Where to Eat at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Fall 2019 #DetroitFood

The underground walkway between McNamara Terminal Concourse A and Concourses B/C. | Wayne County Airport Authority/Vito Palmisano [Official photo]

Boozy milkshakes, Neapolitan-style pizzas, and Avalon pastries

As travelers prepare to navigate terminals, hop between airports, and survive lengthy layovers, here’s a fresh fall update on all the latest restaurant intel from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW). Keep this guide bookmarked as an on-demand introduction to the plethora of new and trusty restaurants standbys at Southeast Michigan’s largest international travel hub.

The McNamara Terminal continues to sport a superior lineup of dining options. Meanwhile, there are some big changes on the horizon for the food and drink options at the North Terminal. Pray they come sooner rather than later. Without further delay (there are far too many travel delays as it is), here is the Detroit Airport’s 2019 dining guide.

Are frequent flyer traveling through DTW? Send us your airport dining recommendations at the tipline. Visit Eater National for guides to national and several major international airports, plus dining guides to cities the world over. For all the other details on DTW, don’t miss Curbed Detroit’s airport guide.

Wayne County Airport Authority/Vito Palmisano

The fountain inside the McNamara Terminal.

North Terminal Renovations Are in the Works

The much maligned North Terminal with its sparse dining options is in the process of receiving its first major update in 10 years. Expect lots of new food options including a mixture of local restaurants and chains. Construction began in early 2019 with Cantoro Italian Market Trattoria opening in April, followed by the debut of a gimmicky parrothead spot from Jimmy Buffett called Air Margaritaville, Detroit Street Cafe, and Atwater Brewery. Most recently the terminal added Mod Pizza, National Coney Island, and Common Grace Coffee Company to the mix, alongside Starbucks and a new McDonald’s location. Expect more closures and openings throughout the year. The final phase is scheduled for completion by spring 2020.

The full revamped lineup will eventually include Anita’s Kitchen Lebanese Cafe, Jolly Pumpkin Taphouse, Pei Wei, Brioche Dorée, and Chick-Fil-A. Now if metro Detroit could just get working on that rapid transit to the airport (there are a handful of FAST buses in service), travelers might be all set.

Use an App to Order and Pre-Pay

The mobile ordering app called Grab allows customers to place orders and pre-pay for meals at a limited selection of spots including Andiamo, Corridor Kitchen, Grobbel’s Gourmet Deli, Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market, Sora, and Max & Erma’s among others.

Bigalora [Courtesy photo]

Bigalora Wood Fired Cucina in McNamara Terminal.

McNamara Terminal

The McNamara Terminal is a major hub for Delta as well as international airlines like AeroMexico and Air France. It also generally offers a slicker experience than the North Terminal. There’s a light rail, lots of shops, and — thanks to a multi-year retooling of the McNamara’s dining options — there’s an almost endless supply of restaurants to choose from.

Best Bets in the McNamara Terminal:

