Flying from Gatwick with the family and wondering where to eat before your flight? There are plenty of Gatwick Airport restaurants across both North and South Terminal, ranging from quick breakfasts and grab-and-go food to family-friendly restaurants where you can sit down before boarding.

In this guide, we’ll compare the best places to eat at Gatwick Airport, including our top choices for families, breakfast, quick meals and sit-down dining. We’ll also look at whether it’s better to eat before or after security and which terminal has the best food options.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t leave choosing somewhere to eat until you’re wandering around the terminal with hungry kids. Check your terminal and restaurant options before travelling — particularly if you have an early-morning or late-evening flight.

Quick Answer: Best Gatwick Airport Restaurants

If you just want our top picks, these are the Gatwick Airport restaurants we’d look at first:

• Best for families – North Terminal: wagamama – reliable family-friendly food with a dedicated children’s menu.
• Best for families – South Terminal: Nando’s – familiar food, easy ordering and a good option when travelling with children.
• Best for breakfast – North Terminal: The Breakfast Club – one of Gatwick’s strongest choices for a proper pre-flight breakfast.
• Best for a quick meal – North Terminal: Shake Shack – burgers, hot dogs and shakes when you don’t want a long sit-down meal.
• Best for pizza – South Terminal: PizzaExpress – familiar family favourite with eat-in and takeaway available.
• Best all-rounder: wagamama – available after security in both North and South Terminal, making it one of the easiest recommendations regardless of which terminal you’re flying from.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Pick: Travelling with children? We’d choose wagamama for the best all-round option, while The Breakfast Club would be our pick for an early flight from North Terminal.

Best Restaurants at Gatwick North Terminal

Gatwick North Terminal has a good selection of places to eat once you’re through security, from full sit-down breakfasts to burgers, Asian food and quick grab-and-go options.

The Breakfast Club – Best for Breakfast

If you’re flying in the morning, The Breakfast Club would be one of our first choices. It opens early and serves its well-known breakfast and brunch dishes throughout the day.

It’s particularly useful if you’ve arrived at the airport with plenty of time and want a proper breakfast rather than grabbing a sandwich at the gate.

Best for: Breakfast, brunch and families
Location: North Terminal, after security

wagamama – Best All-Rounder for Families

wagamama is our favourite all-round choice for families at Gatwick North Terminal.

There’s plenty of choice for adults and children, and having a dedicated kids’ menu makes it an easy option when everyone wants something different.

It’s also available in both Gatwick terminals, so it’s a useful restaurant to remember whichever terminal you’re travelling from.

Best for: Families and a proper pre-flight meal
Location: North Terminal, after security

Shake Shack – Best for Burgers

For something quick and familiar, Shake Shack serves its American-style burgers, hot dogs and shakes in the North Terminal departure lounge.

This could be a good choice with older children or teenagers when you want something substantial without turning your airport meal into a lengthy sit-down affair.

Best for: Burgers, teenagers and a quicker meal
Location: North Terminal, after security

Tortilla – Best for a Quick Meal

Tortilla lets you build your own burrito or taco, making it a useful option when you want something filling but relatively quick.

Because you can customise your order, it can also work well for families where everyone wants something slightly different.

Best for: Quick meals, burritos and tacos
Location: North Terminal, after security

Tossed – Planned New Healthy Option

Tossed has announced plans to open a restaurant at Gatwick North Terminal in November 2026. As the opening is still upcoming at the time of this update, check the official Gatwick restaurant directory before relying on it for your journey.

The menu is expected to include freshly made salads, wraps, breakfast dishes and a dedicated kids’ menu, which could make it one of the better choices for families looking for something lighter before flying.

Expected offering: Healthier meals, breakfast and family options
Planned location: North Terminal (opening not yet confirmed)

💡 Holiday Blueprint Pick: We’d choose The Breakfast Club for an early flight and wagamama for the best family all-rounder. For something quicker, Shake Shack or Tortilla would be high on our list.

