United Airlines

United Introduces Regional Signature Cuisines in Domestic First Class

Updated on
United's regional signature cuisines feature a dish of meatballs in tomato sauce accompanied with a salad, roll, and dessert in a cup.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, United Airlines further enhanced its lunch and dinner service in its domestic first-class cabins by offering signature dishes in select markets. Originally, these regional cuisines were only available on flights departing from Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR), and San Francisco (SFO). In December, these special local entrées are available in all of UA’s seven hubs in the continental US, but by pre-orders only. That is, when you receive that email five days before your flight, you need to place your order at least 24 hours before departure. These special entrées will not be available for selections when you are on board the aircraft.

Table of Contents

Chicago

A menu with pictures showing several options for dinner including vegetarian and meat dishes.

When I flew home to LAX from Chicago last week, I was quite excited that I got to experience United’s relatively new regional signature cuisines firsthand. When I received the email to pre-order my meal, I noticed that a few entrées were available by pre-order only, one of which is the Chicago meatballs. I placed my order right away and received a confirmation email moments later. I was really looking forward to savoring these brand-new local favorites.

A dish of meatballs covered in a tomato sauce and served with a side of green leafy vegetables.

The meatballs were delicious. They came with arrabbiata – a slightly sweet Italian sauce made with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and a touch of crushed red peppers to give it a mild level of heat. The meatballs were soft, succulent, and richly flavorful. The plate came complete with sautéed spinach and creamy polenta.

Another local classic that is also on rotation from Chicago is chicken Vesuvio, an Italian American favorite dating back to the early days of the Windy City. The chicken comes with a lemon garlic white wine jus and is accompanied by a serving of green peas and roasted potato wedges.

Denver

A plate of meat covered in a white sauce served on top of white rice.

Denver’s specialty entrée is an old-fashioned Colorado style green chili pork stew garnished with sour cream and served over steamed white rice. It is a classic Colorado comfort food with plenty of flavor and a moderate kick from the green chili.

Houston

A plate contains a chicken breast filet covered in a white sauce accompanied by Spanish rice and beans.

The current signature dish from Houston is grilled chicken breast with a Latin twist of Mexican rice, ranchero beans, and garnished with a wedge of lime. A savory and creamy jalapeño cheese veloute sauce adds the finishing touch to the plate.

Los Angeles

A thick salmon filet sits atop a bed of white rice in a serving dish.

The special local entrée for flights departing from LAX is seared salmon filet with a blend of Mexican and Mediterranean flavors. It is topped with Veracruz sauce which is a salsa-like topping primarily made of finely diced tomatoes, olive oil, capers, and lime. The fish sits atop a bed of kale and steamed white rice.

Newark

A steak with potatoes and vegetables is accompanied by a glass of red wine.

As of this writing, the latest regional dish for flight departing from New York (Newark Airport, EWR) is beef tenderloin in French bordelaise – a reduction sauce made primarily with beef bone broth, butter, red wine, and shallot. Sides include creamy spinach and cheesy scalloped potatoes.

A steak is covered in a brown peppercorn sauce with sides of green beans and potatoes.

Another rendition of the local favorite that appears to be also on rotation is a filet mignon served with peppercorn sauce and accompanied by steak fries and green beans.

San Francisco

A piece of grilled fish sits atop a bed of mashed potatoes and a side of green vegetables.

When thinking about food in the city known for the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars, many of us probably consider Fisherman Wharf, clam chowder, and seafood. So, United’s latest version of pan seared halibut is a great signature dish that is representative of San Francisco. The fish is served appropriately with cioppino broth – a rich broth made with a blend of seafood stocks, tomatoes, and wine. Sides of potato puree and steamed broccoli complete the presentation.

Another version of SFO’s regional cuisine was sweet and spicy shrimps with Singaporean fried vermicelli. It’s a nice blend of seafood with a touch of the city’s Asian flavor.

Washington Dulles

Two pieces of crab cakes are covered in a creamy sauce and accompanied by a blend of vegetables.

Two large Maryland blue crab cakes sit atop a bed of succotash – a medley of corn and beans – and accompanied by a side of creamy Creole-style remoulade sauce. This is as good as you can get to feature a signature dish in the Chesapeake Bay area. This entrée has received high marks from many travel communities and is a top favorite among United’s frequent flyers in the domestic first-class cabin.

Conclusion

Kudos to United for offering its domestic first-class signature dish in all seven of its hubs in the continental US. Each city has its own unique geographical location, demographics, culture, and flavors. I am glad to see that all those regional cuisines reflect a good part of the above characteristics of a city. From the crab cakes in Chesapeake Bay in the east to the Latin and Asian touches in the west, I can see that the airline has put in a lot of thoughts and efforts in the selection process. This is certainly a great enhancement to the already improving food service in UA’s premium cabins. I eagerly look forward to savoring more of these local cuisines on my upcoming flights in the near future.

You may also like...