We came across a great article in New York Eater by Devra Ferst about where to eat in Newark Airport, and we wanted to share her thoughts with fellow EWR Airport travelers:
“Six months ago, there weren’t many strong dining options in Newark Airport. But the plans for a major chef-y overhaul of Terminal C from airport food provider OTG are nearly complete, giving flyers here a taste of what JFK has had for a while now. Unfortunately, only those in Terminal C have access to this. Still, Eater has found a solid dining options, no matter which terminal you’re flying out of or what you’re craving.
Terminal A
USAir, American, JetBlue, SouthWest and other big carriers fly from this terminal, so there are a handful of decent dining options, though they may remind you of the mall food court.
If you’re in need of a sugar fix, the airport is one of the few places in New York you can find a Ben & Jerry’s (Gates A10-18).
It’s hard to call Jamba Juice (Pre-security food court, Gates A20-28, A30-39) healthy, but in the scheme of airport fare, the juice and smoothie company gets high marks for providing actual fresh fruit — something that might be lacking from your diet for the next several hours on a flight.
If you just want to grab something for the plane, Qdoba (pre-security, food court) offers its familiar menu of burritos, taco salads, and nachos.
Post-Security, there’s the Earl of Sandwich (Gates A20-28), the king of airport sandwich shops with its Full Montague (roast beef, turkey, and cheddar), classic club, ham and cheese, and BBQ chicken options. There are also salads and wraps for those looking for something healthier and seating, in case there’s time to kill before a flight.
Terminal B
Lots of long-distance international flights leave from Terminal B, and it’s lucky that those supply their own meals, since this terminal is sorely lacking in good options. For those who truly must eat in Terminal B, here are two recommendations:
If you have time to kill, national Mexican chain Chili’s has an outpost of Chili’s Too pre-security that offers tacos, chilis, dips, burgers, and salads. You can’t go wrong with a platter of sizzling fajitas. For those needing some pre-flight liquid courage, there’s also a full bar here.
For something quicker, there are outposts of fast-casual spot Mediterranean Bistro (Pre-security food court, Gate B61) both pre- and post-security in this terminal, selling falafel, shwarma, kebabs, tabbouli, and some smoothies, all of which can be packed up to go.
Terminal C
By American airport standards, getting a flight that’s scheduled to leave from Terminal C is like hitting the jackpot. Airport restaurant group OTG signed on some big chefs like Alain Ducasse, former ABC Kitchen chef Dan Kluger, Balaboosta’s Einat Admony, and Torrisi man Mario Carbone. Many of the planned restaurants are open but still getting things into full gear, so keep in mind that not all buildouts are complete quite yet, but should be soon. Given the overwhelming choice, here are some of the best options, broken down by category:
Something Healthy: Admony, who grew up in Israel, is serving some of her acclaimed dips at Flora Cafe, including hummus and a smokey babaganoush. There’s also a seasonal strawberry tomato gazpacho on the menu. For breakfast, there’s shakshuka and oatmeal topped with prunes, cinnamon, and almonds. (Gates C101-115, C120-139)
The Pre-Honeymoon/Expense Account Meal: French bistro Saison by Ducasse is about as upscale as an airport restaurant can get. There’s a solid wine list and french classics like roasted bone marrow with parsley gremolata, radish, and salt, a steak for two, escargot, and croissant bread pudding. For something a bit less formal, there’s also a dry aged burger with béarnaise sauce and fries. There’s also breakfast here that reads like a traditional brunch menu with a couple of riffs on eggs benedict. (Gates C120-139)
Jet-Lag Meal: Kluger’s Vanguard Kitchen serves breakfast all day, which can be key if you’re about to hop a plane to a wildly different time zone, or if you’re stuck on a nasty layover. Nothing is too outside of the American breakfast box here but there’s a ham and cheddar sandwich with eggs, belgian waffles with hazelnut butter, and challah french toast with apple butter. For something a bit healthier, there’s grapefruit and yogurt parfait. The menu isn’t all about breakfast. Kluger has some burgers, salads and pizzas including one topped with broccoli rabe, fennel pollen, ricotta and parmesan. (Gates 120-139)
A Glass of Wine or Three: The much-loved outpost of airport wine bar Vino Volo in Terminal C has shuttered, but Thirty Acres’ Kevin Pemoulie has stepped in with Oeno Wine Bar. To go with the bottles, there are cheese and meat trays, marinated olives, and some small plates like scallop ceviche. There are also panini which can be made on gluten free bread. (Gates C70-99)
Sweet Treat: At Melange Petit Patisserie, chocolate master Jacques Torres offers his chocolate-laden chocolate chip cookies, alfajors, and a Nutella salted caramel cookie. There are also crepes that can be filled with Nutella and banana, or savory options. It’s mostly grab and go, but there is some bar seating. (Gates 101-115)”