Best Restaurants at Gatwick South Terminal

Gatwick South Terminal has some excellent family-friendly choices after security, including familiar favourites such as Nando’s, PizzaExpress and wagamama.

Nando’s – Best for Families

Nando’s is one of our top choices for families flying from Gatwick South Terminal.

The restaurant has a children’s menu with familiar options for younger travellers, while adults can choose from the usual PERi-PERi favourites. It’s an easy option when you want a proper meal somewhere the whole family is likely to recognise.

Surprisingly, Gatwick’s Nando’s also serves breakfast, making it worth considering for an early flight.

Best for: Families, chicken and breakfast
Location: South Terminal, after security

PizzaExpress – Best for Pizza

PizzaExpress is another strong family option, particularly if you’re travelling with younger children.

Alongside familiar favourites such as pizza, pasta and dough balls, the Gatwick restaurant also has a dedicated breakfast menu. Takeaway is available too, which can be useful if you’re running short on time.

Best for: Families, pizza and breakfast
Location: South Terminal, after security

wagamama – Best All-Rounder

If Nando’s or PizzaExpress don’t appeal, wagamama is another dependable family choice.

Its Asian-inspired menu offers plenty of variety for adults and children, and having restaurants in both Gatwick terminals makes it one of the easiest options to remember when planning your trip.

Best for: Families and a sit-down meal
Location: South Terminal, after security

itsu – Best for Something Lighter

If you’d prefer something lighter before flying, itsu is worth considering.

Its Asian-inspired menu makes a useful alternative to burgers, pizza and traditional airport food, particularly when you want something relatively quick before heading towards your gate.

Best for: Lighter meals and quick food
Location: South Terminal, after security

Giraffe – Best Before Security

If you want to eat before going through security, Giraffe is a particularly useful South Terminal option.

It serves a broad international-style menu and is located before security, making it handy if you’re meeting someone at the airport or simply want to eat before entering departures.

Best for: Eating before security and families
Location: South Terminal, before security

💡 Holiday Blueprint Pick: For families we’d choose Nando’s or PizzaExpress in South Terminal. Both offer familiar children’s choices, while their breakfast menus make them useful for early flights too.

Gatwick Restaurants Before or After Security?

For most passengers, we’d recommend going through security first and eating afterwards.

The largest choice of Gatwick Airport restaurants is in the departure lounges after security, and eating there means you don’t have to worry about finishing your meal and then potentially finding a queue at security.

Eating After Security

This is usually the best option if you’re flying from Gatwick.

Once you’re through security you’ll have access to more of the main restaurant choices, including places such as wagamama, Nando’s, PizzaExpress and The Breakfast Club depending on your terminal.

It also makes it easier to keep an eye on your departure information while you eat.

We’d choose after security if:

• You’re already checked in and ready to fly.
• You want the widest choice of restaurants.
• You’re travelling with children and don’t want to rush through security afterwards.
• You have enough time for a proper meal before your gate is announced.

Eating Before Security

There are still places to eat before security, and this can make sense in certain situations.

It’s particularly useful if you’re meeting family or friends who aren’t travelling, waiting for another passenger, or you’ve arrived very early and aren’t ready to go through security yet.

However, we’d avoid having a long meal landside if your flight is getting close. Security queues can vary, so it’s much more relaxing to get through first.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Our usual order would be check in → security → food → gate. Once security is out of the way, you can enjoy your meal without constantly wondering how long the security queue might be.

Best Gatwick Airport Restaurants for Families

Travelling through an airport with hungry children can quickly become stressful, so for families we’d prioritise familiar food, children’s menus and reasonably quick service rather than simply choosing the fanciest restaurant.

The good news is that Gatwick is particularly well set up for families. Most restaurants offer children’s menus and highchairs, and restaurants can warm baby bottles if needed.

Our Top Family Picks

North Terminal – wagamama
Our best all-round family choice. There’s plenty of variety, a dedicated children’s menu and enough choice for adults that it doesn’t feel like you’ve chosen somewhere purely for the kids.

