Best Dining and Shopping Options at Philadelphia International Airport

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) serves over 31 million passengers annually and connects them to over 130 domestic and international destinations across the globe. Over 33 million passengers pass through its halls every year. However, the days of spending idle hours waiting for your flight are over. Whether you are skipping town for the weekend, just returned to The City of Brotherly Love after a tiring long-haul flight, or just transiting through the airport to your final destination, you won’t ever be bored with the dining and shopping at Philadelphia International Airport. Enjoy a cup of coffee, a quick slice of pizza, or even a leisurely sit-down meal at an excellent restaurant if you have time to spare.

Alternatively, you can indulge in a relaxing massage to soothe those tense muscles or pick up a thoughtful gift from one of the duty-free shops for your loved ones when you arrive.

While strolling through the brightly lit terminals and window shopping the best brands on sale can be a fun experience, the same might not hold true for restaurants if you are hungry, especially since the eateries are often spaced quite far from each other, often in completely different terminals. So you now have the option of ordering food via the airport’s own delivery service, which makes the process of comparing restaurants and choosing what you want to eat a breeze. The food is delivered to you in no time, wherever you are in the airport!

Philadelphia International Airport has six terminals (A – F) and 126 gates.

Best Dining & Shopping Options at Philadelphia International Airport

Baba Bar

Baba Bar boasts an impressive menu with exceptional flavours crafted by award-winning Chef Micheal Solomonov. For the complete experience, order a mezze (a set of small plates) that features a variety of traditional dishes like hummus, babaganoush, roasted legumes, feta-tossed salads drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and stuffed grape leaves. Prepared to be sensorily transported to the azure Mediterranean coast.

Location – Terminal B, Gate B11

Noobar

Noobar is where you go when you want your taste buds and visual faculties to both be stimulated. It features an open-kitchen concept where you can watch the sushi chefs expertly make ramen and sushi. In a surprising departure from traditional Japanese dining culture, Noobar boasts a casual and relaxed lounge atmosphere where you can dine in or grab-and-go.

Location – Terminal B, Gate B6

La Colombe

Best known for their cheeky motto: “America deserves better coffee,” La Colombe is a popular stop for frequent fliers looking to get their coffee fix to pick them up from their mid-morning slump. The menu also features delicious pastries that you can take onto the plane.

Location – Terminal E, Gate E5

Le Bus Cafe

Tired and weary after a long red-eye flight? We bet some fresh-baked blueberry muffins and hot coffee will help put that pep back in your step. They also serve tasty home-roasted beef sandwiches to satiate your late-night munchies.

Location – Terminal F, Gate F10

Smashburger

Swing by Smashburger to try their scrumptious made-to-order burgers using 100% Certified Angus Beef. Pair it with one of their signature sides like Smashfries tossed with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic and a drool-worthy, handspun Häagen-Dazs milkshake. Now that the hunger is gone, the real challenge is going to be to stave off the carb-induced coma embracing you so you don’t miss your flight.

Location – Terminal F, Gate F10

Geno’s Steaks

Coming from very humble beginnings, this restaurant has managed to stick around for more than 50 years and there’s a very good reason for that. Geno’s uses only the highest-quality rib-eye steak, so thinly sliced that it grills up nice and juicy. It’s then served with caramelized onions, freshly-baked bread, and cheese. The quintessential Philadelphian cheesesteak is a must-try while you’re transiting through and there’s no better place to do so than at Geno’s.

Location – Terminal B/C connector

Sky Asian Bistro

This modern take on Asian-inspired cuisine is a popular spot among passengers because they pair creative sushi with an impressively extensive wine and beer list. Pair your liquor with their bestselling items like Truffle Edamame Potato Dumplings, pan-fried served with micro cilantro and the Miso Grilled Salmon Bento Box, mixed greens salad, 3PC California Roll, Edamame and Jasmine Rice.

Location – Terminal C, Gate C18

Chickie’s and Pete’s

First opened in 1977, Chickie’s and Pete’s is a well-loved institution in Philadelphia. They have numerous downtown locations as well as four outlets in the airport alone. Do not miss trying their signature items like the Famous Crabfries, Crabby Sweets, and Ultimate Crabfries.

Locations: Terminal C, Gate C31 (+ another outlet right across from it); Terminals D/E Connector; Terminal E, Gate E5

Best Buy Express

Missing a phone charger or a pair of headphones to tune out the crying baby on your next flight? Best Buy Express brings you what you love about it – the variety and affordable prices – and drops what you don’t – the hovering salespeople – in a compact kiosk format.

Location: Terminal A – East – Departures

Heritage Books

Long-haul flights without in-flight entertainment options practically beg you to pick up a book. Luckily, Heritage Books stocks an incredible collection of international bestsellers, classics, and a hand-picked collection of overlooked gems.

Location: Terminals B/C Connector

Pennsylvania Market

After a happy vacation in Pennsylvania, it might be time to go home. But that doesn’t mean cannot take a piece of the Keystone State with you. Stop by Pennsylvania Market to find the souvenirs and memorabilia you will love.

Location: Terminal E, Gate E1

PHL Sports

In transit when you realised you forgot to pack snow boots for your hiking trip in the alps? PHL Sports has got your back. They stock anything and everything you might need for an adventure-filled weekend out of town.

Location: Terminals B/C Connector

Transplanted into travel writing from an anthropology background, Shivani's main draw towards any destination is its culture and traditions. She will always gravitate towards off-beat experiences like staying with a curandero family in the middle of the northern Mexican desert, singing in a jazz bar in Bhutan, sifting through dodo bones and extinct bird feathers in London, making friends with a voodoo priestess in New Orleans, or eating conch shells on a "research" trip to The Bahamas. When she's not travelling, she takes a keen interest in playing the harmonica, perfecting her cup of tea, and napping.