• Bigalora Wood-Fired Cucina: Airport dining can sometimes feel like a chore, but this spot makes dining easy and affordable. Bigalora is a local Detroit metro area pizza chain designed by chef Luciano DelSignore and developer Michael Chetcuti. Biga's pizzas are baked in a Italian oven with fresh ingredients like prosciutto, arugula, and clams in the shell. Vegan and vegetarian options are available and there's a bar with plenty of wine to help pass the time. It’s far and away one of the best options in the airport. [Central Link]
• Andiamo: Local Italian chain Andiamo's airport outpost is open daily for dine-in during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Look for dishes like lemon ricotta pancakes, French toast, frittatas, ciabatta breakfast sandwiches and Italian-style omelets, as well as minestrone soup, calamari, salads, grilled Atlantic salmon, and chicken parmesan. [A30]
• Cat Cora’s Taproom: This celebrity chef-backed restaurant in the McNamara Terminal specializes in beer and pub food (the latter gets mixed reviews), but many customers simply make a b-line for the boozy milkshakes. [A24]
• LongHorn Steakhouse: LongHorn Steakhouse has gained a modest reputation among frequent flyers for consistent quality and prices (the view isn't too bad either). Grab breakfast with options like french toast, or order from the regular menu complete with meaty plates of steak, steak salad, and burgers. Be forewarned: the cutlery inside the airport is plastic, which may make slicing off a bite of beef challenging. [A63]
• Vino Volo: This wine oasis in Concourse A is a good option for those looking to relax with a glass of chardonnay or cabernet franc. Try the cheese plate or a brie sandwich while enjoying calming ambiance and let the mayhem of roller bag-toting travelers pass by. [A45]
• Harvest & Grounds: Doubling down on McNamara’s showcasing of Detroit’s finest food offerings, this European-style espresso bar features Great Lakes Roasting Company coffee and baked goods from Avalon International Breads. [C11]
• Illy Coffee & Fountain Bar: This futuristic looking spot next to the terminal’s fountain is a go-to for many seeking a caffeine fix or a quick drink before locating their gate. The coffee shop serves Italian Illy coffee and espresso drinks as well as pastries and sandwiches. The Fountain Bar dispenses beer and cocktails alongside cheese plates, soups, gourmet sandwiches, and hefty salads. [Central Link]
• Sora: Japanese airport dining stalwart Sora is still a go-to for many frazzled airport customers. While the options aren’t necessarily mind blowing (this is a terminal afterall), the restaurant does offer a respectable selection of sushi, udon, and ramen. [A35]
• Reflections Restaurant and Lounge: Seasoned travelers value the relaxing atmosphere and convenience of this restaurant and bar located inside the airport’s on-site Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The venue offers some pretty nice amenities including restaurant in the recently renovated atrium called Reflections. The menu features options like flatbreads, salmon, and seasonal soup, plus a full bar. [Far End of McNamara Terminal Check-ins]
• Leo’s Coney Island: You’re in Detroit...well Romulus, so why not partake in a time-honored tradition and hit up a coney island in the airport? While Leo’s at McNamara lacks the old-school charm of some of the more venerable coney islands in the city, it has friendly waitstaff and reasonable prices for a full-service airport diner with options like gyros and chili-topped hot dogs. Some customers report that service is slow, so do yourself a favor if you have a short window between flights and ask for your check when the food is delivered. [A40-A76]
• Mezza: Lush and inviting (for an airport) Mediterranean restaurant Mezza serves options like chicken kebabs, falafel, and Greek omelettes. [A54]
• Plum Market: For flaky pastries and coffee, one can do far worse than Plum Market at DTW. The outlet features a bar area and dine-in seating, but most customers just head for the cafe line brimming with Zingerman’s pastries to fuel up before a flight. [A36]

DTW [Courtesy photo]

An taproom for Atwater Brewery recently joined the ranks of new restaurants at the North Terminal.

North Terminal

Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit, United, and Wow Air all arrive and depart from the North Terminal and unfortunately it's maddeningly lacking in non-chain food options (for now). Changes are in the works with a lot more restaurants coming to the terminal between now and 2020. Le Petit Bistro, Legends Bar, and TGI Friday’s recently cleared out of the terminal to make way for new dining options. In April, the baggage claim area received a new outpost of Cantoro Italian Market Trattoria, Air Margaritaville, Detroit Street Cafe, and Atwater Brewery. Recently, the terminal also welcome Starbucks, Mod Pizza, and National Coney Island.

Best Bets in the North Terminal:

