Fly-in restaurants

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Hog_snipe

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Hog_snipe
I am looking for the best fly-in restaurants in the us. I am a airline pilot that has been out of the GA world for a while but getting back in. I do have a few requirements.
- All I see every day in the airline world are 10k foot runways and miles of pavement. So I prefer minimal pavement
- I would like the restaurants/airport to have some history, have been around for a while, or have a good story.
- last but not least the food has to be excellent.

The restaurants can be anywhere in the us or Alaska. My goal is to visit as many as possible over the next few years. Thanks to all who contribute for helping me on my journey!
 
7FL6 is good I think they have 4000 Downwind Cafe
KFIN is great (formerly KXFL) Highjackers Cafe
KLAL great restaurant but longer runways - but great food!

DOes it have to be on the field or small walk? If small walk KSSI
 
KPVG - decent restaurant there but when I was there they were slammed with one person doing it all...

KGMU - leave the FBO - walk about 5 minutes to a small hotel on the left - the restaurant is INCREDIBLE!!
 
Sorry here's another I just remembered W78 - Ernies Restaurant - also not on field but you call and the owner picks you up and drives you there and gives you a little tour of South Boston, VA - decent food as well!
 
Thanks, really appreciate your help. I would like it to be on the field. Let me know of any others you may think of.
 
Barnstormers Norfolk, Nebraska KOFK

http://www.barnstormersnebraska.com/

Great food and airplane atmosphere. Located in an old terminal building. Free pool table and pilot lounge area up stairs in the old control tower. Pull right up to the outside seating area.
 
Spitfire grill at WDR
Flying Machine at LZU
Downwind Restaurant at PDK
Gastons Restaurant at 3M0
 
Todd's at KRYN - quite good.
Hangar Cafe at KCHD - quite good.
KSEZ - can't remember the restaurant name, but really excellent.
 
Tumblweeds at Desert Aire (M94) is great. You can also play golf at out championship course........call ahead and a golf cart will be at your airplane.

We will be NOTAM'd closed most of May. $1M project to widen and repave the 3650' runway. All local funding.
 
I enjoy the Spirit of San Luis at San Luis Obispo airport (SBP) in San Luis Obispo, California. Nice patio overlooking the runway and great food.
I enjoy Pepper Garcia’s at the Santa Maria Public airport (SMX) in Santa Maria, California because the food is good and it is my home airport.
I enjoy the Waypoint Café at Camarillo airport (CMA) in Camarillo, California. Nice patio and great food.
I enjoy Flo’s at Chino (CNO) in Chino, California. Great food and two great museum’s on the field.
I enjoy visiting Santa Paula (SZP) in Santa Paula, California because of the great people and history and am satisfied with whatever restaurant is on the field.
I enjoy the Flabob Café at the Flabob airport (RIR) in Rubidoux, California because of the great people and history at the airport.
I liked the Spitfire Grill at Santa Monica Municipal airport (SMO) just because Santa Monica is fun to fly into.
I enjoy Fox’s landing at William J Fox Field (WJF) in Lancaster, California because it looks out on the runway and feels like 1950.
I enjoy Maniac Mikes at Cable airport in Upland, California. Nice patio, good service and a very interesting airport.
I enjoy the Wings Grill and Flight line at the Auburn airport (AUN), Auburn, California because it is a fun airport to fly into with a lot of very nice friendly people.
Many of the airport restaurants I like have gone out of business so I try to patronize the ones still in business.
 
Port Clinton Ohio PCW has the Tin Goose Diner and the Liberty Aviation Museum with adjacent tiedowns - but the runways have about a mile of pavement.

GEDC1937.JPG


Grosse Ile Mi ONZ has the Airport Inn across the street - bar and pizza. But I have never eaten there even though it's where I keep the airplane and I even used to live on the island. :dunno:
 
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KVNC,great airport,cheap self serve gas, nice little restaurant run by a true chef. Only does breakfast lunch. Some very creative lunch specials.
 
KMYF - Casa Machado on one side and 94th Aero Squadron on the other. The food is subjective, but Casa Machado had a pretty good machaca burrito when I was there more than 10 years ago. 94th Aero I have no idea on the food. But again, it's subjective.
 
I74, Urbana Grimes. They have grass & asphalt. Mgmt replaced with all new staff allegedly due to some insider theft last year, but the new folks are nicer anyway!
 
Stearman Field (1K1) Benton, KS
Beaumont Hotel & Restaurant (07S) Beaumont, KS (2400x200' grass runway)
 
I always thought "fly-in" was a kind of soup served at airport restaurants.

:D

But seriously, folks ...

