You’ve just arrived at the airport after a long day of work, an overpriced Uber, and a frenzied sprint through the TSA checkpoint. With bags in hand and half an hour until boarding, there’s one thing left to do: find something to eat. Quickly. 

The ultimate guide to SFO's Terminal 1

• Every T1 restaurant, ranked
• What to order at SFO’s best bar
• Best eats under $10
• At SFO, local restaurants soar

Airports are, of course, notorious for being a sea of mediocre salads, overpriced pizza slices, and middling fast food. But San Francisco International Airport breaks that mold, with a mix of national names and local favorites. That means Harvey Milk Terminal 1 plays host not only to aviation giants Delta, JetBlue, Frontier, Alaska, and Southwest but to culinary greats, including San Francisco’s most famous pizzaiolo, Tony Gemignani, and Pacific Rim cuisine pioneer Sam Choy. 

To make your next SFO visit a little more enjoyable — flight delays and lost baggage notwithstanding — we spent weeks eating at each of the two dozen restaurants at the biggest terminal.

We braved crowds of bleary-eyed business travelers, throngs of frazzled families, and the labyrinth that is the short-term parking lot. After many meals and a handful of flights, we sat down, debated whether meatballs make an appropriate in-flight meal, and ranked all 24 restaurants at Terminal 1 from worst to first. 

Here, we present the ultimate guide to eating and drinking at SFO’s Terminal 1.  

If ever there were a nothingburger, it’s the veggie burger ($13.69) at Amy’s Drive-Thru. A tasteless patty wedged into a humdrum bun with all the expected fixings, it somehow takes eight minutes — an eternity if you’re rushing to board a flight — to come out of the kitchen. A better bet at this vegetarian fast-food spot is the plant-based “chicken” sandwich ($13.99) with chipotle ranch smothering a crispy faux-bird fillet. It at least delivers a variety of textures and discernible flavor. One other bright spot: Kids will dig the mac-and-cheese with broccoli and bread crumbs ($10.99). Still, even a picky vegetarian can find a better meal at many of the terminal’s other dining outlets. Near Gate B6

This clean, well-stocked, grab-and-go market is the only dining option before security. On paper, it seems perfect: packed with premade sandwiches and bougie bottled drinks, as well as options from beloved Bay Area brands, including Burma Love’s tea-leaf salads ($13.85) and samusa wraps ($13.85) and El Sur’s mushroom-and-cheese empanadas ($13.85). The execution, however, is lackluster. Premade breakfast sandwiches ($13.85) are dense and flavorless, and that tea-leaf salad is impossible to mix and eat in its container and lacks seasoning. If you can wait until you get through the TSA line, you’ll find better — and more affordable — options. Pre-security

Located at the tail end of the C-gate section of the terminal, Dogpatch aims to satisfy your preflight salad and smoothie cravings … if that’s, you know, a thing. This place is vegan-friendly, and the “market salad” bar seems like a wholesome option. Unfortunately, the likes of soggy arugula with dried cherries and undercooked butternut squash with pumpkin seeds make for a pretty depressing meal. The vegan portabello wrap ($14.95) is tasty enough if you’re looking for something quick and nutritious to bring onboard. Near Gate C10

Of all the San Francisco restaurants that have shuttered in the past decade, Farmerbrown, the Tenderloin soul-food spot with a top-tier brunch, ranks high on the list of those we fondly miss. Unfortunately, Terminal 1’s sit-down location feels like a zombified facsimile. Dried-out fried chicken, flavorless slaw, unsalted fries, and an extremely underwhelming waffle served with a cup of artificial maple syrup ($23.25) make for an upsetting experience. It’s hard to find value in a $24.50 grilled shrimp basket, and 15-minute wait times will leave even the most seasoned traveler antsy. Throw in the generic airport vibes, and all this farmer did was make us miss the real thing. Near Gate C4

