limon Rotisserie
Located in Terminal 3, this Peruvian place (with a few other outlets scattered around the Bay Area) does excellent crispy empanadas filled with chicken, beef, or Oaxacan cheese, as well as juicy rotisserie chicken.
Located in Terminal 3.
7. Napa Farms Market
Maybe the best place for a grab-and-go before your flight, this market in both Terminal 2 and the International Terminal allows travelers to create a picnic for their on-flight tray tables with various artisanal cheeses, crispy bread, cured meats, and jams.
Located in Terminal 2.
8. Manufactory Food Hall
If you're traveling through the International Terminal, you're in luck. Tartine, the legendary San Francisco bakery, opened this outlet in May 2019 and instantly upped the airport food game. This fantastic food hall sells its famous bread and pastries here and everyone should try them once in their lives. But wait! There's more. You can also chow down on incredible Thai fare and get Mexico City-style tacos.
Located in the International Terminal.
9. Yankee Pier
Calm down A's and Giants fans. This above-average seafood spot is not a New York Yankees-themed eatery. Instead, it serves up fresh, sustainable seafood in the form of clam chowder, lobster rolls, fried clams, and other fish and seafood dishes.
Located in Terminal 3.
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