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Food Flight!

lreynolds
Frequent Flyer A

It’s no secret. I love food. And I’m happy I get to partake in it three times a day (and sometimes more). I also love traveling, so working for Southwest Airlines just puts the cherry on top of my sundae of a job. Since I started at Southwest, I think I’ve flown more in eight months than I have in my combined 23 years before. I’ve also seen a heckuva lot of airports.

I decided to make it my mission to dedicate a large amount of time and research to finding the best places to eat at each airport that Southwest Airlines serves. I can’t tell you when I'll travel to Boise, Providence, or Harlingen, but good golly, I will make an excuse to go there. It’s quite an undertaking, and one I take very seriously. There’s no telling how long it will take me to visit all 66 cities (and counting) but I remain steadfastly committed to my goal.

My first in a series I like to call "Food Flight!" begins in Phoenix’s Sky Harbor: a bright, sunny airport in Arizona that’s often a stop on my way to visit friends in the Northwest. In it lives the famous Paradise Bakery—which has a bit of a cult following. People rave about the pastries, the sandwiches, the iced tea—pretty much everything they offer is solid gold and a must for carb addicts. The only downside? They’re outside of security, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time if you want to partake in the pastry goodness.



What do I recommend? Oh goodness, you can’t really go wrong here. Their sandwiches are absolutely delicious, but the two that stand out are the Turkey Cranberry served on their Paradise Molasses bread, and their famous Chicken Walnut salad (try it on sourdough!) All sandwiches also come with a freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie…does it get any better than that? I think not.

However, if you want to go over the top (and who doesn’t?) I recommend one of the fruit-filled croissants. I had the blueberry, and it was mighty tasty. To cap it all off, try their flavored iced teas. The mango was simply divine.

So for freshly-baked pastries, breads, sandwiches, and soups that will make you swoon, head to Paradise. The name pretty much says it all.


Find it at:
Sky Harbor Airport - Terminal 2,3, and 4
Phoenix, AZ
Phone: (602) 681-0909
Fax: (602) 681-0910
Hours: Every day; 24 hours; Limited menu 12am-5am
Free Wi-Fi available
7 Comments
cfox
Frequent Flyer C
Great blog post! I am looking forward to all of the other places you visit.
drew
Adventurer B
The Turkey Cranberry sandwich is indeed Paradise Bakery's crowning glory.
mrsnarkypants
Explorer C
Paradise Bakery is a chain. Oaxcaca in Terminal 4 serves up pretty tasty Mexican food, and it can only be found in PHX. Its other location is near the state capitol building. It's not the greatest Mexican food in Phoenix, but it's better than most restaurants in the airport. Check it out next time you're passing through.
Anonymous3520
Explorer B
Hi Lindsey, Great blog post topic. As I work at IAD everyday I find that an airport's food choices are very important. I look forward to your next report and if your travels ever take you to DC stop by and look me up I'd be happy to take you to my favorite spots.
Doug_G
Explorer C
Denver also has Paradise Bakeries in 2 of the concourses, and coming soon to a third. Some of the best eating there is. Also try Chef Jimmy's Bistro in Concourse A (not SWA's concourse, but if you're there early, it's definitely worth trying!).
lreynolds
Frequent Flyer A
Thanks Rachel! I will definitely hit you up for recommendations the next time I'm at IAD. Whenever that may be...
Anonymous2867
Explorer C
Please post more for your Food Flight! series.