South Terminal – Nando’s
A particularly easy option with older children and teenagers. The familiar menu also makes it a good choice when you don’t want to experiment immediately before a flight.

Best for younger children – PizzaExpress
Pizza, pasta and dough balls make PizzaExpress one of the safer bets for families with younger or fussier eaters.

Best for breakfast – The Breakfast Club
If you’re flying from North Terminal in the morning, this would be our first choice for turning an early airport arrival into a proper family breakfast.

Best for something quick – Shake Shack or Tortilla
Useful when everyone needs feeding but you don’t want to spend too much of your airport time sitting in a restaurant.

Don’t Leave It Too Late

One of the biggest mistakes families can make is waiting until they’re hungry before deciding where to eat.

Allow some extra time during busy school-holiday periods, and remember that your gate could be a reasonable walk from the main departure lounge.

If boarding time is getting close, we’d choose a quicker meal or takeaway rather than risking a stressful dash to the gate.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: If you’re travelling with younger children, pack a couple of emergency snacks even if you’re planning to eat at Gatwick. A delayed flight and a hungry child is not the start to a holiday anyone ordered.

Best Gatwick Airport Restaurants for Breakfast

An early flight doesn’t necessarily mean settling for a packet of crisps at 5am. Several Gatwick Airport restaurants open early enough for breakfast before the first wave of morning departures.

North Terminal – The Breakfast Club

For a proper sit-down breakfast in North Terminal, The Breakfast Club would be our first choice.

As you’d expect from the name, breakfast is the main attraction, making it ideal if you’ve arrived early and have enough time to sit down before your flight.

Best for: A proper family breakfast

South Terminal – Nando’s

Here’s one you might not expect: Nando’s at Gatwick serves breakfast.

That makes it an interesting alternative to the usual airport breakfast choices, particularly if you’re travelling with older children or teenagers.

Best for: Something different and families with older children

South Terminal – PizzaExpress

PizzaExpress also offers breakfast at Gatwick and is another useful family option for an early departure.

It’s particularly handy if you’re travelling with younger children and would rather choose somewhere familiar.

Best for: Families and younger children

Coffee and a Quick Breakfast

If you don’t want a full sit-down meal, Gatwick also has cafés and grab-and-go options where you can pick up coffee, pastries, sandwiches and other breakfast food.

For a very early flight, we’d check the opening hours shortly before travelling, as individual restaurant hours can change.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: If we’re taking an early flight, we’d still rather arrive with enough time for breakfast after security. It turns an unpleasantly early airport start into part of the holiday — although we’re making no promises about everyone’s mood at 4am. 😂

Where to Eat at Gatwick When You’re Short on Time

If your flight is approaching and you haven’t eaten yet, you don’t necessarily have to rely on snacks from a shop.

Gatwick says dishes at its sit-down restaurants are designed to be served within 15 minutes or less, while takeaway is also available from many restaurants.

That said, we’d still leave plenty of time. You need to allow for ordering, eating and walking to your departure gate — and some Gatwick gates can be a reasonable distance from the main departure lounge.

Best Quick Options at North Terminal

Shake Shack – Good for burgers, hot dogs and a relatively straightforward meal.

Tortilla – Build-your-own burritos and tacos make this a useful filling option when time is limited.

Grab-and-go cafés – Best if boarding isn’t far away and you simply need a sandwich, pastry or drink to take with you.

Best Quick Options at South Terminal

itsu – A good choice if you want something lighter and relatively quick.

PizzaExpress takeaway – Useful when you’d like proper food but don’t have enough time for a relaxed sit-down meal.

Grab-and-go cafés – The safest choice when your gate has already been announced or boarding time is getting close.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t judge your available time purely by when boarding starts. Check how far your gate is from the departure lounge before ordering. If time looks tight, choose takeaway and head towards the gate.

Gatwick Airport Restaurant vs Airport Lounge – Which Is Better?

