Simone Biles has added a new kind of landing to her resume, cutting the ribbon on Taste of Gold on Tuesday at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The Olympic champion’s first restaurant sits in Terminal A near Gate A8 and zeroes in on fast, shareable plates and travel-friendly portions, headlined by a signature item dubbed “Simone’s Skewers.” The spot is built for peak travel hours and blends sports-bar energy with hand-crafted wood and gold details that nod to Biles’ medal-stacked legacy.
According to KHOU, Taste of Gold opened Tuesday and is scheduled to operate daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., serving sandwiches, salads, shareable plates and desserts tailored to people hustling to their gates. Taste of Gold managing partner Derek Missimo told the station the concept aims to create places that “feel familiar and local, without sacrificing quality, speed or consistency.” Airport officials, KHOU adds, described the debut as a milestone for IAH’s concessions program.
How the concept came together
The restaurant was first announced in September 2024 as a partnership between Biles and The Playmakers Group, with Houston Airports stating that Mark Brezinski would curate the menu and SSP America would operate the location, per the airport’s press release. Local reporting at the time followed the build-out and framed Taste of Gold as part of IAH’s push to expand dining choices while creating jobs in the surrounding community. Early coverage, including a writeup in the Houston Chronicle, laid out the original lineup of partners and the plan to spotlight Biles at her hometown airport.
Menu and design highlights
Taste of Gold’s menu is built around quick, shareable items built for tight layovers. The headliner is the signature “Simone’s Skewers,” available with chicken, steak, shrimp or vegetables, joined by a lineup of sandwiches and desserts, according to KHOU. Inside, travelers will find multiple televisions tuned to sporting events and original 3-D artwork by Jody Dodson, with hand-painted wood and gold embellishments designed to echo Biles’ leotards. Operators say the layout is meant to keep things moving for rushed fliers while still feeling like a sit-down break from the concourse.
What travelers should expect
For people flying in and out of Terminal A, Taste of Gold adds a branded, sit-down option in the middle of IAH’s broader concessions revamp. The airport handled more than 46 million passengers in 2023 and has been actively courting high-profile concepts to match that traffic. Coverage of the project’s initial announcement and build-out appeared in food outlets such as Eater Houston, and Biles' hometown airport debut was Hoodline’s first look at the project back in 2024. Travelers can expect a mix of grab-and-go choices and counter service, all built around quick turnover for people sprinting to make boarding.
Taste of Gold is Simone Biles’ first restaurant at her hometown airport and a high-visibility example of the recent wave of athlete-branded concessions in major terminals. The restaurant sits in Terminal A near Gate A8, and details on hours, menu or service model could evolve over time, so we will update if the operation makes changes.
