E a t e r ’s G u i de
BWI
Flying is stressful. Winding your way to the right terminal, practically unpacking your bags at security, then scrambling to get your shoes back on all while trying to catch a flight is not a fun way to begin a trip. What’s worse is doing all that on an empty stomach. And, despite the fact that in some terminals you may feel as though you’ve stepped out of the airport and into find a meal—especially if you are conscious about what you eat. We’re here to help. While we can’t change much about the food itself—our
How does BWI stack up? In a survey of 196 people who indicated they had flown out of BWIi, 83% reported that they found food to be the same as (or worse than!) at other airports.
survey found that over half of passengers were only somewhat satisfied by their dining options—we can do our best to navigate you through the winding road of food options at BWI, whether you have specific dietary restrictions or you’re just looking for a decent meal. That said, this isn’t a comprehensive guide of every restaurant you’ll find at the airport. Because we’re committed to providing you with the most accurate information possible, we have only included suggestions from those restaurants that provide paper or online copies of their menus, and as you can see the options were a bit limited! Regardless we’ve tried our best to compile the best culinary options to make your stop in BWI as enjoyable as possible—regardless of whether or not you have a specific dietary restriction.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT FOOD AT BWI In a survey of nearly 200 BWI passengers conducted in Fall 2013:
Only 17% of surveyed passengers found food at BWI to be better than food at other airports. 72% of surveyed passengers listing dietary restrictions indicated that they weren’t able to find desirable food at BWI to meet their dietary needs.
74% of surveyed passengers who have flown 10 or more times in the past year reported that there are not enough healthy food options at BWI. Several restaurants have been targets of complaints filed by the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board.
Behind food trends?
Only 17% of surveyed passengers found food at BWI to be better than food at other airports.
Vegetarians
Being a vegetarian isn’t always easy. More often than not, if you’re on the go and looking for something besides a salad and a piece of loose fruit, you stand a good chance at disappointment. It may take a bit of searching, but if you look hard and perhaps venture outside your own terminal, you will be able to find something substantial to eat. Here are some options:
QUICK & CONVENIENT • BGR – The Burger Joint (B) BGR cooks each burger to order, so while this might not be the quickest option if you’re at risk of missing your flight, it’s definitely list-worthy for its tasty, house-made veggie burger. Try it plain, or dress it up with any number of BGR’s unique toppings, including pineapple, jalapeños or a mix of caramelized onions and roasted mushrooms.
Veggie-friendly sides include sweet potato fries and roasted asparagus. Note for vegans: The veggie burger is vegan, but some of the toppings (like the mojo sauce) are not. Be sure to check in to verify that your choices will meet your specific dietary needs! Note for gluten free diners: all of BGR’s, well, burgers are available sans bun in a lettuce wrap.
CASUAL SIT-DOWN • Potbelly’s (C) Potbelly’s, a Chicago-based sandwich chain, is good for both grab-andgo and a no frills sit down meal. It features plenty of vegetarian sandwich tion in the C Concourse is accessible (though a bit of a hike) from the A/B Concourse, and as a bonus they will also deliver anywhere in the airport if your order is $25 or more. Note for vegans: Per their website, Potbelly’s multigrain bread contains honey.
TIME TO KILL • Vino Volo (A) “Vino Volo” translates (literally) from Italian as “wine flight,” and at first glance it might seem as though there’s little more here for the vegetarian palate than the restaurant’s namesake. However, the Penne and Cheese is a respectable option, and any of their salads can be customized to omit the meat. There are also several tapas-style snack options, such as mixed olives, warm marcona almonds, and a cheese plate with bread and jams. Did we mention that there’s also wine?
VEGAN
If you’re a vegan, it can be next to impossible to find
many of the vegetarian options listed above can be adjusted for vegans,
gluten free
If you avoid gluten, you should be able to find a salad option at most restaurants (keep an eye out for croutons), but things get a little trickier if you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy. Options are slim when it comes to published (either right on the menu or online), gluten free entrees at BWI, and this portion of the guide is one option shorter than the others because even we had trouble finding an option for our “casual sit-down” category! If neither of the below options are to your taste, you may have to do some asking around while on the hunt for a suitable meal.
QUICK & CONVENIENT • Chipotle (A-B Food Court) There are many gluten free options available here, though keep in mind that this place is full of flour tortillas, and Chipotle cautions that “there may be the possibility of
cross-contact in our restaurants.ii” If this is safe for you, have a salad with your choice of meat, beans and toppings, or tacos with corn tortillas, though they may also contain a small amount of gluten from the corn’s “co-mingling with gluten-containing grains in the field.iii”
TIME TO KILL • The Greene Turtle (C) The Greene Turtle goes a step beyond by include an array of entrées, appetizers and sides that are either prepared or modified to be gluten free, and range from “The Turtle’s” signature Maryland Crab Soup to Baby Back Ribs.
