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And the award for best domestic airline food in the world goes to... Virgin America!
Travel + Leisure's September 2009 issue is completely dedicated to food and travel. In that edition, the results of an in-flight food survey will be revealed, crowning the food on Virgin America as the best domestic airline food in the world.This is a pretty impressive prize to win, especially for such a young airline. Then again, when you are up against some of the legacy carriers in the US, it isn't that hard to serve an impressive dish - the competition isn't exactly stiff. Anyone who has been served a "breakfast sandwich" on one of the big 5 will know what I mean.
Food on Virgin America won not only because of the quality and assortment, but also because of the ease of ordering. Unlike some airlines, where you either need to wait for a flight attendant to push their cart down the aisle, Virgin America allows passengers to order what they want, when they want, through their Red in-flight entertainment system.
After the jump, a list of the food for sale on Virgin America. These menu options cost between $7 and $10 in the Main Cabin, and are complimentary in Main Cabin Select. One word of warning though - don't read the menu if you are feeling hungry, cause it is a very appetizing list!
Gallery: Virgin America New Food
Fruit and Cheese: Hand-cut imported brie, pepper Monterey Jack and aged cheddar paired with clusters of sweet red seedless grapes, sun-dried cranberries, pecans and crisp multigrain crackers.
Hummus and Pita Chips: A healthy selection of Mediterranean hummus and baba ganoush served with crisp fresh carrot batons, broccoli and cauliflower florets, sweet red bell pepper, cucumbers, red radish, sugar snap peas and a stuffed grape leaf, served with Stacy's Pita Chips.
Wild Berry Parfait: A light yogurt parfait layered with vanilla yogurt, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, served with a crunchy chocolate granola.
Southwestern Chicken hand Roll: Zesty roasted red pepper tortilla rolled around strips of grilled chicken, green leaf lettuce, chipotle cream cheese spread, fire roasted corn and black beans, and a colorful trio of red, yellow and green bell peppers. Served with a side salad of orzo pasta with Southwestern vegetables and red pepper pesto and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
Black and Blue Steak Sandwich: Basil and cheese focaccia loaded with blackened flat iron steak, gorgonzola cheese spread, balsamic glazed onions, arugula, sliced Roma tomatoes and fresh red and yellow roasted tomatoes. Served with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
Turkey Florentine Hand Roll: Spinach tortilla wrapped around hand shaved turkey breast, herb cream cheese spread, feta cheese, fresh baby spinach, romaine leaf lettuce, sliced artichoke bottoms, yellow bell pepper strips, Roma tomato, and Belgian endive. Served with a side salad of gemelli pasta with Italian vegetables, sun dried tomatoes and creamy basil pesto, with a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
Muffaletta Sandwich: Hearty Focaccia bread stuffed with shaved honey ham, Genoa salami, shaved turkey, Swiss and provolone cheese, spicy olive salad, green leaf lettuce, and sliced tomatoes, paired with Italian dressing on the side, and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
Thai Vegetable Salad: Refreshing Asian-style salad of romaine lettuce, Napa cabbage, julienne carrots, curly daikon radish, sliced cucumber, green onion, julienne tomato, red and yellow bell pepper strips, cilantro, mint, and chopped cashews. Served with sesame ginger vinaigrette dressing on the side and a Toblerone chocolate for dessert.
Filed under: Food and Drink, Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sunny Aug 16th 2009 8:50PM
Who the *&#^ CARES about airline food?
If you can't find something to eat in the airport, then you've been living under a ROCK and if you can't go more than 4 hours without a meal, maybe you shouldn't be flying.
AIrline food is a moot point.
It's like the points on Whose Line Is It, Anyway?
IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!!!!!!!
joani819 Aug 16th 2009 11:16PM
Do you fly? If they offer a good selection on the aircraft that you can enjoy why spend as much or more in a cramped airport an get overpriced limited options on the concourse?
Ws Aug 17th 2009 9:18AM
Having traveled within the states and abroad, I can say that Virgin Airways is the best airline I've flown
Seymour Aug 16th 2009 10:26PM
You mean airlines still have food? I just flew to Las Vegas and back, and all I got was apple juice and a cookie.
Web Aug 16th 2009 11:01PM
I thought the days of grab a sandwich at the door, with a packet of dijonaise, and 1 slice of meat on a stale hard roll were gone?
Long Haul Aug 17th 2009 12:54AM
Gee Sunny not all flights are less than 4 hours. Try Rome to Chicago - 12 hours.
LA to Sydney 14 1/2 hours. It can get to be a little boring and hunger sets in on those long flights... . AlItalia seems to have a decent menu and the beer and wine is FREE.
Kenzi Aug 17th 2009 2:59AM
European airlines offer much more than American airlines. AllItalia gave us wine beer, cookies and chips all for free, and Tunis Air brought us meals for a four hour flight. It was very nice, I think more people would fly in America if our airlines offered things like that!
Lucy Aug 17th 2009 4:47AM
Virgin Atlantic has always had excellent food, so I'm not surprised. They were the first to have individual seat-back TVs too.
Web Aug 17th 2009 5:41AM
Everyone appreciates the 1 person who brings there McDonalds from the terminal. The aroma. The only time there food seems good.
Teacher Aug 17th 2009 8:58AM
I fly AirTran from Florida to Atlanta frequently. They serve pretzels with 'eating instructions' on the bag. 'Open bag, bite into pretzel and think of the money you're saving on this flight'. Pretty cute idea. Of course, you can buy a sandwich onboard for $6 too, but the best idea for short flights is to bring your favorite sandwich and snack from home and eat it when you want instead of waiting for the tray to go by. Those overpriced under-stuffed sandwiches they sell at airports are gross.