Best airport restaurant in US found in Atlanta airport

Remember when options for a meal in an airport used to consist of two burger chains, a frozen yogurt stand or something out of the vending machines?

Those days are long gone. Leading the charge to put great food in front of hungry travelers is Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta. Where else can you grab fine southern cuisine from Paschal’s, fried chicken and beer from Ludacris’ Chicken + Beer, a burger from Bobby Flay’s Bobby’s Burger Palace, a glass of Wine from Ecco before heading over to enjoy a hot doughnut from Krispy Kreme and washing it all down with a frosted orange from The Varsity?

Websites and blogs that cover travel have spotlighted the Atlanta airport’s dining scene the last few years. And now, the blog Thrillist is taking it one step further. It spotlights One Flew South as one of, if not the country’s best airport restaurant.

“Specializing in sushi and amped-up regional cuisine (jerk cornish hen, coffee-rubbed lamb ribs) served amid marble ambiance, it actually garnered a James Beard nomination, which would be a big deal even if it wasn’t in (an) airport,” the blog noted. “As such, this is probably the finest airport restaurant in the US, period.”

One Flew South calls itself the first upscale dining experience at the Atlanta airport. It’s located in the international terminal. Travelers don’t have to have an international flight to access the restaurant, but they do have to have a boarding pass somewhere.

Conde Nast Traveler writer Melissa Kravitz had this to say about One Flew South: “Airport bars are typically good for two things: Killing time before your flight takes off and letting alcohol ease your travel anxiety. One Flew South is the rare exception. Despite the fact that it’s located across from a food court, the bar offers elegant cocktails, international wines by the glass and sushi you shouldn’t be dubious about eatig -- no, really.”

RELATED: Where to eat at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

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