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TWA Hotel Restaurants: Eating and Drinking at JFK Airport

JFK's former TWA terminal, designed by architect Eero Saarinen, has been rechristened the TWA Hotel, and is decked out in all the kind of Jet Age glam that made Trans World Airlines famous in the first place. In addition to its 512 rooms and an on-site museum on the history of TWA, the complex contains several bars and restaurants offering the tantalizing tastes of New York City. Next time you’re in the neighborhood, check out the full complement, including the classic cocktail bar vibe served up at Paris Café's Lisbon Lounge.

twa hotel jfk

Connie Cocktail Lounge

connie bar twa

Photo by Aaron Flacke.

Connie is by far the most creative offering at JFK. This 1958 Lockheed Constellation airplane, which once flew TWA passengers to exotic ports of call, has been retrofitted into a cocktail lounge! Lounge inside the plush and refurbished interior with a Royal Ambassador Martini and snack, then immerse yourself in the air travel of the past. Kids are also welcome to enjoy a Roy Rogers and sit in the cockpit like real TWA pilots! twahotel.com

The Paris Café

Jean Georges The Paris Cafe

Not only is Jean-Georges Vongerichten a Michelin-starred chef, he runs some of the city’s most celebrated fine dining restaurants. Now he's at the helm of a more casual offering called The Paris Café inside the TWA Hotel. This spacious restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. Sample the ginger margarita from the cocktail menu, enjoy a burrata with toast as a small plate, or select their pizza as a main. Breakfast options include an almond croissant and avocado toast. twahotel.com/paris-cafe

Food Hall at the JFK Hotel

Locally made quick meals are dished up in the historic Food Hall, where Trans World Airlines travelers once checked in for flights. There are plenty of tables for dining in, as well as plenty of options for cuisine. Yardie Bistro serves authentic Jamaican; Fly-By Bagels has your mornings covered; Vinny's Panini does soup, salad, pizza, and of course panini; authentic NYC hot dogs can be found at Feltman’s of Coney IslandCrêpes Your Way will give you a taste of France (there's a Mister Softee outlet, too).

 

The Pool Bar

The Pool Bar

Dunk yourself in an infinity pool and sample the good life at the hotel's rooftop Pool Bar. This unique spot has up-close views of the runways at JFK Airport and is open to hotel guests and visitors alike. Lounge beside the pool on the roof with a Paper Plane cocktail, or drop down a floor for their underwater experience. A full kitchen also serves salads, grain bowls, and more. twahotel.com

The Sunken Lounge

Dive into the Sunken Lounge, a low-lying throwback space overlooking the airport runways through a panoramic glass wall. You’ll know the lounge by its Chili Pepper Red carpet and echoes of TV's Mad Men series, plus a decidedly 21st-century spin on a split-flap departures board posted overhead. Here you can order a Sunken Lounge Martini (served with a TWA wing pin), selections of wine and beer and a small menu of great bar snacks like their artisanal cheese board. twahotel.com

Intelligentsia Coffee

Intelligentsia

When those standard brews just won’t cut it after a red-eye flight, swing into the TWA Hotel lobby for a steaming cup of Intelligentsia. This Chicago-based coffee chain, which has one NYC location in Chelsea, sources single-origin coffees from across the globe and roasts those beans to perfection. There’s a midcentury coffee bar in the lobby as well (while you’re there, you’ll see TWA Hotel staff behind the terminal’s former ticket counters) and mobile coffee carts also inside the space. twahotel.com

About the Author

Merrill Lee Girardeau lives and writes in Brooklyn.

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