When the pandemic first struck, 95% of the food vendors at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport closed. Some never reopened.

Since then, the food program at the airport has been slowly reawakening, with refreshed menus and tweaked concepts for a new age in travel. There are entirely new faces and flavors, and construction projects are reconfiguring some tight squeezes, making room for even more food vendors.

As travel picks up for the season — starting next week with Minnesota students' annual fall break — there is so much to choose from that you might just want to make the airport the destination.

"You need to come early now to try the food," said Isabella Rhawie, assistant director of concessions and business development at MSP.

One frequent traveler spends so much time at the airport that it made sense to him to open a restaurant there.

Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland, who's also the son of a retired flight attendant, celebrated the grand opening this week of his Northern Soul fried chicken sandwich spot in the Main Mall of Terminal 1.

It's the first of what he hopes will be many national outposts of his restaurants. (It's operated by Delaware North, which manages restaurants in hotels, stadiums, casinos and airports across the country.)

"Honestly, the more that I travel, it just makes you realize why MSP is such a good airport compared to most places. A huge part of that is their food scene," Sutherland said.

MSP has put a particular emphasis on local eats. Interspersed with big brands like Chili's and Dunkin', you'll find salad bowls from Crisp & Green, pastries from Angel Food Bakery and burgers from Red Cow.

Bradley Taylor began stocking two airport vending machines this summer with his Donut Trap doughnuts.

"I think what I like about it most is the exposure to multiple people across different states and countries," Taylor said. "There's diversity in that."

MSP's aim is to strike a balance between recognizable, national favorites that can give travelers an experience consistent with what they find at home, while offering local flavor that can introduce more adventurous travelers to something new and uniquely Minnesotan.

"We love to work with local chefs to bring a taste of Minnesota here," Rhawie said. "It's important for us to showcase Minnesota and our cuisine. It would be a disservice not to."

We toured Terminal 1 (Terminal 2 is getting an overhaul later) to scout out the food scene — from newly opened restaurants to menu changeups that meet the needs of travelers today. Here's where to eat when you're on your way.

Main Mall

Northern Soul: Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland brings his pressure-fried chicken sandwiches, peppery mac and cheese, tots and sweet potato waffle fries to the Main Mall (the spot, on the north end, used to be a Smack Shack). Sutherland's "Northern Soul" cookbooks are on display behind the counter, alongside Cry Baby Craig's hot sauce. The airport's newest addition meets a need for craveworthy, crunchy chicken sandwiches; the only other spot to grab them is Chick-fil-A on Concourse C — and that's closed on Sundays. A breakfast sandwich menu might soon expand to all day, and local beers are on the menu, too.

Cook & the Ox: On the south end of the mall, a former steakhouse got a total menu overhaul. The late chef Jack Riebel was behind the original menu, which was once aimed at business travelers. But the pandemic interrupted much of that kind of travel, and when this den-like restaurant reopened, it had to draw in a broader audience — what Rhawie calls "bleisure" travelers: business plus leisure. The menu is down to just three chops, and its focus now leans more on sandwiches.

Hissho Sushi Bar: The gleaming food court that opened shortly before the pandemic has a new sushi restaurant in the middle of this sunlit space. (The central kiosk and sushi bar's first tenant was PinKU.) There are grab-and-go sushi rolls and additional dishes made to order.

Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana: This Neapolitan-style pizzeria, which replaced Black Sheep last year, makes personal pies lightning fast, including a breakfast pizza menu (carbonara, anyone?). Though a national brand, Settebello uses local suppliers such as Alemar Cheese and Ames Farm honey.

Quick bites: Airport vending machines have been quietly raising the game. There are now 11 Farmer's Fridge machines in both terminals that are stocked with salads and high-protein snacks. Illy coffee machines can make you a latte to order. And you might see a squat machine that isn't up and running yet, but will be soon: Yo-Kai Express will be offering fresh hot ramen in multiple locations: the Main Mall, Concourse G and Terminal 2.