If you’re planning to have a full meal and drinks at Gatwick, it’s worth comparing the cost with an airport lounge before you travel.

Airport lounges generally include food and drinks in the entry price, so for a family buying several meals, soft drinks and perhaps a couple of alcoholic drinks for the adults, the difference in price may be smaller than you’d expect.

Choose a Restaurant If:

• You only want a quick meal or breakfast.
• Your children are fussy eaters and you prefer a familiar restaurant.
• You don’t expect to buy many drinks.
• You won’t have much spare time at the airport.

Consider an Airport Lounge If:

• You expect to buy food and several drinks.
• You’re arriving at Gatwick well before your flight.
• You’d prefer somewhere quieter to wait.
• Having food, drinks and somewhere to sit included appeals to your family.

A lounge isn’t automatically cheaper, particularly with several people travelling, so we’d always compare the total cost before booking.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Don’t compare the lounge price with the cost of one airport meal. Compare it with what your family would realistically spend on food + coffees + soft drinks + any alcoholic drinks while waiting for your flight. That’s when the comparison becomes much more useful.

Gatwick North vs South Terminal Restaurants

Both Gatwick terminals have plenty of places to eat, but the best choice depends on what you’re looking for.

What Are You Looking For?	North Terminal	South Terminal
Best for families	wagamama	Nando’s
Best breakfast	The Breakfast Club	Nando’s / PizzaExpress
Best for pizza	—	PizzaExpress
Best for burgers	Shake Shack	—
Best lighter option	Tossed (planned; check opening)	itsu
Best quick meal	Tortilla / Shake Shack	itsu / PizzaExpress takeaway
Best before security	Limited choice	Giraffe
Our overall pick	wagamama	Nando’s

Which Gatwick Terminal Is Better for Food?

We wouldn’t choose a Gatwick terminal based purely on its restaurants — your airline and flight determine which terminal you’ll use — but both terminals have enough choice that families should have no problem finding somewhere suitable to eat.

North Terminal arguably has the edge for breakfast thanks to The Breakfast Club, while South Terminal has a particularly strong selection of familiar family favourites including Nando’s and PizzaExpress.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Verdict: There’s no clear loser. We’d give North Terminal the edge for breakfast and South Terminal the edge for familiar family dining, while wagamama is a dependable option in either terminal.

What Food Is Available at Gatwick Airport?

There’s much more choice at Gatwick than traditional airport fast food. Across North and South Terminal you’ll find everything from full sit-down meals and breakfasts to burgers, pizza, Asian-inspired dishes, coffee and grab-and-go food.

Types of Food You’ll Find at Gatwick

Depending on your terminal, options include:

• Breakfast and brunch – ideal for early-morning departures.
• Burgers and fast food – useful for a quick and familiar meal.
• Pizza and pasta – particularly good for families and younger children.
• Asian-inspired food – including noodles, rice dishes and lighter options.
• Healthier choices – salads, wraps and lighter meals.
• Coffee and snacks – useful when you don’t have time for a full meal.
• Takeaway food – handy if your gate has been announced and you need to get moving.

There are also vegetarian, vegan and other dietary options available at many Gatwick restaurants, although we’d recommend checking the individual restaurant’s current menu if you have specific dietary requirements or allergies.

Can You Take Food onto Your Flight?

In general, you can buy food after security at Gatwick and take it with you towards your gate or onto your flight.

This can be a good option on shorter flights where you don’t expect much food to be available onboard, or when buying something at the airport works out better for your family.

Remember that restrictions can apply to liquids and certain foods when entering another country, so anything you don’t eat during the journey may be subject to your destination’s customs rules.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: For a family flight, we’d usually have a proper meal at Gatwick and still pick up a couple of snacks for later. It can save you relying entirely on whatever happens to be available onboard.

Gatwick Airport Restaurants FAQs

Are there restaurants in both Gatwick terminals?

Yes. Both North and South Terminal have a good selection of restaurants, cafés and grab-and-go food options. Most of the main choice is available after security in the departure lounges.

