Standfirst: Vietnam Airlines has been named the World’s Best Culinary Airline 2026, while London Heathrow and Gatwick received awards for airport and lounge dining. The winners highlight how food has become an increasingly important part of the passenger experience.
Vietnam Airlines has won the World’s Best Culinary Airline award at the 2026 World Culinary Awards, becoming the first Asian carrier to receive the honour. London Heathrow was named the world’s best airport for dining, while Turkish Airlines’ international lounges and Clubrooms at London Gatwick’s South Terminal also took top prizes.
The awards recognise airlines, airports and airport lounges that offer notable food and beverage experiences before and during a journey. They add a culinary dimension to the wider travel industry, where passengers increasingly assess airports and carriers on more than punctuality, routes and comfort.
Vietnam Airlines wins top airline dining award
Vietnam Airlines beat a high-profile shortlist that included Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air France, Cathay Pacific and Turkish Airlines.
The carrier’s menus are designed to introduce Vietnamese cuisine to international travellers while adapting dishes to the season and destination. The airline says this approach means passengers can encounter different culinary options depending on their route.
In economy class, the signature breakfast dish is a crisp, layered croissant. Lunch and dinner services include rice and pasta dishes served with sauce, dessert and bread. Business-class passengers receive a broader selection, including Vietnamese specialities and international dishes linked to their destination.
Destination-based menus
Passengers travelling to South Korea may find dishes such as mixed fried rice, bibimbap, ginseng chicken soup and black bean noodles on the menu. Flights to European destinations feature French, German and British dishes, while business-class passengers travelling to Europe, Australia and the United States can pre-order meals on eligible routes.
This destination-focused approach gives the airline’s food service a stronger sense of place. Rather than offering an identical menu across its network, the carrier connects meals with Vietnamese culinary identity and the countries served by each flight.
London Heathrow named best airport for dining
London Heathrow received the World’s Best for Airport Dining award for 2026. It ranked ahead of Dubai International, Hamad International Airport in Qatar, Hong Kong International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Paris Aéroport and Singapore Changi Airport.
Heathrow’s four terminals provide a wide range of dining options, from cafés and casual restaurants to international concepts and high-end venues. The variety is intended to serve passengers with different budgets, schedules and tastes.
Among the airport’s more premium offerings is Le Café Louis Vuitton in Terminal 2, which serves refined desserts including a hazelnut-based creation featuring ganache, praline and fleur de sel.
Terminal 5 includes celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food Market. Its all-day menu includes breakfast, pizza, sushi, noodles and British favourites such as fish and chips. The combination of familiar dishes and international choices reflects Heathrow’s role as a major global hub.
Turkish Airlines lounges recognised for dining
Turkish Airlines’ international lounges were named the World’s Best Airline Lounge for Dining. The award recognises its buffet service, which combines Turkish food with international cuisine and offers both hot and cold dishes.
The lounges operate at several international airports, including Edinburgh International Airport. Their offering was selected ahead of nominees such as Air France’s La Première First Class Lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Etihad Airways’ First Class Lounge and Spa at Zayed International Airport, and Lufthansa’s First Class Lounge at Frankfurt Airport.
Other shortlisted lounges included Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha, SWISS’ First Class Lounge at Zurich Airport, Thai Airways’ Royal Orchid Prestige Lounge in Bangkok and Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse at London Heathrow.
Gatwick Clubrooms wins airport lounge award
Clubrooms at Gatwick’s South Terminal was named the World’s Best Airport Lounge for Dining 2026. The lounge was selected from a shortlist that included facilities in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney and Los Angeles.
Its menu changes with the seasons and includes hot and cold dishes, light bites and snacks. Breakfast options include eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles. Evening choices include chicken Caesar salad, a gochujang chicken thigh bowl and Moroccan nut roast with green beans dressed in lemon olive oil.
The award distinguishes Clubrooms from airline lounges by focusing specifically on an airport-operated or airport-based premium lounge experience. For travellers, that can make a difference during a long connection, an early departure or a delayed journey.
Why airport dining matters to travellers
The 2026 results show that food is now a significant part of the overall airport experience. Travellers may spend several hours in terminals, particularly when transferring between flights, and dining can influence how they judge an airport or airline.
The recognised venues share several features:
- Menus that reflect national or regional cuisine
- Seasonal changes rather than a fixed selection
- Options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
- A mixture of casual, premium and international food
- Choice for passengers with different travel classes and budgets
For European travellers, the awards also highlight the range of food experiences available at major aviation hubs in the United Kingdom and at international airline lounges across the region.
What the awards mean for passengers
The awards do not change airline schedules, airport rules or passenger rights. They are industry recognitions focused on culinary quality and the dining experience.
Travellers should still check opening hours, terminal locations, lounge access conditions and whether restaurants are available after security. Menus can also vary by route, season and travel class, so the dishes listed by an airline or airport may not be offered on every journey.
For passengers planning a trip through London, Heathrow and Gatwick now offer two award-winning dining experiences in different parts of the airport journey: restaurants and cafés across Heathrow’s terminals, and Clubrooms at Gatwick South Terminal.
Conclusion
The World Culinary Awards 2026 put Vietnam Airlines at the centre of international airline dining, while London Heathrow, Turkish Airlines’ international lounges and Gatwick Clubrooms were recognised for their food offerings. The results underline a wider shift in travel: meals, local identity and quality service are becoming central to how passengers experience the journey, not just what happens once the aircraft leaves the runway.