You’re not alone. 72% of surveyed passengers listing dietary restrictions (including gluten intolerance, vegetarianism and others) indicated that they weren’t able to find desirable food at BWI to meet their dietary needs.
local
As gateways to entire cities and regions, airports are the perfect place for travelers in a time crunch to experience a little bit of “local flavor.” From Starbucks to Subway, national chain restaurants rule at BWI, but if you look you can still find a few of Maryland’s own culinary gems (so long as you’re willing to overlook the fact that some of the airport locations are operated by corporations from other states).
QUICK & CONVENIENT • Chesapeake Bay Roasting (C) peake Bay Roasting Company provides a nice sample of locally roasted beans.
“Less fast food, more local.”
-Customer Comment
CASUAL SIT-DOWN • Ram’s Head Tavern (C) The Ram’s Head has been an Annapolis staple for two decades. It has the bar food you’d expect—onion rings, nachos, beer battered shrimp—but also some surprises, like the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. However, what shines here is the local beer selection. Try a flight of five with the Fordham
TIME TO KILL • DuClaw Brewing Company (Pre-Security) When we say “time to kill,” we really mean it this time. DuClaw is located pre-security, which means that you’ll have to get to the airport extra early to get your hands on one of their beers, which are brewed less than 40 miles from BWI. Between tastings, sink your teeth into a wide variety of flatbreads, sandwiches and sides like eggplant fries or grilled corn, which also comes in a bacon-wrapped variety.
The DuClaw Brewing Company location at BWI is operated by a separate corporation, Aero Service Group. Aero Service Group also operates four other food and beverage outlets at BWI. Employees, who worked at more than one outlet, received separate paychecks for their and one from Aero Service Partners and were not paid overtime when their combined hours totaled more than forty hours in a week. Two employees filed a lawsuit against Aero Service Group and Aero Service Partners in Maryland state court in October 2013. The only “pay” one worker received for attending a mandatory “party” at DuClaw was in alcohol, poured for her and other workers by a manager.
healthy?
meal might be another’s splurge. We’ve decided to let you make the call about whether or not your food finds are
In 2013, BWI ranked sixth among the nation’s 18 busiest airports in the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s 2013 Airport Food Reviewiv, with healthful entrées available at 80 percent of its restaurants. The study considered an outlet “healthy” “if it served at least one low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrée.” However, in our survey, 74% of passengers who who indicated that they fly over 10 times in the past year reported that there are not enough healthy food options at BWI.
who made this?
Finally, there should be no analysis of an airport’s food options without at least quick mention of the individuals who prepare and serve it. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a place where workers are treated well, outside of grabbing a bag of pretzels at Hudson News (where workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 7), you won’t find one at BWI. Concessions workers from McDonald’s to Sam Adams Brewhouse report having no guarantee health care benefits. You may have also noticed a conspicuous omission in our guide thus far: BWI’s Silver Diner. While the diner does tions (think quinoa coconut pancakes and unconventional grab and go items like a fruit, cheese and cracker plate),
in May 2013 the restaurant settled charges that it allegedly threatened and interrogated workers about participation in union activity. A second complaint was filed by the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board in October of the same year for an alleged violation of federal labor law involving the use of physical contact in interfering with workers’ labor rights. Such allegations are tough to swallow, and mean that we aren’t able to include Silver Diner in our list of recommended restaurants. And it’s not alone. one company, Creative Food Group (which operates Sam Adams Brewhouse, Market Fresh, Pepper’s Grill & Cantina, Bin 222 sel of the National Labor Relations Board for alleged threatening of workers in connection with union organizing activity. Lavan Enterprises, which operates the BWI McDonald’s, settled a similar charge without receiving a formal complaint. So there you have it. BWI’s culinary landscape may not be a desert, but
it’s certainly not the shining jewel of airport food service, either. And as passengers find themselves thinking more and more about what they eat, they have come to expect better food options during their airport experience. From LAX (where workers have the opportunity to participate in a culinary training program) to ORD (which includes features like an in-airport aeroponic garden that sources to certain airport restaurants), airports have heeded their passengers’ call for fresh, healthy, local food— even for those with food sensitivities or restrictions. Unfortunately, it may be a while before BWI follows suit. The State of Maryland is locked into a contract with the airport’s concessions operator—for-profit corporation AirMall USA—at least through 2017. And with a name like “AirMall,” it’s no wonder you may occasionally feel as though you’ve stepped into a mall food court and not an airport. If you have the time and ability to do so, perhaps it would be best to follow the example of this BWI passenger:
“I always bring my own food. I can’t count on food options at BWI.”
i.
The passenger survey was conducted by Real Food Real Jobs, a project of UNITE HERE, a union of hospitality and food service workers in the U.S. and Canada. 196 surveys were collected between May and July of 2013 from of individuals at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Fells Point Farmers Market, and the Baltimore City Farmer’s Market and Bazaar. Survey respondents at area farmer’s markets indicated that they had flown through BWI at least once in the previous year.
ii.
“Chipotle, Special Diet Considerations,” Chipotle Mexican Grill, http://www.chipotle.com/ en-us/menu/special_diet_information/special_diet_information.aspx. Accessed November 19, 2013.
iii.
Ibid.
iv.
2013 Airport Food Review, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 2013. http:// www.pcrm.org/health/reports/2013-airport-food-review. Accessed November 13, 2013.
©2013
