5 Best Restaurants To Get A Taste Of Atlanta During A Layover At Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

If you're a frequent flyer, then chances are that you will, at some point, have a layover at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Since 1998, the Atlanta-based airport has held the title of busiest airport in the United States, so you may very well find yourself milling about the various concourses during a brief (or extended) gap between flights. While layovers can be annoying at best and tiresome at worst, there are a few ways to turn that cumbersome gap between flights from a chore to a chance to explore. And while you could spend your layover fashioning a hoodie into a pillow, or scrolling on your phone (plugged into an outlet that took two hours to scope out), there are other options. 

In fact, a layover at the Atlanta airport might just be the perfect excuse to let out your inner foodie. Atlanta, Georgia, is a city with no shortage of unique and delicious restaurants. From low-key fusion joints like the Alton Brown favorite Hankook Taqueria, which serves up some seriously delicious sesame fries and kimchi-filled burritos, to the upscale New American fare at Canoe, Atlanta is a city bustling with fantastic dining options. This abundance of dining options also extends to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Below, we've gathered five of the tastiest options to try on your next layover, each of which will give you a glimpse at the rich and diverse Atlanta dining scene. 

The first Ecco location opened its doors in 2006 in the upscale Atlanta district of Midtown. Offering a creative menu of European cuisine and an extensive wine list, the restaurant, owned by the Atlanta-based Fifth Group Restaurants, has since become a staple of the city. Along with the original Midtown location, you can also visit Ecco in Buckhead and, yes, in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. You'll find it on Concourse F, which is a part of the airport's international terminal. This location is more than fitting, as the restaurant offers a long menu of internationally inspired cuisine, so you can preview your European vacation, or at the very least get a bite of something delicious before a long trip.

The restaurant offers some seriously delicious bites, from fried goat cheese to charred shishito peppers, braised pork pappardelle, and steak frites. Ecco also offers a robust wine selection, along with some seriously unique cocktails (a prelude to the default airplane order of ginger ale, which, while delicious in flight, is a bit underwhelming land-side). A prime example is Ecco's Dreams of Amalfi, which features vodka, limoncello, spirulina, and mint. 

On top of its delicious, Italian-inspired menu, Ecco also has a soft, warmly lit setup that can be a great getaway for the weary traveler. In terms of price, Ecco is a bit on the pricier side, with an order from the Meat and Fish menu ranging from $25 to $40 per plate. As a result, this is one of the more indulgent choices at the airport.

One Flew South is another great choice for travelers hoping to get a taste of something new. Located in Concourse E, which handles both domestic and international flights, One Flew South isn't your typical airport fare. The restaurant's offerings are inspired by the idea of travel, featuring a menu that blends Southern and Asian cuisines. You can find many great bites, from tuna jerky to steaks, burgers, and sushi. One Flew South first opened at the airport in 2009, and has since opened another location in Atlanta's Beltline, a loop that runs through 22 miles of Atlanta and features a wide variety of restaurants and attractions. You won't have to worry about freshness at this airport restaurant, either, as they receive several shipments of fresh fish throughout each week. 

One Flew South is also a two-time James Beard nominee, which is no small feat for an airport restaurant, a genre of dining almost always defined by its, or the diner's, limitations. This is not the case for One Flew South, which is almost a destination in and of itself. You might see this restaurant as a retreat from the banality of an interminable layover: the perfect opportunity to get a taste of the world around you, and the places you might soon be exploring.

When you think Atlanta, you think bagels, right? No? Okay, well, no one would accuse the "City in the Forest" of being the bagel capital of the world (we'll let New York and New Jersey duke that out), but believe it or not, you can find one good bagel at Hartfield-Jackson International Airport. Skip the Dunkin' and the Einstein' Bros. Bagels and head to Goldberg's Fine Foods in Concourses A and T. Like several other entries on this list, Goldberg's Fine Foods is an Atlanta staple that expands far beyond the sprawling airport. Goldberg's Fine Foods was originally founded in Atlanta in 1972 by a father and son duo. It was later bought by Wayne Saxe and Howard Aaron, two men who immigrated to the United States from South Africa, and who had been searching Atlanta for the comforting food served by their Jewish families back home.

Goldberg's Fine Foods is now an Atlanta institution, serving American breakfast staples such as bagels, breakfast sandwiches, salads, sandwiches, and pancakes, among other dishes. The airport locations don't offer the full menu, but they do serve plenty of bagels, spreads, and deli selections. So if you're in need of a quick but delicious bite, Goldberg's might just be the way to go.

While your head (and stomach) might be in the clouds (and in other cuisines) during your layover at the Atlanta airport, you might also take this travel pause to explore some more local flavors. Better yet, you can spend the time between flights looking into one of Atlanta's most iconic talents while also enjoying some fried chicken and perhaps even an ice cold beer. Ludacris, famous rapper and star of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, made his restaurant dreams come true in the heart of the Atlanta airport, and with delicious results.

His restaurant, named Chicken and Beer after his 2003 album "Chicken-n-Beer," is as described. Serving a menu replete with Southern staples such as fried chicken, biscuits, and chicken and waffles, alongside pours of various beers, this restaurant is the perfect spot for a casual bite that goes beyond the usual, somewhat tepid offerings of an airport Chilis. This restaurant is located in Concourse D, which is a domestic terminal, and offers both a breakfast and all-day menu. Menu pricing is similar to other airport restaurants, with an entrée running you about $20. If you miss the opportunity to visit Chicken and Beer in Atlanta, you can always visit the LAX location (if you happen to fly through).

Now, let's get to the thin and crispy of it all. There are plenty of pizza options available at most airports (the image of a folded Sbarro slice cupped just so over a newspaper-strewn lap conjures memories for many a frequent traveler), but the quality of said pizza varies a great deal. So, if you want a slice that offers something new and delicious, Varasano's Pizzeria in Concourse A might just be the perfect place to subdue your hunger while checking out something new and iconically Atlanta. 

Varasano's Pizzeria first opened its doors in 2009 in Atlanta, and serves various Italian dishes, including New York-style pizza (and no, you don't need special tap water to make authentic New York pizza). You can order 12-inch thin-crust pizzas with various sauces and toppings from the airport pizzeria, as well as several other dishes including spinach salad, a salumi platter, and a cannoli for dessert. This is the perfect choice for the weary New Yorker in search of a decent slice, or a great spot for anyone hoping to get a better taste of the Southern city through which they are flying. After all, Atlanta Magazine dubbed the restaurant's pies "...the finest pizza in Atlanta" back in 2009. So if you choose to eat at Varasano's Pizzeria, you can rest assured that you're getting a great slice.