“Bring your comfy shoes and stretchy pants,” said Melissa Correa with Houston Airports Communications. With the help of Libby Hurley who manages In-Terminal Sales for Houston Airports, Correa was finalizing a Walking Food Tour of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for staff writers of The Infatuation, an online mecca of all thing’s food in major cities like Houston. “Thank you for the quick response,” responded Gianni Greene. 

Gianni Greene and Chelsea Thomas of The Infatuation- Houston hoped to tackle a list of 10 restaurants throughout all five terminals at Bush Airport in a matter of four hours. Four hours to sample everything from Tex-Mex to Southern classics and Asian favorites requires comfortable walking shoes and pants with a little extra room.

The request to visit restaurants at Bush Airport, is unique, but not entirely unexpected. Earlier this year, Bush Airport was ranked has having one of the Top 5 World’s Best Airport Dining Experiences in 2023, according to Skytrax. 

The airport’s dining portfolio features a list of local favorites, including concepts from award-winning chefs like Hugo Ortega. An estimated 60 million passengers are expected to fly through Houston’s airports this year, more than any one brick-and-mortar restaurant can welcome annually. While the request for a walking food tour of Bush Airport is rare, it’s definitely an experience passengers will enjoy… if they arrive early enough (and hungry enough) to sample the extensive offerings. 

Gianni and Chelsea strolled through IAH Terminal A during their December visit. First on their list was Cadillac Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar, which is ranked at #3 on USA Today’s 10 best sit-down restaurants for airport travelers.   

At 8 a.m., Chelsea and Gianni bravely ordered Cadillac’s signature margarita and a breakfast plate that came with rice, beans, hashbrowns, flour tortillas and eggs soaked in salsa. Of Cadillac, The Infatuation shares: 

The original Cadillac Bar in Washington Heights has long been known for its killer margaritas, something the airport location also takes pretty seriously. Now owned by Landry’s (hey, Tilman), this spot not only offers exceptional service, especially for an airport, but you can also get absolutely massive plates of food here. We especially like the breakfast options (mostly because they have a lot of cheese).

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The food bloggers continued through IAH Terminal A, which features flights to dozens of domestic destinations. The pair sank their teeth into a burger at Hubcap Grill & Beer Yard, which is near Gate A26:

We know you might not think you need a burger topped with a Philly cheesesteak and smothered onions between flights, but you would be wrong. The tiny outpost of Hubcap Grill—while the original Heights location closed, you can find other Hubcap Grills in Pearland and Galveston—in Terminal A offers this addictive Frankensteined burger that we would possibly square up to someone over. Order up a milkshake or a beer on the side and indulge.

Passengers looking to experience quintessential Houston cuisine can easily sample The Breakfast Klub and El Tiempo Cantina, which are both near Gate A7.

The Infatuation ranks El Tiempo as a great option for those wanting to eat at the bar while enjoying fajitas and El Tiempo’s award-winning margaritas. The Cantina is the latest concept to open inside Bush Airport and is the first El Tiempo to be featured inside an airport. 

Of The Breakfast Klub, which has a cult following, Chelsea writes: 

Unlike the Midtown original, the line at the Breakfast Klub stays fairly short despite being right past the security line in Terminal A. Like the original, the fried chicken here tastes so good, it might make you want to pop a bottle of bubbles (yes, we saw someone do this). We hope you’re for ready for a long flight squeezed in a middle seat, ‘cause the food here will fill you up, and then some.

Gianni and Chelsea connected to Terminals C, D and E via the Bush Airport Skyway, mingling with travelers and taking in the sight of the new international terminal currently under construction at Bush Airport. The Walking Food Tour got the better of these veteran bloggers who walked out of the airport with their hands full of leftovers that were just too good to leave on the table. 

MORE | The complete dining experience at Bush Airport

From an award-winning arts program to one of the World’s Best Airport Dining Experiences, Houston’s airports offer more than just flights. While passengers should arrive to the airport with plenty of time to park, check luggage, clear TSA and walk to their gate, perhaps even more time to should be tacked on to a passenger’s arrival so they can have their cake, and eat it too. Just don’t forget the comfy shoes and stretchy pants.