Train station dining is usually serviceable at best: a fast food mega-chain here, a coffee-and-newspaper stand there. Real culinary tourism is best saved for one’s destination, not the journey. But there are some real gems bucking that norm. Iconic or even Michelin-starred dining experiences can be found in stations in major metropolitan centers such as Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and London. Meanwhile, stations in Denver and Washington, D.C. have seen their fare improve in recent years. (And New York’s Grand Central is slated for another winning concept—a Nordic restaurant and food hall from respected Copenhagen restaurateur Claus Meyer.) Read on for nine of the world’s best restaurants that just so happen to be located inside train stations.

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