Okay, just landed at phx and honestly my first thought after grabbing my bag and dodging the uber traffic was like, ugh, what am i gonna eat here, its always such a gamble at airports right, like you think you want something decent but then you see the prices and the lines and you just give up and get a pretzel or something but i figured id share my thoughts on the phoenix sky harbor food situation cause ive been through here a bunch and seen some things, some good some really not so good and its honestly a crapshoot if you dont know where to look or what your getting into before you get through security basically.
Where to eat (and where to skip)
so like when it comes to actual food its tricky cause it depends on your terminal but honestly you gotta plan a bit, like i hear really good things about Chelsea’s Kitchen and Barrio Cafe but those are kinda pre-security or in specific spots and sometimes thats just not an option when your rushing to make a connection or you just got off a long flight and are just trying to get home, but if you have time id say look them up they seem pretty solid for actual sit down meals, and SanTan Brewing Company is pretty decent for a brew and some pub grub if your into that sort of thing and its usually a safe bet that its not gonna be total garbage, but then you get to the other stuff and its like, do i really want another mcdonalds or a chilis that tastes exactly like every other airport chilis and the prices are always insane for like a mediocre burger and its just not worth it sometimes, you know what i mean, its like why bother when you could just wait until you get home or to your hotel but sometimes your just starving.
Grab-and-go vs. a real meal
this is like the eternal airport dilemma right, do you try and find something substantial or do you just grab a sandwich or a salad that costs twelve bucks and is basically just lettuce and hope for the best, and honestly it really depends on your timeline and your hunger level, like if i have a long layover then yeah maybe ill try and seek out one of the slightly better spots and sit down for a minute and try to pretend im not at an airport but if its a quick connection or im just trying to get out of there then its literally whatever is closest and fastest, like a starbucks pastry or a pre-made wrap from one of the little markets cause sometimes its just about fuel and not about the experience and its just how it goes with air travel but its still annoying when the options are so limited and expensive and you dont want to settle.
i always think about the “terminal trap” and its honestly something i preach to anyone flying through a big airport.
- you basically get through security and all your good options vanish, like they keep all the decent stuff before the tsa checkpoints and then after its just the sad leftover stuff or super overpriced chains.
- the variety just plummets after security, its like your choices go from ten to two and those two are usually just different versions of bad pizza or dry sandwiches.
- prices literally jump even higher for the exact same things once your past security, its like they know your trapped and they just hike everything up cause they know your not gonna turn around and leave.
- the lines are always longer for the sad options after security cause everyone else is trapped too and trying to grab something quick before their flight and its just a mess.
- and then you dont have time, like you think you do but then its gate change or delay or something and your just rushing and end up with whatever sad snack bag they have on the plane if your lucky and its just a bad cycle.
so yeah my advice is basically if you can, try to eat something decent before you even get in the security line, like maybe grab a bite near the rental car center or before you even head to the terminal if its looking bleak on the map, cause once your through its basically survival mode for your stomach and your wallet and its just not a fun time especially if your trying to stick to a budget or just want something remotely palatable but phoenix is getting better but still not great overall honestly, good luck out there folks.