• National Coney Island: What's a trip through Detroit without a coney dog? National Coney Island’s last remaining outpost is holding steady in the North Terminal touting a little slice of Detroit food culture. Will it be as good as grabbing a dog in downtown Detroit? No. But it will satisfy hunger pangs in a pinch. Check out the traditional coney topped with chili, onions, and mustard or Greek entrees like the gyro. [D18]
• Earl of Sandwich: For a terminal devoid of strong candidates, Earl of Sandwich is an alright spot to grab a bite. The median price for a made-to-order, hot sandwich here hovers around $7. Find caprese-style sandwiches, tuna melts, and even breakfast sandwiches, alongside salads, wraps, and soups. [D26]
• Starbucks: Say what you will about this chain, but it at least knows how to brew a proper cup of coffee. There are definitely worse options for caffeine and pastries in this terminal. [D10 & D26]
• Cantoro Italian Market Trattoria: For travelers who can’t wait to get home or settled down into their hotel before eating, this local Italian market is serves paninis, pasta, espresso, and cannoli right next to the baggage claim. [Baggage Claim]
• Air Margaritaville: The airport bar version of Jimmy Buffett’s restaurant chain just crashed into the North Terminal with trop rock, margaritas, strawberry-banana pina coladas, and guacamole-jalapeno burgers. [D6]
• Detroit Street Cafe: This North Terminal newcomer serves Zingerman’s Coffee and espresso drinks as well as Rishi Teas. It’s a more local alternative to the typical Starbucks option. [D6]
• Atwater Brewery: Welcome to the airport outpost of Detroit-born brewery Atwater. Expect German-style beer options such as the Dirty Blonde Ale, Vanilla Java Porter, and the Corktown Rye IPA. There’s also food options such as beer cheese and chips for snacking. [D19]
• Mod Pizza: Fast-casual pizza chain Mod features customizable Neapolitan-style pizzas and salads, which is all one can really ask for between flights. [Gate D8]

All McNamara Terminal Options

[DTW Airport]

A map of the McNamara Terminal. Click here for the interactive map.

Andiamo [Gate A30]

Bigalora Cucina [Central Link]

Cat Cora’s Taproom [Gate A24]

Chick-fil-A [Gate A74]

Chili's/Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market [Gate B1]

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf [Level 1 Baggage Claim]

Coffee Beanery [Gate A8]

Corridor Kitchen [Gate A8]

Crave Robata Grill & Bar [Gate A6]

Detroit Street LunchBox (Grab & Go Sandwiches) [Gate A74]

Embers Lounge [B18]

Gordon Biersch [Gate A74]

Grobbel's Gourmet Deli [Gate A8]

Harvest & Grounds [Gate C11]

Illy Coffee & Fountain Bar [Central Link]

Leo’s Coney Island [Gate A40-A76]

Longhorn Steakhouse [Gate A66]

Max & Erma's [Gate A18]

McDonald's [Gate A2-A38]

Mezza Mediterranean Grille [Gate A54]

Palazzolo's Artisan Gelato & Sorbetto [Gate A6]

Papa Joe’s Dining Room [Gate B18]

PF Chang's China Bistro [Gate A38]

Pinkberry [Gate A71]

Plum Market serving Zingerman's [Gate A36]

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen [Gate A60]

Potbelly Sandwich Shop [Gate B2]

Qdoba [Gate A72]

Reflections Restaurant and Lounge [Inside Westin Book Cadillac DTW/Gate A2-A38]

Robert Mondavi Experience [Gate C19]

Sora Japanese Cuisine & Sushi Bar [Gate A35]

Starbucks [Gate A18, A61, B10]

Subway [Gate C25 and A60]

The Shed Bar [Gate A8]

Tim Horton’s Coffee [Gate C4]

Tim Horton’s Coffee [Intl. Arrivals]

Vino Volo Wine Room [Gate A45]

Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers [Gate B6]

All North Terminal Options

[DTW Airport Website]

A map of the North Terminal. Click here for an interactive map.

Air Margaritaville [D6]

Atwater Brewery [D19]

Cantoro Italian Market Trattoria [Baggage Claim]

Common Grace Coffee Company [Gate D16]

Detroit Street Cafe [Gate D6]

Earl of Sandwich [Gate D26]

McDonald's [Gate D15]

Mod Pizza [Gate D8]

National Coney Island [Gate D18]

Starbucks [Gate D10 & 26]

Hockeytown Café [Gate D12]

Mediterranean Grill [Gate D6]

Natural Break [Gate D9]

Ruby Tuesday [Gate D23]

Villa Pizza-Fresh Italian Kitchen [Gate D26]

• All Airport Dining Guides Coverage [E]

from Eater Detroit - All