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It’s officially the holiday travel season, which means busy tarmacs, reunions with far-flung family members, and traveling with leftover pie in your luggage. Whether for the holidays or for leisure, there’ll be a huge amount of people flying in and out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) this latter half of 2024. A recent report found travel-related spending in California hit $150.4 billion in 2023, a 5.6 percent increase from 2022 and an all-time high for the state. Gov. Gavin Newsom was so excited that he climbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge to share the news. For all those traveling in and out of the Bay, these are the smart places to get your caffeine fix and that late-night pick-me-up before you leave on a jet plane.
Standout restaurants at SFO
Napa Farms Market: With its sizable pizza and rotisserie selection, this Tyler Florence-backed to-go spot has plenty of satisfying hot options. The really clutch move, however, is to make yourself a mini-picnic with Acme bread, Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Tout Sweet pastries, and a local microbrew. It’s also a great place to pick up last-minute Bay Area food gifts for friends, including wines. Good news, travelers headed abroad: Napa Farms is now open in the International Terminal, too. [Terminal 2, post-security retail area]
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San Francisco Giants Club House: This ode to San Francisco’s baseball team features a digital wall showing sports, news, movies, and interactive entertainment. The menu is packed with ballpark specialties like kraut dogs and Gilroy garlic (of garlic festival fame) fries, making it a pleasant place to pass the time and soak in some San Francisco baseball culture. [Terminal 3, Gate F13]
Bun Mee: Inspired by Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, this local chain has two locations in the airport, both of which serve fresh takes on the classic with fillings like lemongrass tofu, rib-eye steak, and even a crispy fried chicken sandwich with herb-packed cabbage slaw and chile crisp. There are also fresh spring rolls and noodles for lighter to-go options. [Terminal 3 food court Gates F11 to F22 and Harvey Milk Terminal 1 Gate B3]
International Terminal
Boarding Area A
Boudin Bakery: The famous San Francisco sourdough bread maker is an option for sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and sweets. [Near Gate A2, post-security]
Valencia St. Station: Here you’ll find an American-style pub menu and a full bar. [Gate A12]
Boarding Area G
Mustards Bar and Grill: This is a Napa Valley favorite for global dishes like Sonoma lamb burgers and fish and chips. [Gate G3]
Tomokazu: Sushi, sashimi, rice bowls, noodles, and more round out the menu at this Japanese spot. [Gate G7]
Harvey Milk Terminal 1
Ritual Coffee: Eileen Rinaldi’s company, a San Francisco coffee classic, offers rotating staff-made specialty drinks at a reasonable price. The shop boasts an almost impossible 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. window for caffeine and pastries, so nab your evening espresso here. [Near the B gates immediately after security checkpoint]
Bun Mee: Expect fresh takes on banh mi sandwiches, spring rolls, and noodles. [Near Gate B3]
Bourbon Pub: The SFO location of Michael Mina’s expansive chain serves pub fare like burgers and fish and chips. There’s also a full bar. [Near Gate B7/B8]
GR Chocolate Boutique: This boutique not only sells, as the name indicates, chocolate, but also a bit of late afternoon or evening caffeine. [Near Gate B13]
Starbird: Chicken sandwiches, salads, and — best of all — craft sodas and lemonades all make up the menu here. [Near Gate B13]
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Mama Go’s Filipino Cuisine: The restaurant formerly known as Goldilocks Filipino Cuisine is still at SFO serving Filipino favorites including silog breakfast bowls, lumpia Shanghai, and chicken adobo. [Near Gate B18]
Terminal 2
A Quick Meal
Farmerbrown: Travelers who miss the shuttered San Francisco staple can revisit the restaurant’s Southern-influenced breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes here. There’s also a full bar. [Gate C4]
Dogpatch Bakehouse & Café: Here on-the-go travelers can find espresso, breakfast options, salads, sandwiches, and pastries, plus beer and wine. [Gate C7]
Napa Farms Market: A gourmet deli and bakery selling desserts and various prepared foods from Bay Area purveyors like Acme Bread and Cowgirl Creamery, plus Tyler Florence’s rotisserie chicken, and Kara’s Cupcakes. [D Gates, Post-security retail area]
The Plant Café Organic and Pinkberry: Look for organic fare from the San Francisco-based chain, with options like sandwiches and the cult-favorite veggie burger. This spot is paired with a branch of fro-yo giant Pinkberry. [Near Gate D4]
Wakaba: Japanese noodles, sushi, teriyaki, and bento boxes. Beer and sake are also available. [Near Gate D9]
Burger Joint: This is a quick destination for Niman Ranch burgers, hot dogs, chicken burgers, and sides. [Near Gate D15]
Peet’s Coffee & Tea: The Berkeley-based chain’s airport outpost serves its usual menu of coffee and tea, pastries, sandwiches, salads, and bottled beverages. Expect to pay more than you do at your neighborhood Peet’s, though you can stay as long as you like. [Near Gate D15]
Andalé Mexican Kitchen + Bar: Order made-to-order Mexican entrees. [Near Gate D16]
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A Leisurely Meal
Lark Creek Grill: Go for a full-service restaurant from the Lark Creek empire, with seafood, steak, and breakfast items, plus a full bar [Near Gate D1]
Vino Volo: A decent wine bar with bites like olives and artisanal cheese, as well as small plates. This is the place to satisfy a chocolate lava cake craving. [Post-security retail area]
Terminal 3
A Quick Meal
Sankaku: Fast sushi, noodles, teriyaki, and bento boxes, plus beer and sake. [Gate E2]
Dogpatch Bakehouse & Caffé: Espresso, breakfast options, salads, sandwiches, and pastries, plus beer and wine. [Gate E8]
Urban Tortilla: Made-to-order Mexican food. [Gate E9]
Koi Palace Express: The Daly City classic dim sum spot with small Chinese plates, noodle soups, roasted chicken and duck, and more. [Food court near Gates F5–F22]
Proposition Chicken: This local mini-chain specializes in chicken, specifically Mary’s free-range birds served as sandwiches, salads, or platters. [Food Court near Gates F11-F22]
Klein’s Deli and Coffee Bar: Formerly located in Potrero Hill, Klein’s sells coffee, cookies, made-to-order salads, and to-go sandwiches with beer and wine, too. [Gate F14]
Pronto!: Head here for to-go items made by San Francisco Bay Area food purveyors. [Gate F15]
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A Leisurely Meal
Mission Bar & Grill: Enjoy your layover with full bar and table service. Order sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads. This spot also serves breakfast. [Gate E5]
SF Giants Clubhouse: Watch sports, news, movies, and interactive entertainment while enjoying a menu of ballpark specialties like Gilroy garlic fries. [Gate F13]
Rental Car Center
A Quick Meal
Marina's Cafe: Coffee, pastries, breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads. [Level 4]