America's Largest Airport Has Some Of The Best Food Options

Set on more than 53-square-miles of land just beyond the city, Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in North America. It's also one of the busiest, with around 78 million visitors passing through its gates in 2023 — falling behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in first place and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in second. However, getting stuck with extra time before a flight isn't so bad when you're at the surprisingly controversial Denver International Airport. It's often cited as one of the best airports for dining, giving you a delicious way to whittle down the hours before boarding. 

While you'll find the usual staples like McDonald's and Starbucks, DEN is home to a long list of regional establishments that make it one of the best airports for dining in the country. Of course, airport dining sounds far from glamorous, although the lineup here is enticing enough that you might consider arriving for your flight earlier than usual — giving you time to indulge in its shockingly great restaurant scene. If anything, it's a far better experience than spending your layover in notoriously bad airports.

Part of what makes Denver International Airport great for foodies is the number of restaurants. With over 100 establishments spread across its various buildings, it shouldn't be hard to grab something that fits your preferences. Anyone arriving for an early morning flight can hit up Snooze, a breakfast chain founded in Denver that has since expanded to multiple states. A popular choice here is the Signature Pancake Flight, which offers Pineapple Upside Down, Cinnamon Roll, and Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes. For lunch, you can dive into a sub from Snarf's Sandwiches. Founded in 1996 in Boulder, the off-kilter sub shop has a faithful following throughout Colorado. It even has vegetarian options for those with dietary restrictions.

Folks in search of an upscale dining experience can head over to The Tapas Sky Bar, where they'll find over a dozen incredible wines and craft beers. Elway's is another popular stop for hungry passengers, with a menu featuring steak, seafood, and other premium bites. Keep in mind that DEN is a sprawling complex, so if there's a particular restaurant you want to check out, you'll need to account for tram rides between the three concourses. And while some restaurants in the airport use limited menus to shorten prep times, many are still sit-down experiences that require around an hour of your time.

Denver International Airport always seems to be under construction. With the surrounding region seeing constant population growth and the airport serving as a hub for connecting flights, the facility is aiming to support over 100 million annual passengers in the coming years. Part of that expansion means the addition of new restaurants — and if you arrive at the airport several times throughout the year, there's likely to be a new spot for you to explore.

For example, this year saw the addition of El Chingon to Concourse B, offering up Mexican cuisine with a contemporary flair. Mizu Sushi Izakaya and Aviano Coffee also opened in Concourse B. The former dishes out Japanese food in an elegant setting, while the latter sells a variety of lattes, cappuccinos, and other coffee-based beverages. Beyond restaurants, you'll find bizarre airport attractions like the Meow Wolf Store, which arrived in September, making DEN a unique place to hang out before your flight.

Those additions are just the tip of the iceberg. Plans are floating around that indicate four new concourses could be added to the airport by 2045, bringing with them 100 new gates. Whether or not the expansion pans out is another story, but if it does, they'll likely arrive alongside dozens of new restaurants. The currently available concourses are home to at least 20 restaurants each, meaning you may have over 80 new dining options at Denver International Airport in the years ahead.