As the name suggests, Illy Caffè is first and foremost a destination for coffee — and if you want to make the most of your visit, just stick to what they do best. The menu is expansive, covering all manner of coffee and espresso drinks, made using manually pulled shots rather than automated ones — a nice touch. If you like a strong, dark brew, you’ll be satisfied with an Americano or almond rose latte ($7.65), but, frankly, neither can beat a simple cup from local roasters like Ritual and Red Bay. Food options, including a dry hunk of pumpkin bread ($5.25) and cold deli sandwiches, are neither delicious nor affordable. Near Gate B9

Even the chillest traveler can be forgiven for wanting the reliability of fast food, and someone had to fill the vacuum in Terminal 1 created by the lack of a McDonald’s or KFC. Sadly, Starbird, ain’t it. A regional chain with locations in airports and arenas, its offerings consist of moist-yet-bland chicken fried in a flavorless dredge, then packaged into sandwiches or salads, all priced between $11 and $15. The “classic slaw” is dull; neither mayo- nor vinegar-based, it’s basically just shredded lettuce and cabbage. A proprietary spice blend would do wonders for the utterly forgettable fries ($4.40). Near Gate B13

Fans of the other Napa Farms Market locations at SFO might be surprised to see it so low on this list. But compared with its expansive counterparts, which function like mini grocery stores, this is a pale imitation with limited inventory — mainly salads, sandwiches, and soups — and a smaller footprint. The tri-tip plate ($20.95) is just four slices of dry beef, with a simple kale salad so overdressed that hearty brassica becomes a soggy mess. Even the macaroni and cheese — a safe bet just about anywhere — is bland and gloppy. SF Eats Food Hall

Little Skillet has been a reliable SoMa sit-down spot for soul food for 17 years, home to some of the city’s favorite fried chicken and waffles. Its airport iteration, however, is a counter-service operation attached to Farmerbrown that offers a few hot, handheld breakfast items, assorted pastries, and coffee and tea. Service is quick — but that’s because the Daybreak burrito ($18.35) is premade, held hot, and bagged within seconds of ordering. Perhaps, then, it should come as no surprise that it is dry, under-seasoned, and a total disappointment. And the glazed apple fritters ($5.50) and other sugar-flecked pastries look tempting but are stale and hard as rocks. Near Gate C6

Few airport eateries can match Kitava’s commitment to nutrition. It’s paleo-, keto-, and vegan-friendly and has eliminated gluten, dairy, soy, and seed oils from everything it serves. Many travelers with allergies and dietary restrictions will be delighted to know they have this option, and Kitava makes an effort with well-seasoned, build-your-own protein bowls ($20), paprika chicken green salads ($23.50), and cassava and coconut flour brownies ($7). The execution, however, is mixed. Cumin beans and broccoli shine, but a plant protein patty has a mushy-grainy texture that only the most hardcore vegan could love. The best surprise is a cup of chicken broth ($7) boosted with turmeric and ginger, strong enough to fortify you before inhaling four hours of pressurized, recycled air. SF Eats Food Hall

With the hushed, elegant air of an upscale jewelry shop, this stand looks more like a place to buy a last-minute gift than a spot to caffeinate before boarding. But beyond the handsomely packaged 16-piece boxes of chocolates ($63) and macarons ($19.35), GR Chocolate Boutique offers a full menu of hot and cold espresso drinks ($4 to $8), as well as an impressive assortment of pastries in the $4 to $10 range, including orange chocolate jam tarts and palmiers. Near Gate B13

When The Club opened in June 2024, it promised a level of middle-class fancy that was previously accessible only to frequent fliers. For $75, anyone with confirmed travel (you’ll have to show a boarding pass to enter) can reserve space in this lounge, with a buffet and open bar, outlets galore, and plenty of comfortable places to work or relax. A year and a half on, though, cracks are starting to appear. Lines are long (in part because anyone with a Priority Pass membership can enter for free), seating can be hard to come by, and cutbacks to the buffet are obvious, with entire zones lying fallow. Still, given how easy it is to drop $75 at the airport, anyone looking to knock back more than one or two drinks would do well to consider doing so at The Club’s bar. Near Gate B4

