There was a time when eating at an airport was something you did because you had no other choice. Meals were rushed, expensive, and forgettable. Travelers would sit with trays of limp sandwiches or oversized sodas, counting the minutes until boarding and promising themselves something better once they landed. Airport dining was never the highlight of a trip, only a necessity.
Detroit Metropolitan Airport has turned that reputation on its head. In recent years it has built a dining landscape that feels connected to the city it serves. Instead of generic fast food, travelers are finding the flavors that Detroit is known for. There are coney dog counters with chili and mustard piled high, a local brewery pouring fresh pints, and gourmet markets offering Zingerman’s pastries and coffee straight from Ann Arbor.
Full-service restaurants welcome guests who want to settle in for a real meal, while quick-service spots keep things moving for those racing to their gates. The mix feels intentional, designed to make airport dining something more than a last resort.
Part of the appeal is that these restaurants do not feel like watered-down copies. They are genuine extensions of the brands and traditions that have long defined the region. A coney at DTW tastes like the ones Detroiters grew up eating. A loaf of Zingerman’s bread purchased in the terminal is baked with the same care as the one you would find in their Ann Arbor shop. Even the brewery has the spirit of its original location, turning a hurried layover beer into something that actually feels rooted in place.
The result is an airport that stands out nationally. Food & Wine named DTW one of the best airports in the country for dining, a recognition that reflects not just what is on the menu but how those meals are served. Travelers now arrive early not to sit at their gates but to eat. Detroit has proven that an airport can be a place where food matters, where time between flights is not wasted but savored.
Leo’s Coney Island
For anyone who grew up in Michigan, Leo’s Coney Island feels like shorthand for comfort. The menu reads like a greatest hits list of diner food, but it is the coney dog that defines the experience. A snappy natural-casing hot dog goes into a warm bun, then gets buried under a ladle of meaty chili, diced onions, and a squiggle of yellow mustard. It is messy, unapologetic, and immediately satisfying. Eating one in the middle of an airport terminal might not sound glamorous, but that is exactly the point. Leo’s serves food that feels like home, and in a space where so much is transitory, that kind of rootedness matters.
But Leo’s is more than just a pit stop for a hot dog fix. The menu stretches wide, covering everything from gyros and chicken pitas to big, diner-style breakfasts. Pancakes come fluffy and stacked, omelets are made to order, and the coffee is poured without hesitation. Regulars know that Leo’s is as much about hospitality as it is about food, and that translates even here, where the staff somehow manage to deliver a sense of welcome in the middle of a bustling terminal.
Part of Leo’s appeal is how rooted it is in its hometown identity. Coney culture is not fancy, it is fast, filling, and full of character. Grabbing a coney here feels like being let in on a Detroit ritual, no matter if you have lived in the city for years or are just passing through for the first time. The prices are reasonable by airport standards, and the service moves quickly enough to get you fed even when your connection is tight. Beyond the dogs, you can expect the usual diner comforts like burgers, gyros, and breakfast plates, but the coney dog is the clear star. More than a meal, it is a postcard from Detroit’s culinary DNA, served hot and ready at the gate.
National Coney Island
If Leo’s is the coney spot you grew up with, National Coney Island is the one that taught you a coney dog could be part of your travel ritual. Born in the heart of Detroit, this place has been serving up its version of the city’s most famous export since 1965. The setup is straightforward with dogs, chili, onions, and mustard, but the proportions are the magic. The chili has a thinner, almost saucy consistency that clings to the bun and hot dog without overwhelming it, letting the tang of mustard and bite of onion cut through each bite. It is a little messier, a little punchier, and for many Detroiters, the defining flavor of a coney. Having it at DTW feels like carrying a piece of the city out into the world.
But the menu does not stop at coney dogs. National leans hard into its diner DNA, with chili cheese fries, burgers, and even a solid bowl of chicken noodle soup for days when you want comfort without the grease. Breakfast plates run the gamut from scrambled eggs to French toast, all served with the kind of efficiency that gets you fed and on your way without a hitch. The service is fast, but the food never feels rushed, and that balance is exactly what makes it such a reliable stop for travelers on a tight schedule. In a terminal where chains dominate, National Coney Island stands out as a true slice of Detroit, hearty, unpretentious, and proud of it. It is not trying to reinvent the wheel, but when the wheel tastes this good, you will not mind.
There is also a certain nostalgia built into every order at National. For longtime Detroiters, it is a reminder of family meals, late night cravings, and a city where diner counters were once neighborhood anchors. For first timers, it is a crash course in one of the Motor City’s essential food traditions. Either way, the fact that you can grab this kind of local institution between flights is exactly what makes DTW’s food scene such a standout.