Concourse G

This long concourse was laid out like a zipper, and MSP is filling in the grooves by adding more room at crowded gates and creating new atria ringed with restaurants. Construction is ongoing, but two of the new "pods" have been completed.

A new, exclusive Delta Sky Club anchors the pod at the farthest end of the concourse, and if you have access, you'll be delighted by the mod furnishings, an open-air terrace with outstanding runway views, and all-inclusive food (for which Justin Sutherland consulted). For everyone else, there's a suite of new spots, including local salad purveyors Crisp & Green, a Starbucks with a tucked-away lounge facing the tarmac, a bagel-by-morning-burger-by-afternoon combo called Poppy's Bagels and Custom Burgers, and a sleek new version of a longtime airport restaurant, Mill City Tavern. And for a snack on the go with a local touch, the Donut Trap vending machine offers creative flavors of cake doughnuts in an unusual dispensing device.

Concourse E

The area known as Food Truck Alley is a local eats food court with kiosks designed to look like mobile eateries. The area is a bit in flux, with potential shifts in vendors in the months ahead. But Holy Land's Mediterranean and Red Cow's burgers are still going strong. And, for the time being, you can get ice cream scoops from Sebastian Joe's. Stay tuned for more changes there. Angel Food Bakery isn't new, but is certainly one of the airport's most elegant spots to grab sweets, in this chandelier-lit shop teeming with sugar.

Baggage claim

All but one baggage carousel has been redesigned, changing the entire floor from a dark cave to bright, welcoming gateway to the Twin Cities. In addition to a row of vending machines, including those Farmer's Fridge salads, you'll notice that Caribou Coffee recently opened a new counter. It comes with ample plush seats to lounge in while you wait for your bags or companions to arrive.

Outside the airport

InterContinental restaurants: For a cocktail that's shaken by a human, indulgent snacks like pastrami sliders and pimento cheese dip, and thoughtful salads served on actual dishware, La Voya Brasserie and Bradstreet Craftshouse are two slightly more upscale dining options reachable by foot just outside the bounds of MSP airport, in the neighboring InterContinental hotel. La Voya offers a Minnesota-inflected French menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bradstreet is a familiar name in Minneapolis, first as the resident cocktail bar at the old 601 Graves Hotel and later as a speakeasy-esque spot in Lowry Hill. Located at the InterContinental since it opened in 2018, it's a lunch and dining gastropub and "gaming hall," with TV screens and a selection of board games to while away even the longest layover. A skyway to the hotel is accessible near Gate C25, though it only works one way: out. A shuttle can take you back to Terminal 1 after your meal.

Tips and tricks for foodies on the fly

Order ahead: Cut the Starbucks and Caribou lines by ordering ahead on their apps. Rhawie places her order right before she goes through security, so her drink is waiting for her on the other side. You can also pre-order food from more than a dozen of the airport's restaurants; place your order at mspordernow.com and pick it up when it's ready. (Find ordering apps for Terminal 2 at mspairport.com/terminal-2-food-offerings.) "People use technology a lot outside the airport, but haven't caught on inside," Rhawie said. "Use tech to your advantage here."

Take culinary gifts with you: Several local brands can be found at the airport, making it easy to be a Minnesota ambassador. Keeper's Heart whiskey is available at the duty-free shop (Concourse G). On the Main Mall, the Legends of the North store stocks We Are Nuts, Hamel maple syrup, Salted Nut Rolls, Sted chocolates from Fergus Falls, and even cans of Spam.

Shortcut to the new Delta lounge: It's a long haul to the end of Concourse G, especially if you're coming from the south end of the airport. Here's a trick. Head to Concourse C and take the tram down to the walkway across the airport. People movers will get you to G, and you come out right in front of the Sky Club.

Seats with a view: G is full of new nooks and crannies thanks to the expansion of narrow gate areas — and some of those nooks have the best views. Nothing beats the Delta Sky Club with its open-air deck and a glass-walled space that feels like it's on the runway. Just downstairs, a new Starbucks might look like nothing but a counter; keep going toward the windows and you'll find a hidden lounge with a direct view of the airplanes.