DELUX BURGER EXPRESS Sky Harbor Airport was recently voted one of the top airports in the country by Skytrax World Airport Awards. One of the many reasons for the distinction is the food. Hungry travelers short on time but craving a gourmet bite can look no further than Delux Burger Express. The original restaurant on East Camelback Road in Phoenix is known for incredible burgers made from a special blend of Niman Ranch high-quality meat made exclusively for Delux. The Sky Harbor location features an abbreviated menu with burger, fries, shake and a few breakfast selections. The great thing about Delux Burger Express is that everything they serve is packed to go, making it easy to take along to your gate. My personal favorite is their Delux “Duo,” two all-natural mini burgers topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles on mini toasted brioche buns and an order of French fries. With food that’s earned Delux more than 50 local and national awards since opening in 2004, be prepared to make fellow travelers jealous with this delicious grab-and-go. THE TAVERN BY MARK TARBELL Respected local chef and restaurateur Mark Tarbell studied extensively in Amsterdam and Paris before moving to Arizona. A member of the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame, he has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. In fact, he won Iron Chef America and hosted the PBS show Check, Please! Arizona . Locally, he opened his namesake Tarbell’s in 1994, followed by The Wine Store and The Tavern in 2014. January 2019 saw the addition of The Tavern at Sky Harbor. The Tavern describes itself as a “fine purveyor of American comfort food,” featuring items such as deviled eggs with whipped Dijon aioli mousse and a classic cheeseburger served in a sit-down restaurant with a bar, making it the perfect setting to kick off a vacation or finalize last-minute details. Standout items are their grilled cheese sandwich served with exceptional tomato bisque soup, a BLT voted best BLT in Phoenix by Phoenix New Times readers, and their heavenly house-made coconut cream pie. Get to the airport early; it will be worth it. MATT’S BIG BREAKFAST “Honest cooking. Scratch Ingredients.” That’s what you’ll find at Matt’s Big Breakfast, a popular local eatery opened by Matt Pool in 2004. When they first opened, MBB was in a small building in downtown Phoenix but today has grown to four locations, including their first franchised restaurant and the Sky Harbor International Airport locale. MBB prides itself on exceptional service and high-quality fresh ingredients. No stranger to accolades, MBB was recently recognized as the Best Restaurant in Phoenix by The Daily Meal, a website that also named MBB one of the Top 25 airport restaurants in the country in 2016. Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives , even stopped by in 2009. In case you were wondering, one of his favorite dishes was the Chop and Chick: two eggs, home fries and toast served with a skillet-seared pork chop marinated in MBB’s house-made pesto. In the mood for lunch? Breakfast is served all day and MBB also has several lunch selections (served after 11 a.m.) such as an egg salad sandwich or cobb salad as well as a kids menu. Lisa Mullavey | Contributing Writer 44 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | AUGUST 2019 KITCHEN DOORS {airport eating}

Eager to learn more about the food business and cooking, the ambitious and hardworking Silvana Salcido Esparza moved to Arizona in 1996 to study at Scottsdale Culinary Institute. After graduating, Esparza honed her skills locally before traveling through Mexico under a scholarship program, learning all she could about traditional Mexican cuisine. Upon her return to Phoenix, she worked tirelessly until 2002, when she opened her first restaurant, Barrio Café, south of North 16th Street and Thomas Road. Fast-forward to 2019, Esparza has opened three additional Barrio restaurants, including the full-service location in Sky Harbor, which in 2015 was voted one of the top 35 airport restaurants in the world by The Daily Meal. Esparza’s menus are rich with regional Mexican cuisine unlike any other found in the Valley. Order fresh seafood dishes such as the one with shrimp, scallops, crab with a shallot white wine cream sauce garnished with longaniza chorizo sausage, caramelized onion and roasted poblano pepper sauté or one of many featuring beef, chicken and pork prepared with ingredients such as hibiscus flower, a variety of peppers, nuts and fruits. During a recent lunch, my friend and I started with their guacamole, a torta made with Barrio Café’s signature marinated pork, and flavorful Tecate-battered shrimp tacos. I also recommend ordering their award-winning house-made agua de horchata or a margarita or cocktail from their bar that features a wide selection of tequila. With cuisine like this, a delayed flight is a lot less painful. Barrio Cafe