Miami: Café Versailles

New Orleans: Café Beignet

Phoenix: Flo's Shanghai Café

San Francisco: Perry's, Lori's Diner, and San Francisco Soup Company

Seattle-Tacoma: Pacific Marketplace and 13 Coins

Under the Toque

It's not only what's cooking at airports these days but also who's cooking, as some of the world's top chefs take their talents to the concourse. One of the first to do this was Wolfgang Puck, whose small kiosk at the Columbus airport was so successful, it spawned a full-fledged restaurant.

The short list

Boston: Ozone-Bos (Todd English served as a consultant) and Jasper White's Summer Shack Express

Columbus: Wolfgang Puck Express

Orange County: Oasis Grill & Sky Lounge (conceived by David Wilhelm)

San Francisco: Yankee Pier (Bradley Ogden is part owner)

Seattle-Tacoma: Dish D'Lish (from Food TV's Kathy Casey)

Lean and Mean

With society's emphasis on health these days, it's only natural that airport eateries would take heed. Minneapolis-St. Paul is among those now offering calorie-conscious and heart-healthy options. At its French Meadow Bakery & Cafe in Concourse F, everything is all natural, from the organic greens to the yeast-free breads. Granted, an entire guilt-free menu may be rare, but at least one or two wholesome choices are showing up on more and more menus in airport dining establishments.