Stansted has one terminal, and almost all of its food, drink and shopping is in the departure lounge after security. Before security there are a few coffee shops and quick bites in the arrivals hall and by the coach station, open to anyone. This page lists what there is on each side, with opening times where they help with an early flight.
Checked against London Stansted Airport's own listings in October 2026; outlets change, so check the airport's site for opening hours.
For drop-off, how early to arrive and parking, see our guide to flying from Stansted Airport.
Before security
The choice landside is small, so unless you are waiting for someone, it is usually better to go through security first and eat in the departure lounge.
Food and coffee
- Costa Coffee: in International Arrivals, open 24 hours.
- Caffè Nero: near the bus and coach station, open 24 hours.
- LEON: in arrivals, open 24 hours, serving breakfast, rice boxes, burgers and salads.
- Burger King: in arrivals, as well as in the departure lounge.
- AN&: at the bus station, serving Punjabi-influenced meals and snacks to take away, from 04:00 to 21:30.
- M&S Simply Food: in the arrivals hall, open 24 hours, with sandwiches and snacks, ready meals and flowers.
Shops and services
- Boots and WHSmith, both in the arrivals hall as well as the departure lounge.
- Excess Baggage: in the arrivals hall, from 06:00 to 22:00, for bag wrapping and other luggage services. It is also the collection point for Shop Now & Collect on Return (see below).
After security: the departure lounge
Once through security you are in one large departure lounge, where almost everything is. Your gate may be some way off, in one of the satellite buildings. Out at the gates, the airport lists only a Selecta self-serve area in Satellite 2, for snacks, sandwiches and hot drinks, so eat and shop before you head to the gate.
Restaurants and bars
- JD Wetherspoon, The Windmill: classic pub food, ales and wine, open from 03:00 to 22:00.
- The Camden Bar & Kitchen: breakfasts, pub classics and street food, with Camden Town Brewery beers, open from 03:30. It has a children's menu and vegetarian and vegan options.
- Comptoir Libanais: Lebanese food from breakfast to dinner, with a children's menu.
- Terracotta Italian Kitchen: sourdough pizza, pasta, arancini and gelato.
- Sunny Side Cafe: an all-day brunch cafe, from eggs Benedict to bacon baps, with a children's menu.
- The Perch: a bar with a Japanese-Peruvian (Nikkei) food and drinks menu, such as gyoza and pisco sours.
- Bottega Prosecco Bar and Caffè: an Italian bar for prosecco and Mediterranean small plates, from 04:00 to 22:00.
The airport's restaurants do not take reservations.
Quicker food
- Burgers and hot food: Burger King (from 05:00), LEON, Tortilla for burritos, bowls and tacos, and itsu for sushi, gyoza and noodle bowls.
- Sandwiches: Pret A Manger. The main Pret is open 24 hours, and the smaller Little Pret from 02:00 to 21:00.
- Coffee, juice and doughnuts: Harris + Hoole and Caffè Nero, both open 24 hours; Joe & The Juice, which takes cards and contactless only; and Krispy Kreme.
Most of the cafes and restaurants above open at 04:00, so for the first flights of the day, the 24-hour coffee shops, Pret and the Wetherspoon are the options that are open earliest.
Shops
- Duty free: World Duty Free, from 03:00 until the last flight, for fragrance, beauty, drinks and confectionery.
- Essentials: Boots, open 24 hours, for medicines, toiletries and make-up; WHSmith, from 04:00 until the last flight, for books, snacks, chargers and travel pillows.
- Fashion and accessories: Accessorize, BOSS, FatFace, JD Sports, Mulberry, Superdry and Sunglasses Boutique.
- Beauty and home: Rituals.
- Tech: InMotion, for headphones, chargers, speakers and tablets.
- Toys and gifts: Hamleys, LEGO and MINISO, which stocks travel gadgets and character gifts.
- British souvenirs: Discover London and Glorious Britain, for teas, biscuits and gifts.
Most of these shops open from 04:00 to 21:00.
Buying now and collecting on the way home
If you see something you do not want to carry on holiday, Stansted's Shop Now & Collect on Return service lets you pay in the shop and pick it up when you land, from Excess Baggage next to International Arrivals. It is free. If you do take your shopping with you, the airport says all airlines let you carry one bag of shopping on board as well as your hand luggage, but check your airline's rules if you are unsure.
For getting to the airport, see our directions to Stansted Airport. To compare parking for your dates, see Stansted Airport parking, and for somewhere quieter to wait, our Stansted lounges page.
Sorted before you fly.
