I’ve got good news and bad news: San Diego Airport food is pretty good, but obnoxiously expensive. It’s just a matter of knowing where to go (and what to avoid).
Long story short: the best food options are located in Terminal 2. Terminal 1 is smaller, so there aren’t as many options to get a quick bite to eat before (or after) a flight.
Food options in Terminal 2
Terminal 2 at San Diego international airport (SAN) consists of two main concourses: Terminal 2 East and Terminal 2 West. This is the largest of the two terminals, where a majority of the flights depart from. It’s also the place you want to be if you crave a wider variety of restaurants and cafés.
It’s also important to note that, while most of the restaurants in Terminal 2 are located behind the security checkpoint, there is an Einstein Bros. bagel shop you can access before going through security.
T2 Pre-security food options:
| Name | Location | Terminal |
| Einstein Bros. Bagels | Adjacent to Delta check in area | T2 West |
Note that there are two separate food courts in Terminal 2. The main (best) one is located in Terminal 2 West. The other (which isn’t as nice) is located in Terminal 2 East. But there are still lots of other restaurants and cafés located outside of the designated food courts.
T2 Post-security food options:
| Name | Location | Terminal |
| Artisan Market | Gate 23 | T2 East |
| Asian Kitchen | T2 West Food Court | T2 West |
| Beaudevin Wine & Tapas Bar | Gate 42 | T2 West |
| California Pizza Kitchen | T2 East Food Court | T2 East |
| Camden Food Co. | Gate 47 | T2 West |
| Club 42 Tequila Bar | T2 West Food Court | T2 West |
| Elegant Desserts | Gate 38 | T2 West |
| Jack in the Box | T2 East Food Court | T2 East |
| Panda Express | T2 East Food Court | T2 East |
| Pannikin Coffee & Tea | Gate 38 | T2 West |
| Peet’s Coffee & Tea | T2 East Food Court | T2 East |
| Peet’s Coffee & Tea | Central Terminal | T2 West |
| PGA TOUR Grill | Gate 36 | T2 West |
| Phil’s B.B.Q. | Gate 46 | T2 West |
| Prado at the Airport | Gate 26 | T2 East |
| Qdoba Mexican Grill | T2 West Food Court | T2 West |
| Sambazon | T2 West Food Court | T2 West |
| San Life Market | Gate 22 | T2 East |
| Starbucks | Gate 37 | T2 West |
| Stone Brewing | Gate 36 | T2 West |
| Tommy V’s Pizzeria | T2 West Food Court | T2 West |
| Urban Crave | Gate 48 | T2 West |
Yes! It is indeed possible to walk freely between the West and East terminals at the San Diego airport. That means (as a Terminal 2 passenger) you’ll have full access to all of the restaurants listed above. Terminal 1 is completely separate with it’s own security checkpoints.
Food options in Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is the newest (but smallest) terminal at SAN. Most of the restaurants are located in a food court at the center(ish) part of the terminal, but there are a variety of other restaurants and cafés scattered from end to end.
There are currently no restaurants located pre-security.
T1 Post-security food options:
| Name | Location | Terminal |
| Ambrogio 15 | Gate 116 | T1 |
| Better Buzz Coffee | Gate 119 | T1 |
| Cutwater | Gate 107 | T1 |
| JT Bros | Gate 116 | T1 |
| Luna Grill | Gate 115 | T1 |
| Market Hall | Gate 108 | T1 |
| McDonald’s | Gate 115 | T1 |
| Novecientos Grados by Tony Hawk | Gate 115 | T1 |
| SIP Wine Bar | Gate 104 | T1 |
| The Taco Stand | Gate 116 | T1 |
San Diego Airport food FAQ’s
I’ve been eating at the San Diego International Airport for over 20 years now, and I’m happy to report that there’s generally something for everyone. Even the picky eaters.
Is there a food court in each terminal?
Yes! Both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have designated food courts. The food court located in Terminal 2 West is the largest of them all (with plenty of cafeteria style seating).
