Baghdad International Airport / New Al Muthana Air Base

Baghdad International Airport won't win any awards for culinary variety, but it offers more than you might expect once you clear security. The main terminal's food court sits landside near the check-in halls and features a handful of casual Iraqi eateries alongside international fast-food counters. Once airside, options narrow considerably, so the golden rule is simple: eat before you board. The departures lounge has a small café serving strong, cardamom-scented Iraqi chai and pastries that will genuinely brighten a long layover.

For something authentically local, look for vendors selling samoon — the distinctive diamond-shaped Iraqi flatbread — stuffed with falafel, eggs, or creamy labneh. Masgoof, the legendary whole fish grilled over an open tamarind-wood fire, is Baghdad's most celebrated dish, and while you won't find the full riverside ritual inside the terminal, a simplified version occasionally appears on the menu at the sit-down restaurant near the domestic arrivals hall. Pair it with a bowl of red lentil shorba and you'll leave feeling genuinely fed rather than merely fueled.

The airside café on the upper departure level is your best friend if your flight is delayed, offering freshly brewed black tea poured into tulip glasses, date pastries, and light mezze platters. Coffee options are improving, with a small espresso counter that does the job admirably. Prices are reasonable by international airport standards, and staff are unfailingly hospitable. Grab a bag of locally made tamr — pressed Medjool dates — from the duty-free kiosk as an edible souvenir that doubles as the perfect in-flight snack.