Denver restaurants aim to elevate airport cuisine

Many travelers frown when considering airport dining options. Chef Justin Cucci aims to change that way of thinking about Denver.

“Our goal is simple: change the perception of being just an airport restaurant to being a restaurant that is in an airport,” Cucci says of Root Down DIA, a 4,000-square-foot restaurant that can seat 150 diners in Denver. International airport. “We want to create an experience so immersive that, for a moment, you forget you’re at the airport and simply enjoy an exceptional meal.”

Cucci is the chef and founder of the employee-owned Edible Beats Restaurant Group, which operates five restaurants in Denver, including the airport restaurant’s namesake, Root Down, on 33rd Avenue. He was born and raised in Manhattan and dropped out of college to run his family’s New York restaurant, the Waverly Inn, before moving to Denver in 2008.

At Denver International, Root Down DIA “carries all the hallmarks of the original concept, but tailored for travelers: fresh, vibrant dishes, globally inspired and locally rooted, with an emphasis on organic and responsibly sourced ingredients,” says Cucci. “We’ve worked hard to bring the same collaborative, creative energy that defines our restaurants to an unexpected location: an airport terminal.”

The menu features numerous exclusive items, with more snacks than starters, and around 17 different beers. Appetizers include Korean BBQ duck wings and grilled arepa cheese – corn cake, mozzarella, smoked gouda, pistachio poblano pesto, achiote crema and pico de gallo. In addition to a vegetarian risotto, entrees are burgers and sandwiches, including Colorado lamb burgers and a banh mi turkey burger.

Airport customers, says Cucci, now expect quality, creativity and “even a little of that gastronomic magic they might find in a city restaurant.” Airports are becoming a new frontier for culinary experimentation, he says, “and it’s exciting to see chefs and restaurateurs rising to the challenge.”

Denver International has several upscale restaurants, including the Mercantile and two Elway’s – restaurants owned by former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway that are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mercantile offers dishes like pan-seared scallops for $43.43 and a 28-ounce dry-aged strip steak for two people for $148.48.

The menu at Elway’s in Concourse B includes a 16-ounce prime fillet steak for $78 and Vancouver Island salmon for $46. Elway’s Taproom & Grill in Concourse A offers salmon for the same price and a boneless sirloin steak from 20 ounces for $86. Lunch burgers are $25 or $26.

Operating a successful airport restaurant presents numerous unique challenges.

“Operating a restaurant at an airport like DIA is something completely different compared to our downtown locations,” explains Cucci. “One of the most immediate and constant challenges is logistics – everything that enters the airport has to go through TSA-style screening. It adds layers of complexity and time that you wouldn’t deal with in a street restaurant. You are coordinating deliveries, ensuring ingredients arrive fresh and ensuring they are safety approved – all while maintaining the same high standards of quality and sustainability.”

Another unique challenge is time.

“At the airport, time is always ticking,” explains Cucci. “People are often in a rush, whether it’s catching a flight or grabbing a quick meal during a layover. We have to design our kitchen operations and menu in a way that balances speed and quality. We want guests to have a great experience, but we also know they don’t have time to get lost in the traditional rhythm of fine dining. This way, we keep it simple without compromising the creativity or integrity of the ingredients. Not to mention the absolute unpredictability of airport traffic. Staffing and food preparation need to be flexible enough to handle these unpredictable swings in business levels.”

The challenges of running a profitable operation have been too great for several fine-dining restaurants at U.S. airports, forcing them to close over the past decade, Cucci says.

“Fine dining at an airport is a tricky balance – there is a constant push and pull between maintaining the high standards associated with the experience while also adapting to the logistical realities of the airport environment,” he explains. “The economy can be difficult. High rents, fast turnover and unpredictable traffic mean some concepts struggle to remain profitable, especially in a space where many customers are looking for something quick and convenient.”

The restaurants that have closed don’t signal a lack of demand for elevated dining experiences at airports, says Cucci.

“It’s more about finding the right formula,” he says. “The challenge is to adapt the principles of fine dining to meet traveler time constraints and expectations, while maintaining sustainable costs. I think what we’re seeing now is a reimagining of fine dining in airports – concepts that focus on quality ingredients and creative, chef-driven menus, but are a little more accessible and flexible.”