We love a good burger, and sometimes all we want before a flight is some good ol’ beef before we leave the state. Hubcap Grill and Beer Yard satisfies that craving with fresh cuts of beef and hand-cut fries. The airport menu includes the classic Hubcap Decker, which features a ground beef patty on toasted buns with American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, and a special mayo sauce. Other dishes include the Philly cheesesteak burger, the Texas BBQ burger—which comes with barbecue sausage and sauce, cheddar, jalapeños, and crispy fried onions—and the patty melt burger, served on toasted rye bread. And don’t forget to complement your meal with a side of fries—preferably the bacon cheese fries.

This Midtown staple is always crazy. No matter what time of day you go, you’ll probably be met with a line that wraps around the building. With the location in IAH, you don’t have to worry about all that trouble—enjoy some of the restaurant’s famous dishes before taking off, without the wait. Be sure to try the French toast, served with two eggs and a choice of pan sausage, bacon, ham, or turkey; or the Kroissant, a breakfast sandwich made with eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and your choice of pan sausage, bacon, ham, or turkey, served on a croissant. If you’re feeling spicy, ask for an order of the wings and grits, served with potatoes or two eggs and your choice of toast or a biscuit.

It’s (almost) time to eat like a champ at Simone Biles’s restaurant, Taste of Gold. The Olympic gold medalist is ready to leave her mark on Houston’s dining scene with some help from the Playmakers Group, a hospitality company known for working on celebrity restaurants. The menu will be curated by Dallas restaurateur Mark Brezinski, featuring some of Biles’s favorite foods. It’s expected to open in the first quarter of 2025 near gate A8.

Whether you’re in the mood for breakfast—we recommend the beloved honey butter chicken biscuit—or the classic Whataburger meal, the airport location of Whataburger has you covered. Other menu items include taquitos, breakfast on a bun, the Whataburger patty melt, and the honey BBQ chicken strip sandwich.

This local pizzeria is our go-to spot even outside of the airport. At IAH, by-the-slice options include classic cheese; pepperoni; Hawaii Five-0, made with Canadian bacon, pineapple, and cheese; the Veggie Supremo, which comes with onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and tomatoes; or the Big Boss, with pepperoni, Italian sausage, beef, Canadian bacon, and American bacon. The menu also offers a Greek salad and spicy barbecue wings.

This Mexican restaurant was brought to IAH by acclaimed chef Hugo Ortega of Hugo’s, Backstreet Café, Xochi, and others. Appetizers include chips and salsa, chips and guacamole, and coctel de camarón (a Mexican shrimp cocktail), or go for a torta with ham or turkey. And the best part: The restaurant also has a wide variety of cocktails, beers, wines, mezcal, and tequila to sip on while you wait for your flight.

Houston-based Berg Hospitality Group has been prolific at opening new restaurants over the years—and yes, even in our airports. The Annie Café and Bar, an icon in the city since it opened as Café Annie in 1989, now has an outpost at IAH, serving American cuisine like lobster salad, mushroom rigatoni, and a fried chicken sandwich.

The Pappas restaurants are a staple in the Houston area, so the inclusion of this spot is a no-brainer. After a hefty dispute with the city in 2023, you can no longer find Pappas concepts at Hobby, so we’re thankful the company still has flagships at IAH. The restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, including mozzarella cheese sticks, baked crab mac and cheese, and crispy alligator. If you have time before your flight, settle in with the rainbow trout and crab, a crawfish platter, or crawfish etouffée. For a quicker bite, opt for a po’boy sandwich or a bacon cheeseburger.

Again, we’re just happy to have some Pappas options at IAH. Sit back, relax, and enjoy menu favorites like cheese enchiladas, tacos al carbon, or chicken tinga enchiladas. Or order the fajita famosas for even more protein to get you through your flight (options include chicken, beef and chicken, beef, or shrimp). And if you’re flying before 10am, have a Pappasito’s breakfast platter, which comes with scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, flour tortillas, and your choice or jalapeño cheese sausage or applewood-smoked bacon.

This Galveston gem brings a touch of the seawall to travelers as one of Hobby Airport’s newest restaurants. Enjoy breakfast options like a taco plate, a breakfast burger, or pancakes with powdered sugar. There’s also burgers, sandwiches, and wings, but of course, we come here for the seafood plates. These include fish and chips, jumbo fried shrimp, diablo grilled shrimp, and Uncle Bill’s famous shrimp po’boy made with spicy remoulade, lettuce, and tomato. If you want a sweet treat, sip on a classic milkshake before heading to your gate.

We can’t get enough of this pizza spot, so we feel pretty lucky to have it in both Houston’s airports. The menu options are the same as at IAH, including the Hawaii Five-0 made with Canadian bacon, pineapple, and cheese; and the Big Boss topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, beef, Canadian bacon, and American bacon.

This ice cream shop began in 2013 in the Heights and has earned Houston’s love and support over the past 10-plus years. Now, Houstonians on the go who find themselves craving something sweet are in luck. The airport menu offers the same fresh ice creams as Fat Cat’s other locations, such as Mexican vanilla and Amaya coffee and cream, plus other treats including sodas, floats, and milkshakes.

This spot has 4,000 square feet for travelers to relax before hopping on their flight. The restaurant serves popular favorites like the steak Laredo—a beef tenderloin stuffed with white cheddar and topped with chile rojo sauce—the cedar plank salmon served with ancho-lime butter and green beans, and the Texas hot chicken and cheese sandwich. And to cater to the early-morning travelers, this location has a breakfast menu with steak and eggs, breakfast burritos, and brisket breakfast tacos.