This mini spinoff of a series of popular park-adjacent cafes across the city doesn’t quite add up to the experience you’ll get in San Francisco proper. Still, there are serviceable choices, including an inoffensive pastrami sandwich ($16), rather sad-sack avocado toast ($15), and (excitingly) Boichik bagels. The real reason to stop here, however, is the juice bar, which puts out solid smoothies. The Kale Crush ($9.50), made with kale, almond butter, banana, and almond milk, makes an affordable light lunch on its own. Near Gate C5

Gateside Market plays home to some Bay Area heavy hitters. The bagels for the breakfast sandwiches ($13.99 to $18.99) come courtesy of Boichik; twice-baked almond croissants, cinnamon raisin rolls, and pecan blondies are made by the East Bay’s Starter Bakery; and the bottled organic juices ($9.99 to $11.99) come from San Francisco’s own Sidewalk Juice. So whether you’re opting for a grab-and-go salad or made-to-order avocado toast, you can trust it will taste like food you’ve had outside the airport. Even if you’re in a rush, oven-toasted deli sandwiches like the Italiano on Dutch crunch ($18.99) take only about four minutes to prepare. Near Gate B18

There’s a reason Proper Food has nearly a dozen locations in downtown San Francisco: This concept is designed for speed and convenience. That makes it well-suited for the airport, where, from 4 a.m. to midnight, you can count on the hulking refrigerator cases being stocked with cups of horchata-flavored overnight oats ($7.20) and cardboard containers of sweet-potato enchiladas and rice ($15.50). Just about anything you pick can be warmed up at the counter and eaten easily on the go, so even if Proper gets few points for culinary ingenuity or ambiance, it is an undeniably good option for a pre- or post-flight meal. Near Gate B8  

Perry’s has been a reliable destination for burgers and salads for more than half a decade, and the comfort-food concept translates well to the airport. At the dining room decorated with dark wood, black-and-white floor tiles, and walls of sports memorabilia, you can almost forget that you’re in a massive transit hub, particularly if you score one of the comfortable booths. And though the trio of pudgy beef sliders ($18), barebones Caesar salad ($17), and boneless buffalo wings ($17) won’t be the best you’ve ever had, they are all good enough to qualify as slightly-above-average airport fare. Near Gate C1

If you’re going to support a coffee business, this 30-year-old, LGBTQ+-owned, fair-trade roaster, started by two women in Marin, is a good one to choose. A cup of the house roast ($4.25) will be reliably medium-to-dark, which some may prefer to the lighter Third Wave-style favored by Ritual Coffee, the other local option in Terminal 1. Skip the thin, watery matcha latte ($6.50) and forgettable chai ($6). Just be warned: it may take up to 10 minutes for your drink to be prepared. If you want a treat, the best option is a slice of moist pumpkin-and-cream-cheese bread ($5.95). SF Eats Food Hall

Even during the morning rush, the line at Ritual Coffee moves quickly, with orders emerging from behind the counter within minutes. On top of the standard favorites, which are certainly done well, the hot chai latte ($6.55) meets high standards of quality and flavor. A bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit ($12) is dense and buttery — perfect if you’re nursing a hangover but otherwise a bit heavy. But for nailing quality, convenience, and speed, this is our pick for the terminal’s best coffee. Just be warned: If you order from the self-serve kiosk, it won’t display all menu options. Best to stick it out in line if you can. Near the B Gates Security Checkpoint

This beloved Oakland craft brewery occupies one of the terminal’s largest spaces. It’s a two-in-one bar and restaurant that serves a wide variety of sandwiches and pub snacks. You’ll find Drake’s own brew —  including the potent 9.75% ABV Denogginizer Double IPA ($15) and the gentler Flyaway Pils ($14) — along with plenty of other beers and wines. Pizza is reason enough to visit; the oregano-heavy “apizza” style pies ($19) would make New Haven proud. There’s also a strong breakfast menu of yogurt bowls and quesadillas. Whereas many Terminal 1 restaurants lack separation from the main corridor, Drake’s feels open yet enclosed, allowing diners to people-watch without feeling lost in the scrum. Near Gate B20