Which Gatwick terminal has the best restaurants?

Both terminals have good options. We’d give North Terminal the edge for breakfast, particularly with The Breakfast Club, while South Terminal is excellent for familiar family choices such as Nando’s and PizzaExpress.

What is the best Gatwick Airport restaurant for families?

Our overall family pick is wagamama, partly because it’s available after security in both terminals and has a dedicated children’s menu.

For South Terminal we’d also consider Nando’s or PizzaExpress, particularly with younger or fussier eaters who may prefer something familiar.

Can you eat at Gatwick before security?

Yes. There are places to eat before security, although the widest selection of Gatwick Airport restaurants is generally available once you’re through security.

Unless you’re meeting someone who isn’t flying or have another reason to remain landside, we’d normally go through security first and eat afterwards.

What time do Gatwick Airport restaurants open?

Several restaurants open very early to cater for Gatwick’s morning departures, with some opening from around 4am.

Opening hours vary by restaurant and can change, so check the current opening time before travelling if you’re relying on a particular restaurant for breakfast.

Is there a Nando’s at Gatwick Airport?

Yes. Nando’s is located in South Terminal after security and is one of our favourite family options. Gatwick’s Nando’s also serves breakfast.

Is there a McDonald’s at Gatwick Airport?

Gatwick’s restaurant line-up can change, so we’d recommend checking the airport’s current restaurant directory rather than assuming a particular fast-food restaurant will be available.

If you’re mainly looking for burgers, there are alternative options at the airport, including Shake Shack in North Terminal.

Are Gatwick Airport restaurants expensive?

Airport food can be more expensive than eating before you travel, particularly once drinks are added.

For a family, it’s worth considering what you’re likely to spend on meals, coffees and drinks. If you’re planning to spend a couple of hours at Gatwick, you could also compare the total cost with an airport lounge where food and drinks are included.

Do Gatwick restaurants have children’s menus?

Many Gatwick restaurants cater specifically for families, with children’s menus and highchairs widely available.

If your child has particular dietary requirements or allergies, we’d check the restaurant’s latest menu before travelling.

Should I book a Gatwick Airport restaurant in advance?

For most airport dining we’d simply allow plenty of time rather than relying on a reservation. Availability and booking policies vary between restaurants.

During busy periods such as school holidays, allow extra time in case your preferred restaurant is busy.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Tip: Restaurant opening hours, menus and airport outlets can change. If there’s one particular restaurant you’re counting on, check Gatwick’s latest restaurant information shortly before you travel.

Restaurant opening hours and available outlets can change, so check the official Gatwick Airport restaurant directory before travelling if you’re relying on a particular restaurant.

Final Verdict: Best Gatwick Airport Restaurants

There are plenty of good Gatwick Airport restaurants in both terminals, so families shouldn’t struggle to find somewhere suitable before flying.

If we were choosing, our favourites would be:

• 🥞 Best breakfast: The Breakfast Club – North Terminal
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Best family all-rounder: wagamama – North & South Terminal
• 🍗 Best South Terminal family option: Nando’s
• 🍕 Best for younger children: PizzaExpress – South Terminal
• 🍔 Best quick bite: Shake Shack – North Terminal
• 🥗 Best lighter option: itsu – South Terminal

For most families, we’d recommend going through security first and then eating. You’ll have a wider choice of restaurants and, more importantly, you won’t spend your meal wondering how long the security queue is getting.

If you’re planning a full meal plus several drinks, it’s also worth comparing the cost with a Gatwick airport lounge before travelling. Depending on your family and how long you’ll be at the airport, the difference may be smaller than you’d expect.

💡 Holiday Blueprint Verdict: Don’t overthink it. For North Terminal we’d choose The Breakfast Club for breakfast or wagamama later in the day. For South Terminal, Nando’s or PizzaExpress would be our first family choices. Get through security, get everyone fed, then you can officially start arguing about who gets the window seat. ✈️

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