Andiamo
Not every airport meal has to be a grab and go. At Andiamo inside DTW, you can actually sit down and enjoy a proper Italian meal that feels like a pause in the middle of your journey. Andiamo is a well known name in the Detroit dining scene, and its airport outpost manages to bring a sense of occasion to a space where people usually eat in a hurry. The menu leans classic with house made pastas, wood fired pizzas, and antipasti plates that are generous enough to share. Even the wine list is more thoughtful than you would expect at 30,000 feet in transit, offering a chance to slow down and match your plate with a glass of something decent.
The service here is brisk but never brusque, which matters when you are calculating boarding times in your head. You can order a simple Margherita pizza and be out the door in half an hour, or linger over a plate of veal piccata with lemon butter and capers if you have a longer layover. There is a certain comfort in the predictability of Italian food done right, and Andiamo provides that without falling into the trap of being generic. The flavors are warm, straightforward, and satisfying in a way that makes the airport itself feel less like a checkpoint and more like an extension of the city’s dining culture.
Most importantly, Andiamo proves that a full service restaurant can exist in an airport without compromise. The lighting is softer, the seating more comfortable, and the atmosphere just civilized enough that you might forget you are steps away from the gate. For travelers who want more than a quick bite or a bar stool, it is a reminder that airport dining has evolved far beyond fast food counters. Here, a plate of pasta can feel like a reset button before you step back into the rush of travel.
What makes Andiamo especially compelling is how it reflects the ambition of Detroit’s broader food scene. The airport could have easily settled for something quick, standardized, and anonymous, but instead it has anchored one of its key dining options with a restaurant that understands what it means to serve people who are in motion. It balances efficiency with a sense of hospitality, creating an environment where locals recognize familiar flavors and out of town travelers get a taste of the city’s culinary personality without ever leaving the terminal. There is also an unspoken generosity in the way the kitchen operates. Portions are ample enough to satisfy after a long day on the road, and the flavors carry the kind of straightforward honesty that Italian food thrives on. When you dig into a bowl of pasta pomodoro or slice into a tender piece of chicken Milanese, you are reminded that airport meals can be more than functional. They can be enjoyable, even memorable. And in an era when flying often feels like a series of stress points strung together, Andiamo’s presence offers something rare: a reason to look forward to your layover.
Atwater Brewery
Detroit is a beer town, and Atwater Brewery brings that local energy right into DTW. The Evans Terminal outpost feels like a true neighborhood pub, complete with a rotating lineup of brews and a menu designed to hit the spot no matter how long your layover. From the first sip of a Dirty Blonde to the satisfying bite of a beer brat on a pretzel bun, Atwater offers more than just convenience. It gives travelers a little slice of Detroit’s food-and-drink DNA before boarding. Food & Wine even highlighted Atwater in its 2023 list of the best U.S. airports for food, and that recognition still holds true today.
One of the most popular pairings here is the Vanilla Java Porter alongside the Bavarian Soft Pretzels. The beer’s smooth mix of coffee and vanilla flavors works perfectly with the salty dough, tangy mustard, and indulgent beer cheese dip. But the hidden gem is the Michigan Salad. With tart apples, goat cheese, candied pecans, and a bright poppy seed dressing, it delivers a fresh, crunchy counterpoint to the brewery’s richer fare and shows Atwater’s versatility. Beyond those highlights, the menu leans into hearty pub staples reimagined with a Detroit edge. The Margarita Pizza feels familiar but elevated with fresh mozzarella, basil, and a five-cheese blend, while the Atwater Beer Brat pushes into indulgence with beer braised onions, jalapeños, bacon, and a hit of beer cheese on a pretzel roll. To wash it all down, Atwater’s taps range from the fruity Whango Mango Wheat to the crisp, citrusy Street Artist IPA to the darker, maltier Voodoo Vator. Together, the lineup creates a space that feels welcoming, a little playful, and distinctly local, exactly what you hope to find when your travels pass through Detroit.
Cat Cora’s Taproom
Walk into Cat Cora’s Taproom at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and you immediately feel like you have stepped into something more ambitious than your standard terminal pub. This is the work of Cat Cora, the first female Iron Chef and a restaurateur whose vision has stretched well beyond television. Through her company Global Chef Enterprises, she has built a culinary empire with an emphasis on health, wellness, and sustainability. The Taproom at DTW, located in the McNamara Terminal near Gate A22, is one of the clearest examples of how she has helped redefine what travelers can expect from food on the go.
The Taproom menu is a balance of comfort and craft, built around fresh and organic ingredients rather than the reheated, prepackaged fare that airport diners have grown to tolerate. Burgers arrive stacked high and seasoned with intention, lemony grilled chicken tastes bright and clean, and even the fries hold their own with the right snap and seasoning. Starters like hummus with warm pita or crisp salads are reminders that eating in an airport does not have to mean giving up freshness or quality. Drinks reinforce the Taproom’s sense of place, putting a spotlight on Michigan’s beer scene with local craft brews on draft, from easy-drinking wheats to hoppy IPAs, while also serving a slate of carefully mixed cocktails and an approachable wine list. A gin and tonic here has actual bite, a whiskey sour lands with the right amount of tartness, and if you want something with regional pride, you can pair a Detroit-made pint with a hearty burger before your flight.
