What The 1% Eats At The World's Luxe Airline Lounges
Dining from Cathay Pacific's iconic Noodle Bar at The Pier, Business
Most passengers might miss these lounges entirely, but hidden inside the world's busiest airports are oases reserved for the global elite. These are havens of peace offering spa treatments, cozy sleep rooms, and fine dining experiences that rival Michelin-starred restaurants. Here's what the 1% eats (and drinks) in these lavish airline lounges.
Emirates First Class Lounge - a la carte dining
At over 100,000 square feet, Emirates' First Class Lounge in Dubai is the largest in the world. Think full sit-down restaurant service nap rooms, luxury shower suites, and a cigar lounge. Menu offerings span global and local delicacies, including Emirati-style khameer bread with eggs and tomato, chicken biryani, wagyu burgers, and dahi kofta curry. A solid sushi and sashimi bar complements the hot food stations. The buffet includes Arabic coffee, cold cuts, sliced fruit and baklava. Drinks include Moët champagne and high-end picks from the Le Clos wine cellar.
Al Mourjan Business Lounge
Featuring real art installations, Al Safwa has a 250-seat fine dining restaurants with a full table service and extensive à la carte menu serving international and Arabic cuisines, including dishes like pistachio lamb rack, grilled salmon fillet, saffron barley risotto, and traditional Qatari dishes such as madrouba and thareed. There's an open kitchen where visitors can watch chefs preparing meals and Arabic coffee service. The Al Mourjan Business Lounge is also worth a visit, spanning nearly 100,000 square feet,and featuring a downstairs delia and upstairs à la carte restaurant with Arabic and international dishes. A sample menu might include beef tenderloin steak, spiced prawns, chicken machboos, paneer tikka masala, and mushroom risotto.
Dumplings and congee inside The Pier, First
At Cathay Pacific's flagship location at the Hong Kong airport, the lounge experience g is divided across five first and business class locations, but the most elevated of the group is unquestionably at The Pier, First. Designed by Ilse Crawford, it's a lush sanctuary with day suites and spa service and stellar food.
The Pier, First features rotating fine dining partners, and currently showcases a tasting menu from acclaimed restaurant Mott 32, including crispy crab puffs, braised wagyu beef, and Sichuan-style dumplings. There's also a regular menu featuring international options. Don't miss the Cathay Delight—a creamy kiwi, coconut milk, and mint mocktail. It's available at all lounges and in-flight.
The Pier, Business is famed for its iconic Noodle Bar, where chefs prepare dishes like dan dan noodles, laksa, and Taiwanese beef noodle soup to order. There's also a dim sum menu. Also included are a tea house with fresh pastries, a barista-run coffee cart, and a Western-style grab-and-go food hall.
The Delta One Lounge restaurant at JFK
At 39,000-square-feet, JFK's Delta One Lounge is partnered with Missoni on design elements throughout the sleep interior. The star of the lounge is a full-service 140 seat brasserie by Danny Meyer. Guests can enjoy a curated three-course menu with wine pairings featuring dishes like steak frites, hamachi crudo, rotisserie chicken, and chocolate soufflé.
There's also a massive market area with buffet-style food served by employees, an Art Deco-style bar with mixologist-crafted cocktails, and roaming beverage carts offering refreshments throughout. In the wellness area, a rejuvenation bar serves fresh juices and infused waters. Additional Delta One lounges have opened in LAX and are coming to Seattle-Tacoma soon.
The JAL First Class Lounge lounge offers sushi restaurant quality food, including the sushi bar with multiple chefs serving extremely fresh sushi to order. There's alsoan extravagant and generous buffet where dishes are plated in appetizer-sized portions. Options may include, Sichuan style chicken, grilled sardines or salmon blinis.
A high-end sake and cocktail bar offers an extensive selection—don't miss the signature espresso martini. For coffee aficionados, the bartenders will prepare a stellar hand-drip coffee. Order their house made Japanese curry or the traditional Japanese meal set, beautifully presented bento-style, includes rice, miso soup, roasted cod, and a variety of small bites.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse's food and beverage offerings
Known for its stylish and cheeky British hospitality, Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse includes premium alcohol with no up charge, including Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Champagne and the the signature Virgin Redhead cocktail. and full table service across the lounge. The Brasserie menu features items like chicken tikka masala, venison pie, poke bowls, pumpkin risotto, and more. Guests can order from anywhere in the lounge. There's also an afternoon tea service with sultana scones, strawberry preserves, and clotted cream, plus a staffed buffet with extensive selections of cured meats and fish.
For $4,500+ per year, PS LAX is a private airport terminal with its own TSA, custom, and BMW escort to the back entrance of the plane cabin door. Inside the ultra-exclusive suites, guests receive the ultimate in privacy and personalized service. The a la carte food menu includes hanger steak, blackened Scottish salmon, and pan-seared scallops. Snack stations are stocked with premium items like Pocky, ChocXO bars, Nohmad chocolate, and Justin's nut butters. Liquor is top-shelf, with Laurent-Perrier champagne among the highlights. There's even an endless array of high-end toiletries, power converters, headphones, medicines, and duffel bags.
Air France's La Première Lounge partners with famed Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse for its lounge dining. The dishes match the highest levels of French dining. Expect green pea velouté, foie gras, seared scallops and grilled whole chicken. The food is seasonal and ala carte. There's also a small buffet area and a substantial alcohol selection including champagne, top shelf alcohol, and even a sprawling high end water selection.
Turkish Airlines International Lounge live cooking station
The sprawling 60,000-square-foot Turkish Airlines International Lounge is a celebration of Turkish cuisine. In addition to food and drink stations spread throughout, there are at least five live cooking stations with made-to-order Turkish delicacies. Watch chefs prepare grilled meats, cheese-stuffed gözleme, pide, and Turkish ravioli. Sip on Turkish coffee while exploring the vast space which includes a golf simulator and private suites.
The buffet is extensive with a massive salad bar, made to order omelets, and a large selection of Turkish teas. Canned and bottled drinks, beers, homemade lemonade and iced tea are also available in stations throughout the entire lounge.
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