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The Essential Vegan Guide to Airport Food

As you wearily haul your carry-on and peruse your airport food options, it seems the only food available is greasy and riddled with dubious options. A few plant-based havens exist among the world’s busiest airports, and we scoped out the options worthy of a layover lunch.

Real Food Daily at Los Angeles International Airport

Terminal 4
The ramen ($11) at this Los Angeles-based restaurant uses a spicy sesame miso broth with noodles, garlic bok choy, seasonal vegetables, and Sriracha-grilled tofu. In 25 years of business, Real Food Daily prides itself on using only “real” ingredients. VegNews voted the restaurant, which has two other locations in Los Angeles, the best brunch spot in L.A. in 2017. Check out the full plant-based menu for even more options.

 

Hans im Glück at Munich Airport

Terminal 2
The owners of Hans im Glück believe that good burgers aren’t exclusive to meat eaters and can be enjoyed without animal products. The restaurant offers four vegan burgers, but our favorite is the Fabelhafter ($11). A patty topped with avocado cream topped and an orange-mustard sauce is accompanied by a crispy fresh herb salad. The restaurant brings all of its ingredients in fresh daily and boasts an impressive array of cocktails including the Goldregen, a mix of vodka, elderflower, and seasonal fruit.

 

EAT at London Heathrow Airport

Terminal 2
The famous franchise donates leftover food to local charities to cut down on waste production. So you can dine knowing your surplus food will go to a better place but we imagine these delicious salads sell out routinely. Our pick features a base of mixed leaves and tabbouleh topped with chunky hummus with carrot and coriander falafel, harissa chickpeas, mezze slaw, pickled chili, and handmade vinaigrette in a falafel mezze salad ($8).

 

Aroma at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport

Terminal 3
While Aroma’s main focus is coffee, it strives to produce quality, healthy food. All sandwiches and salads are made-to-order and customizable, so feel free to venture out of the carnivorous side of the menu and substitute with some of their produce, delivered fresh daily. The chickpeas omelet sandwich ($8) comes on your choice of white, whole wheat, or multigrain bread and is topped with a chickpea omelet, tahini sauce, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

 

100% Natural at Mexico City Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez

Terminal 1
Founded in 1980, 100% Natural’s mission is to provide healthy and nutritious hometown meals to the city of Acapulco. The homegrown restaurant offers food free of any preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. The tacos de setas al ajo ($5) feature hot corn tortillas filled with garlic-sautéed oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, and coriander with chili mojo on the side.

 

Freshly Chopped at Dublin Airport

Terminal 1
Swap out a traditional Irish lamb stew for your choice of a bowl, wrap, or sandwich, in Freshly Chopped’s Vegan Body Builder ($9). With greens, tofu, brown rice, and crunchy seasonal vegetables with the your choice of dressing, Freshly Chopped’s philosophy is simple: healthy, quality, and fresh food served quickly. As if the veggie-full bowls weren’t enough to convince you, eat with a clear conscience knowing every ingredient on the menu has been appraised by Irish doctors through Healthpro, a health-promotion organization.

 

Mugg and Bean at Cape Town International Airport

Mezzanine Level
Mugg and Bean has a reputation for large, filling portions, making it a great pick for pre-international flights. If you have the time, take advantage of its reputation for being one of the first spots in South Africa to serve bottomless coffee. Settle into the chickpea, spinach, and egg-free mayo sandwich ($4) with rosemary-salted fries and a fresh and crunchy salad.

 

Exki at Brussels Airport

Pier A
Known for its simple and environmentally friendly recipes, Exki offers quick food with only the freshest ingredients. Exki isn’t all vegan, but they take pride in their herbivorous menu options. The organic Erika Sandwich ($6) features crusty brioche bread lined with creamy tofu-almond-leek spread and crispy radish.

 

Freshii at Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport

Main Shopping Area and Between Gates 4 and 5
Step into Freshii for the teriyaki twist bowl ($7) brimmed to the rim with hot brown rice, hearty edamame, hot wontons, crispy vegetables, and spicy teriyaki sauce. Accompany it with the Mighty Detox juice — an energizing blend of pineapple, green apple, celery, cucumber, and ginger—a choice bound to rejuvenate even the most jet-lagged traveler.

Taylor Pastrick is a writer for NEHA and a digital outreach specialist for Terakeet. She attended Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham campus where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with a minor in public relations and a concentration in multimedia journalism. Pastrick is also a proud alumna of Phi Sigma Sigma.