Hungry travelers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport have a lot more to look forward to before takeoff. On Thursday, the airport held a ribbon-cutting for five new restaurants inside Terminal 2, expanding the food lineup for everyone from red-eye road warriors to delayed-day survivors. The new mix blends national star power with local favorites and includes Adios! by Oscar Diaz, Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, Bond Brothers Kitchen & Bar, Conniption Cocktails & Cuisine and Half Moon Empanadas.
The openings came with a formal ceremony, as WRAL reported, and are part of a broader Terminal 2 refresh. According to WRAL, the restaurant upgrades are rolling out alongside plans for a 24-hour lounge, additional security checkpoint lines and a runway project tied to the airport’s Transform RDU program.
What Opened And Where
RDU lists the new Terminal 2 dining spots and their gate locations: Adios! at Gate C17, Bobby’s Burgers at Gate C18, Bond Brothers Kitchen & Bar at Gate D3, Conniption Cocktails & Cuisine at Gate D8 and Half Moon Empanadas at Gate C3. Most units operate from 4 a.m. through the last departure, and each concept has its own menu and hours posted on the airport site for travelers who like to plan their meals as carefully as their connections.
Part Of A Bigger Build
The restaurant rollout is one piece of Transform RDU, a multi-year effort that includes runway replacement and terminal expansion, according to RDU. “Where we sit here today is, we’re on the cusp of about a million cubic yards being moved,” Bill Sandifer, the airport’s executive vice president and chief development officer, said on the airport blog about the runway work.
Local Flavor Meets A-List Names
Airport leaders say the mix of hometown restaurants and high-profile brands is intentional, with local breweries and chefs bringing Triangle flavor and national names adding recognition and quick-service comfort. As The News & Observer reported, Bobby’s Burgers is one of Flay’s airport locations and Adios! comes from local chef Oscar Diaz, which gives travelers both celebrity cachet and a taste of the region.
Most of the new spots advertise early-morning through late-night service, so travelers should be able to find something beyond a sad granola bar at almost any hour. Airport officials say more restaurant and retail openings are scheduled across Terminals 1 and 2 through the rest of the year as construction continues.