Cat Cora’s Taproom captures what Food & Wine pointed out about the new airport dining scape: the shift toward experiences that feel less like survival and more like dining with intention. By pairing local flavor with a global chef’s credibility and a philosophy rooted in wellness and hospitality, Cora has created more than just a place to kill time before boarding. She has built a marker of progress in airport dining, a reminder that the era of settling for subpar food while traveling is quickly disappearing.
Plum Market with Zingerman’s
Plum Market with Zingerman’s might be the most beloved quick stop at Detroit Metro, thanks to the Ann Arbor institution that helped put Midwestern deli culture on the map. Zingerman’s has a reputation for sourcing obsessively, and you can taste it in everything from the chewy, crusted bread on a pastrami sandwich to the tangy creaminess of their pimento cheese. At DTW, all of this comes with the convenience travelers crave. Plum Market stocks grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, and pastries, but because of the Zingerman’s partnership, you are not settling for a generic turkey wrap. Instead, you might walk away with a bagel piled high with smoked salmon or a brownie so rich it could double as a full meal.
What makes this stop shine is how it flexes to any schedule. Five minutes means an espresso and croissant; an hour lets you enjoy a real sandwich that feels like a meal, not an afterthought. And seeing Zingerman’s in the airport adds a touch of Ann Arbor pride to the journey.
Minute Suites in the McNamara Terminal
Located near Gate A66, Minute Suites has everything you need to rest before takeoff. After sampling your way through Detroit Metro’s standout restaurants, there comes a point when the bustle, the bags, and maybe even a fry induced food coma catch up with you. That is exactly where Minute Suites steps in. Think of it as the reset button inside the airport. Tucked into the terminals, these private suites in DTW offer a space that feels worlds away from the crowded concourses. Guests can stretch out on a daybed, catch up on sleep, stream a show, take a shower, or simply close the door and enjoy a little silence. For travelers navigating tight layovers or long delays, the suites provide a rare sense of calm and security. It is more than a place to sit, it is a safe haven where you can recharge before the next flight or recover from a hearty meal. In a place built for constant motion, Minute Suites is designed for stillness.
If you’re spending time near the Minute Suites at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), you’ll find plenty of great options to eat, drink, and shop just steps away.
Food & Beverage Near Minute Suites
Whether you’re looking for a quick coffee, a sit-down meal, or a snack before your flight, there’s something for every craving. Grab your favorite drink at Starbucks or enjoy something hearty at LongHorn Steakhouse. Cask and Craft offers a relaxed setting for a craft beer or cocktail, while Gordon Biersch pairs handcrafted brews with classic pub fare. For a faster option, stop by Chick-fil-A, Qdoba, or Detroit Street Lunchbox. Health-conscious travelers can also find fresh, convenient bites at Farmer’s Fridge, and if you’re in the mood for something sweet, Pinkberry has you covered.
Shopping Near Minute Suites
DTW’s nearby shops make it easy to pick up travel essentials, gifts, or last-minute luxuries. Browse magazines and snacks at Forbes Newsstand, Time Newsstand, or CNBC News Smartshop, or explore high-end eyewear at Sunglass Icon. Gameway ULTRA offers entertainment and gaming gear for tech lovers, while Creative Kidstuff has toys and gifts for younger travelers. You can also find beauty favorites at Kylie Cosmetics and premium footwear and accessories at Johnston & Murphy.
Whether you’re refueling, relaxing, or shopping before your next flight, the area around DTW’s Minute Suites offers a well-rounded mix of comfort, convenience, and variety.
The Final Stop on Your Journey
Detroit Metro has earned its place on Food & Wine’s list of the best U.S. airports for food, and it is easy to see why. From iconic coney dogs and inventive brewery bites to chef-driven dining that rivals downtown spots, the airport has become a destination in its own right. Travelers no longer have to settle for a bland meal that costs far too much. Instead, they can experience a taste of Detroit before even leaving the terminal.
Great food is only part of the equation. After sampling a coney, sipping a Michigan craft beer, or lingering over a chef-inspired plate, the body eventually calls for rest. That is where Minute Suites comes in, offering travelers a safe and private place to stay in Detroit Airport. Whether the goal is to nap, get work done, or simply enjoy some quiet, these private suites are the perfect answer when a food coma sets in and the gate seating just will not cut it.
The combination of DTW’s dining scene and the comfort of Minute Suites makes a layover feel intentional. Instead of rushing through, travelers can indulge, recharge, and move on feeling like they made the most of their time in Detroit.
Have a long layover coming up? Schedule your private suite in advance, so you can take full advantage of what Detroit Metro International Airport has to offer.
