Crunching through a fresh bánh mì at the far end of Terminal C at Sea-Tac International Airport or unwrapping an oversized cemita during boarding sits just at the edge of acceptable airport behavior. Not because someone shouldn’t be able to enjoy some of Seattle’s finest sandwiches or slices en route, but simply because it is absolutely crushing to fellow passengers looking on (and smelling) enviously.

As a frequent traveler and incorrigible food lover, I always stop just outside airports in other cities to grab a bite: a po’boy on the way to Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans, kabobs in Crystal City before a flight out of Reagan, and a burrito to bring on board from Los Angeles.

Sadly, shiny distractions and a misplaced confidence that I will pack myself a lunch from home mean that I rarely manage to bring something equally good with me on an outbound flight. I simply join the masses and resign myself to a $15 grilled cheese.

But no more: I’m committing to inciting just as much envy in Seattle passengers as I do those in airports elsewhere, and perhaps even sparking a conversation that leads someone else to some of our top-options with easy access from the various ways to the airport from Seattle. Here’s where you’ll find me.

I-5: Voi Cà Phê

A tray of bánh mì sandwiches from Voi Cà Phê

Photo courtesy of Voi Cà Phê

Remember, anything can be a breakfast sandwich when you pick it up at eight in the morning on your way to the airport. This Georgetown Vietnamese sandwich shop opens early and has online ordering, which allows me to perfectly time popping off the freeway to grab one of the city’s best bánh mì and a coffee, then guzzle the drink as I make the rest of the drive and pack away the sandwich for later.

SR-509: Cemitas Poblanas

Cemita de milanesa at Cemitas Poblanas

Photo courtesy of Cemitas Poblanas

If traffic forces you to take 509, don’t despair — it’s the ideal excuse to stop in Boulevard Park and get one of these enormous cousins of the torta. Stacked with an array of Mexican meats (I like the milanesa), unraveled string cheese, avocado, and all sorts of other goodies on a sesame bun, this sandwich will absolutely bowl you over with flavor, and probably knock you out for the better part of a flight to Florida with its heft.

Side Streets: Stevie’s Famous

Stevie’s Famous pizzas

Photo courtesy of Stevie's Famous

Yes, I’m suggesting you stop into Burien’s masterful pie slinger and pick up a whole pizza for the road. Just make sure you’ve got a few friends to help you finish it before you board or the box might count as a carry-on. Or, I guess, get it by the slice if that scares you. But it’s really good pizza, and totally worth paying to check a bag if you need to in order to bring a spinach and artichoke special on board.

Light Rail: Milk Drunk, The Original Philly’s, Billiard Hoang, or Taco Street

From left to right: Milk Drunk’s chicken sandwich, The Original Philly’s cheesesteak, Billiard Hong’s vermicelli bowl, and a Taco Street burrito.

Photos courtesy of Milk Drunk, The Original Philly's, Ballard Hoang, and Taco Street

Seattle’s public transit isn’t quite robust enough that I’d recommend taking the risk of getting off to pick up food and then getting back on (someday, perhaps) but a chicken sandwich from Milk Drunk (Beacon Hill), cheesesteak from Original Philly’s (Mount Baker), vermicelli bowl from Billiard Hoang (Columbia City), or burrito from Taco Street (Othello) are ideal bribes to get a friend or family member to drive you to a south end light rail stop for less than the cost of an Uber and far more deliciousness.