Ahh, Denver. Beards, IPAs, and snow-capped mountains in the distance. A great city, though as Jeff Daniels’ Harry Dunn said, “I thought the Rocky Mountains would be a little rockier than this.”

For Denver’s notoriously “outdoorsy” culture, we’ve found there to be fewer #actuallyhealthy food options than we expected—it’s a lot of burgers and microbrews, and not a ton of greens.

For those who know where to look, there are plenty of gems. But once you leave the city limits and head to Denver International Airport (DIA), you’ll be in familiar territory, following the unhealthy pattern of most large airports like Los Angeles International and LaGuardia. Fast food, expensive junk, and limited options.

Lucky for you, airfare, yet again, has your back. We picked out the DIA highlights so you can DIY health. 🙄

Let’s get to the goods, listed by Gate so no one gets left out. Healthy flying, mountaineers.

Gate A

The A-list: Mesa Verde

As you know from our prior airport breakdowns, Mexican food is half of the “M&M” airport saviors, the other “M” being Mediterranean. Mesa Verde is fairly standard as far as menu options, yet it stands out among the limited options in Gate A. The cuisine focses on veggies, beans, whole grains and good fats, so we prefer it to Chophouse or Central Market.

What to order: With time to sit for a meal, go with the Southwest Fiesta Salad, no cheese, add portobello mushrooms, with balsamic dressing on the side. For an on-the-go option, build a bowl, Chipotle style, and go with the healthy standard: veggies, beans, guacamole, and salsa, a.k.a. heaven.

Backup: Freshens

Here you can create your own salad—always a plus—or get a smoothie. These aren’t the world’s finest ingredients, but it gets the job done. Be careful, though, since smoothie places usually add sweeteners like honey, syrup, or juice to their menu option.

What to order: Create your own smoothie with water or unsweetened almond milk, and throw in your favorite fruits and veggies.

In case of emergency: The Panda Express secret

We know what you’re thinking–Panda? Really? We agree—it’s normally the last place to look for #actuallyhealthy options, but there’s a trick. Every Panda has a steamed veggie option (often just steamed greens) that can be paired with steamed brown rice. Order each a la carte, throw on some hot sauce, and you have an admittedly plain yet healthy and nourishing meal.

Gate B

The A-list: Garbanzo

airfare cofounder Justin was thrilled when he first came across this new spot in 2020. Fresh out of airfare snacks between connecting flights in the heart of the pandemic and with another four hours until his East Coast arrival, he needed some healthy grub. Enter Garbanzo. Another M&M special, this is assembly line style, like Chipotle, so you can pick your favorites from the menu. This is probably our favorite spot in the entire Denver airport.

What to order: Get the salad and the mushrooms as the base, add hummus, baba ghanoush, and all of the veggies. Then get some tahini, hot sauce, and apple on the side. Unbeatable.

Backups

There are usually decent options at Modern Market, but the DIA location is pretty limited. Ideally, you can snag a veggie sandwich on wholegrain bread or a good salad. The other backup option is the Jamba Juice secret we covered in this article about Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Gate C

The A-list: Root Down

Although the DIA location is more limited than the one in Denver’s Lower Highland neighborhood, we still love Root Down. In fact, it has gained some recognition as the “best chef-driven, local or regional restaurant of 2016” by Airport Revenue News, which recognizes top performers in the airport and concession industries.

What to order: For breakfast, the obvious go-to is the Korma Tofu Scramble. Get it with only greens, no home fries—though we understand your weakness during air travel. After 12 p.m., get the pozole black bean soup, the house salad with tofu, and the spiced carrot hummus with veggies to dip.

Backups

If you can’t get to Root Down or the line is too long, opt for the Jamba Juice secret or the Starbucks secret we covered here, or try and mix and match beans, veggies and guacamole at La Casita.

Fun facts about DIA

• This airport is relatively new—it opened in 1995. It wasn’t cheap though, costing nearly $5 billion to build despite its estimated cost of “only” $2 billion.
• It is the largest airport in the country by a long shot, nearly double the next-largest.
• While it’s the fifth-busiest airport in the US, the four airports that rank higher in total annual travelers—LAX, ORD, ATL, and DFW—could each fit inside of DIA’s 35,000 acres. 😳
• In 2018, The Wall Street Journal named DIA the best airport in the US. The biggest isn’t always the best—like in the case of foot blisters—but in this case, size matters.
• It has the second-fastest WiFi speeds in the country, behind only Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
• Before DIA opened in 1995, Denver’s airport was Stapleton Airfield, which was built in 1930.
• Paying homage to its dark, tragic history, DIA passengers are greeted by a 32-foot statue of a blue horse. During the construction of this azure equine, the head fell off and broke the leg of the artist, Luis Jimenez, who eventually died from the subsequent blood loss. The statue’s name was Mustang, but locals nicknamed the horse “Bluecifer” after the accident.