Hot katsu curry instead of another pre-flight fry-up
Wasabi in Gatwick’s South Terminal is the go-to if you want Japanese curry or sushi rather than yet another pub burger. It sits airside after security, in the main food court zone, and runs typical airport hours from early morning into the late evening to catch most departures. Expect $$ pricing by airport standards: a curry or bento usually lands in the same bracket as a mid-range sit-down meal elsewhere in the terminal.
The move here is the hot katsu curry or one of the bento boxes. Frequent flyers on Reddit call these the best value, especially compared with the smaller chilled sushi packs. A breaded chicken katsu with rice and curry sauce generally comes in under the cost of two pre-packed snack boxes from other chains, and it actually feels like a meal before a 2–3 hour hop on easyJet or BA.
Sushi is fine if you keep it simple: think basic maki rolls and salmon nigiri, not chef specials. One Google reviewer flags that prices feel steep for the portion size, especially on fancier mixed trays. With a rating around 2 out of 5, expectations should stay in the “better than a sad sandwich” lane, not a central London sushi bar.
Regulars often buy an extra curry or sushi box specifically to eat in seat 23A halfway to Spain, because it travels better than greasy fast food. Tripadvisor and Reddit both mention that hot dishes can start to sell out later in the evening, leaving mostly chilled grab-and-go packs after about 8–9 p.m. If you’re on a late flight and want something hot, don’t leave it to the last call.
Tip: check the hot counter first; if there’s fresh katsu and a decent bento selection, order that and skip the smaller mixed sushi trays unless you really need something cold for the plane.