There is another smaller food court at the far end of Terminal 2 East, which features chain-style fast food restaurants such as Panda Express and California Pizza Kitchen.
The food court in Terminal 1 is fairly centralized, so you won’t have to walk very far.
How long does it take to walk between the two food courts in Terminal 2?
About 10 minutes. Perfect for indecisive travelers like me who need some time to think about what I’m in the mood for.
How many Starbucks are at SAN? And where are they located?
There is only one Starbucks location located at the San Diego Airport. You’ll find it post security in T2 West.
Just know that there are a lot of other great options for coffee and tea at SAN – at least in Terminal 2. Pannikin (T2W) is my favorite. Pete’s Coffee (T2W) is pretty good too.
Where do I get the best food value at the San Diego Airport?
To spend the least amount of money possible, definitely avoid the centralized food courts in both Terminals 1 and 2. Most of these restaurants are obscenely pricey, and I’ve never walked away from a meal feeling like I got a smokin’ value for my money.
However: I nominate Phils BBQ (T2 West) for the restaurant with the most bang for the buck at SAN. Yeah, you’re likely to have palpitations when seeing what everything costs, but the portions are extremely generous. I can usually get three meals out of a single order – which makes it the perfect place a grab takeout order after arriving on a flight.
Is there any food at the San Diego Airport that should be avoided?
Even though I’m generally not afraid to throw anyone under the bus (even if it’s warranted), I haven’t yet run into any truly bad food at the San Diego Airport.
Most of the restaurants are pretty darn good IMHO.
San Diego Airport food gallery
The following is a random collection of pictures showing the restaurants inside the San Diego Airport. Hopefully this will be more entertaining (and useful) than all of the blabbering that I’ve done so far:
Terminal 2 West:
Terminal 2 East:
Terminal 1:
My nominations for the best San Diego airport food:
I always feel sorry for anyone with a short layover in San Diego. The food is pretty good, and it’s a real shame to have to miss out on any of it. There are several restaurants I find myself going to over and over again in this airport (when I have time to spare), and I can’t recommend them highly enough:
First place: Camden Food Co
I’m a huge fan of Camden Food Co (located in Terminal 2 West). More specifically, I’ve got a mega crush on their breakfast sandwiches. They’re all made a fresh to order, super delicious, and not all that outrageously priced.
Second place: Phil’s BBQ
Located at the very far end of Terminal 2 West, the addition of Phils BBQ was easily one of the biggest reasons why I was so excited about the expansion of this terminal back in 2011.
It’s not like I am a connoisseur of fine barbecue or anything, but it’s one of the most unique restaurants in the entire airport (and a nice change of pace from the usual airport fare).
The food portions are plentiful, the staff is friendly, and the wait times are never that long considering the fact that it’s a slow-cooked barbecue joint. I’ve never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a full plate of barbecue goodness during peak hours.
Third place: Asian Kitchen
Despite its horribly uncreative name, Asian Kitchen (Terminal 2 West) offers really delicious Thai food. Fresh too!
I always go for the fried rice with chicken, but the Pad Thai is pretty good as well. The only reason why I’ve placed this in the number three spot is because of how expensive everything is. At least the portions are generous.
“Silly supper” for the win!!!! Great idea for a blog post; I’m always wondering (too late) where the good food is once inside any terminal.
Haha! I totally thought of you when I wrote that. The master of silly suppers!!
As someone now living in the Midwest, forget the airport food, El Indios is close to the airport. I stop there for something on the way home…. and often it’s my first stop when I arrive. (this is not a paid endorsement, but I’ll gladly take a complimentary chimichanga my next visit)
Good suggestion! I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard really good things about it. Also, I’ll ask them about setting you up with a sponsorship when I go… 🙂
California Pizza Kitchen FTMFW. It’s soooo good! There’s even a CPK 1.7 km from my house in Japan! Chew on that for a sec lol
Wow – I had no idea they were in Japan! What I want to know is why we don’t have Mos Burger here in the US. That needs to happen IMHO.