During prime lunch hours, Little Chihuahua welcomes a steady stream of customers at its sit-down bar and to-go counter. Just as at this mini-chain’s three brick-and-mortar outposts throughout the city, the service and food are dialed in. A burrito bowl ($16.65) comes out within four minutes of being ordered, piled high with Mexican rice, black beans, cheese, cabbage slaw, salsa, and a choice of meat. (We recommend the carnitas.) Pro tip: To round out your meal, add guacamole ($3.50), then ask for chips on the side ($3.25). Near Gate B3

The first thing to know about Poké to the Max is that poke is not the only thing on the menu. Because it’s tied to celebrated Hawaiian chef Sam Choy, it also serves Hawaiian plate lunches and a truly delicious loco moco ($17.99), with rich brown gravy poured over a perfectly cooked grass-fed beef patty. Kalua pork ($17.99) leans a little to the dry side, but the mac salad will make anyone with island connections feel at home. For a smaller meal, try the reconstructed musubi ($14.99), a Spam and egg sushi roll drizzled with unagi sauce and sesame seeds, or the deep-fried Spam fries ($8.99). Near the B Gates Security Checkpoint

If you’ve eaten at any of celebrity chef Michael Mina’s 40 restaurants nationwide, then you know that while they don’t blow you away, they are consistently pretty good. Bourbon Pub, one of just four sit-down options in Terminal 1, lands high on this list for living up to that reputation. The cocktail list includes an excellent olive-and-jalapeño-spiked bloody mary ($17), and the wine list has names you might recognize, like Taittinger Champagne and Decoy pinot noir. Best of all, the food exceeds airport expectations. A Caesar salad ($19.50) stars not sad romaine or iceberg but tender little gems, and Egyptian-style hummus ($16) comes with snappy carrot sticks and za’atar-dusted pita. The buffalo chicken sandwich ($25), with just enough spice to be balanced nicely by a splash of buttermilk ranch, seals the deal: This casual comfort food spot is your best bet for a full-service airport meal. Near Gate B7

Tony Gemignani is known for sweeping just about every pizza-making competition under the sun, and he wasn’t about to half-ass a location where travelers are ordering slices from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Indeed, the pies that come out of the triple-decker Forni oven — sold for around $10 per slice — include classic pepperoni, trendy hot honey, and the only-in-San Francisco purple potato with pesto and bacon. Our favorite is the Aviator, a garlicky Sicilian square with plenty of peppadew peppers. Don’t skip the parsley-dusted meatballs, a spongy trio in zippy tomato sauce ($11), or the bacon, egg, and cheese croissant ($16.75), far flakier than any McMuffin. Tony’s even sells airport-size bottles of hot-pepper olive oil, which can bring any bland in-flight meal to life. SF Eats Food Hall

Daly City, just a 10-minute drive from SFO, has one of the largest Filipino American populations in the U.S. So it makes sense that one of the best options at the airport is a steam-tray spot slinging Filipino cuisine. Mama Go’s, an offshoot of the national chain Goldilocks, is not only delicious but delivers some of the terminal’s best value: a two-entree combo costs $18.99 and includes generous portions of entrees like pork sisig and chicken adobo, with pancit bihon almost as good as Grandma’s and a scoop of garlic fried rice. If you’re in a snacky mood, go for the $16.99 street-food sampler, a shareable box of crispy lumpia Shanghai, pork shumai, and a skewer of marinated chicken. Notably, service is warm, attentive, and downright friendly. Near Gate B18

For value and variety, nothing at Terminal 1 comes close to this Vietnamese sandwich shop. We’re particular fans of the classic combo banh mi ($14.75), a toasted baguette stacked with lemongrass pork, pâté, and out-of-left-field mortadella, plus the standard herbs and veggies. But Bun Mee offers plenty of surprises, from a ribeye steak dip ($17.50) to chicken pho ($18.50) to a sack of salt-and-pepper garlic fries with onions and jalapeños ($5). A refrigerated case has prepackaged American-style sandwiches ($12.50) and healthful delights like sweet-chile Brussels sprouts ($5.95). And of course, there’s Vietnamese iced coffee and taro boba tea ($7.25). Bottom line: Bun Mee is the gold standard of fast-casual, and no restaurant understands the airport assignment better. Near Gate B3