charlotte douglas – Fervent Foodie

Where to eat at Charlotte Douglas Airport

Sure, everyone complains about the parking and the construction, but after spending too much time in some straight up nasty airports the last couple of years (I’m looking at you, LaGuardia), I’ve really come to appreciate and enjoy Charlotte Douglas. After my return flight home from visiting family in Ohio last week, I stopped into the new 1897 Market and was blown away by all that they’re doing. I mean, local sourcing at an airport restaurant? Come on! That’s when it hit me. Charlotte Douglas is actually pretty awesome.

This is my third post for the #DesignCharlotte campaign, a cool program (details below) encouraging Charlotteans to share their favorite things in the Queen City. Not surprisingly, my first two posts were completely about food. Interested? Check out my Foodie Guide to Charlotte and Foodie Guide to Charlotte Restaurant Week.

1897 Market–the Charlotte Douglas Airport Game Changer

The typical airport meal is frantically grabbed from a cooler on the way to a connecting flight or begrudgingly eaten to pass hours waiting out a delay. Which raises the question, does anyone actually like eating at the airport? When I asked my boyfriend what came to mind when he thought of “airport food” he responded: bags of nuts and bottled water. This is sad.

Take a moment to ponder. What comes to your mind when you think of airport food? Is it chef-driven menus and hormone-free meats? How about handcrafted cocktails and locally sourced produce? Scratch-made pizza and local beer? Not so much, huh? This is precisely why 1897 Market at Charlotte Douglas Airport is a game changer.

1897 Market is the newest concept launched by HMSHost, the world’s largest provider of food and beverage service for travelers. 1897 Market (named for the year HMSHost was founded) is a one-stop urban gourmet shop, with full-service dining room, raw bar, exhibition kitchen, grab-and-go, and retail marketplace wrapped into one.

Located in the Charlotte Douglas Airport Main Atrium, near Concourses A and B, this is HMSHost’s flagship store. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a sit-down dinner, cocktails or last-minute souvenir, the Market is the answer to all of your gastronomic traveling needs.