Here in the Pacific Northwest there are good airport restaurants at:

KSLE Salem, Oregon
KDLS The Dalles, Oregon (though the airport and the restaurant are physically located just across the river in Washington)
7S5 Independence, Oregon
KPWT Bremerton, Washington
KTIW Tacoma Narrows, Washington
S43 Harvey Field, Snohomish, Washington
0S9 Jefferson County Airport, Port Townsend, Washington
S40 Prosser, Washington (not an airport restaurant per se, but just across the street)

One of the favorites of Northwest pilots, Lana's at KHQM (Hoquiam, WA), closed recently.
 
6Y9 has a restaurant adjacent - two actually.

There's usually something going on there on Labor Day Weekend. ;)
 
Rough River State Park Airport 2I3.

Technically not "on the field" since there is no room, but easy walk to the lodge and it is all part of the park. (there is nothing else on the field, BTW, except locked bathrooms).
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Port Clinton Ohio PCW has the Tin Goose Diner and the Liberty Aviation Museum with adjacent tiedowns - but the runways have about a mile of pavement
Click to expand...

Here's a +1 on PCW....the lobster bisque is amazing!! If the restaurant aircraft parking is full, park at the FBO. They will run you to the restaurant (across the field) and pick you up when you're ready.

Jim
 
As DrPappy mentioned, Brenham (11R) in TX. Not the best food in the world nor the best hours but right on the field and always full.
Also, Fredericksburg (T82) in TX again, the famous Airport Diner, busting in its seams every sunny weekend. :)
When you visit, please let us know ahead of time, we'll meet you there. Of you can fly out there with me, I'll pick you up at Bergstrom (KAUS) on the 11,000' runway. :)
 
Best Hamburger in the world
KGPM Grand Preire TX at the Mixed Up Burgers in the main terminal bldg.

Great Food at KCXO Conroe TX
The Black Forest Restaurant at the Galaxy FBO
 
Ponca City has a pretty good Mexican restaurant right on the field. I was just there yesterday. Cheap fuel too.
 
Vance Breese said:
I enjoy Fox’s landing at William J Fox Field (WJF) in Lancaster, California because it looks out on the runway and feels like 1950.
Click to expand...

That's Foxy's.

And it has an honest to God $100 burger on the menu (and it's good).

Too bad Lancaster is such a ****hole.

The best $100 burgers in California are at Half Moon Bay (on the field is not bad, just off at the harbor is amazing) and Harris Ranch.

The place I really would have liked to visit (except that it burned down more than 60 years ago) would have been the Happy Bottom Riding Club and Fly-Inn Dude Ranch, in Muroc (now Edwards), CA. I would definitely not want my picture on the wall, though.
 
Pretty Good barbecue at Weiser in Houston. EYQ. Carls BBQ is on the freeway near the western approach, has a gate in the back that goes to the airport property.
 
M93 - Southernaire Restaurant is just across the street from the airport. Great food and on the weekends it can make for a busy little airport!
 
I don't think Harris Ranch is all that good. Certainly, compared to what passes for an on-field restaurant at places like KSAF, KAEG, and E92, Harris Ranch is a like visiting Tonkatsu Tonki. But really, it's just steak like you can get at Cattlemen's, or even Black Angus. I used to stop at Harris a few times when driving by I-5 but not anymore.
 
Flo's at CNO is fantastic, but the airport is fairly large and so are the runways.
Casa Machado at MYF is a local favorite as well, but again not exactly a tiny airstrip.

If you want an incredible view both on approach and from the lunch table IMHO you cant beat Catalina, KAVX. Buffalo burgers and a runway on top of a mountain. Just do yourself a favor and bring a pilot with local experience with you the first time, or better yet a local CFI. I just went there today, and will have some video of the flight up here later. It's beautiful.
 
A Colleague and I were passing through Half Moon Bay on the way to SFO after a sales meeting over in Milpitas when we spotted the 3-Zero Cafe at the Half Moon Bay airport. Both being aviators (combined with the fact that the place looked really cool with the front sidewalk painted like a runway), we dropped in for a snack. The ambiance was outstanding - literally hundreds of aviation memorabilia coated the walls. A lot of WWII stuff. The music and furniture puts you smack dab in the middle of the '50s era.

Then we met the owners. Just listening to their flying experiences kept us there for over three (maybe four) hours. The place and the proprietors are awesome fun. I highly recommend it whether you're on foot, car, boat or aircraft.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/3-zero-cafe-half-moon-bay
 
james_j said:
94th Aero Squadron at KMYF you can taxi right over to the outdoor patio. You must go for the Sunday buffet brunch from 9am-3pm its the best time.

http://www.94thaerosquadron.signonsandiego.com/brunch.html
Click to expand...

I didn't realize there were any of these left. The one at Palwaukee was ok, but neat with the history. I will have to hit this one the next time I am out that way.

KRPJ has a decent restaurant on the field. The best part is sitting out side watching people jump out of perfectly good airplanes.

Pilot Pete's at 06C has pretty good food.
 
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