Upper Crust

Decent sized sandwiches. I had a ham and cheddar on a croissant and it was nicely toasted with lots of filling. Not bad for airport food, but the dining area was super messy. Good option though if you are waiting for your flight and want something quick and easy.

Upper Crust! You were my FAVORITE when I frequented Paddington Station in London. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the British version of this chain. The baguette is the perfect texture and the fillings were such high quality that no condiments were needed. (There is no mayonnaise nor mustard nor anything of that sort on these sandwiches.) Fast-​forward to my recent visit to JFK airport and imagine that the only good part of my day was in seeing Upper Crust alive and well in the U.S.
I’ll admit that the sandwiches here were more Americanized and therefore a little less appealing. I tried one with turkey and brie because it was the closest to the British varieties I fell in love with years ago.
So what is 5+ stars in London’s Paddington Station is 4 stars in JFK. But compared to the usual airport offerings, Upper Crust ranks.

Lean pastrami and fresh bread vs dirty tables

Nice nice little place to eat in Delta’s Terminal 4… On two separate occasions, I’ve tried the pastrami/​cheddar cheese and BBQ chicken baguettes and they are so delicious… Essentially baguettes is a thin French bread and is even legally defined by French Law. I’m a true believer that the bread makes the sandwich and Upper Crust does not disappoint. I ask for them to toast the baguette and the end result is an insanely tasty sandwich that’ll have you craving for another.

Sandwich was actually pretty tasty (Turkey with swiss, lettuce and tomato on a French baguette) and toasted lightly to perfection. Loved the fact that it was open after 11pm, making it the only place other than McD’s in Terminal 4 open that late (to my knowledge).

Caveat: I have not tried anything but the chocolate chip cookies.
Boy, do I love these cookies. Whenever I am in terminal 4 of JFK, I make sure to make a stop. They are not always up front, and they are pricey ($ 2.80) but ask for these sizable cookies from the back and you won’t be sorry.

I really mean zero stars. Picked up a sandwich here for a quick, late lunch. I spent the night worshiping at the feet of the porcelain goddess.

This popular European chain is the first I’ve seen in the states, a fitting addition to Terminal 4, where more international airlines fly to more than any other terminal. Somehow like many chains with abroad origins, the US version is always lacking something — in this case, it’s lacking a good sandwich, which happens to be Upper Crust’s bread winner specialty (mind the pun).
The motto for every Upper Crust is their claim to fresh baguettes /​sandwiches, made every 3 – 4 hours. Combinations of the veggie kind, hearty kind, and gluten free kind are available here, all for somewhere between $ 8 – 12, which for airport standards may not feel that spendy. But each baguette sandwich I“ve had from here, be it the all vegetable (cucumber, tomato, eggplant, cheddar) or the classic (ham, cheddar, mozzarella, and tomato) have been terribly bland. I would normally recommend toasted for most folks, but the sandwich always comes back as a gooey mess, almost Quiznos-​like.
Where their sandwiches fail is where their space prevails, as this little eatery actually has it’s own independent seating area with mini tables, wall booths, and a counter. It does get crowded during the afternoon rush but tends to get a little quiet after 6PM. But the *best* part of Upper Crust? They have various electrical outlets on the counter, walls, and under the booths, which for frequent Terminal 4 visitors, is an absolute god-​send.
Baguettes here alone aren’t worth it, but it is one of the only healthy alternatives to the fried chicken, burger, and pizza joints around Terminal 4. So plug in your phone /​laptop, buy a mediocre sandwich, and park yourself at the counter, where you’re sure to enjoy some people watching and some good ol fashioned electricity.