Most airport restaurants are forgettable by design — grab something fast, keep moving, do not look at the bill. Taste of Gold is built around the opposite philosophy entirely. And the person behind it is exactly who you would want rewriting the rules of airport dining.
Simone Biles, 29, seven-time Olympic gold medalist, officially opened her first restaurant at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Tuesday, March 24, celebrating the launch alongside her family inside Terminal A. The crowd that showed up was not just there for the food. They were there for what the moment represents.
Simone Biles Brings Gold to Terminal A
Taste of Gold opened inside Terminal A near Gate A8, designed as a comfortable, casual space for travelers with décor inspired by Biles’ career and achievements. This is not a generic licensing deal slapped onto a concession stand. Every detail in the space was built with intention.
The restaurant features original 3D artwork by Texas designer Jody Dodson, with hand-crafted and painted wood pieces and gold embellishments tied directly to Biles’ iconic leotard. Multiple large screens line the space for sports viewing, making it just as comfortable for a layover game-watch as it is for a quick meal between flights.
The overall effect is warm, Houston-rooted, and unmistakably hers.
What Is Actually on the Menu
Taste of Gold keeps the menu focused and shareable — perfect for the pace of airport travel. Travelers can expect
- Sandwiches
- Salads
- Skewers — including Simone’s personal favorite, featuring chicken, steak, shrimp, and vegetable options
- Desserts
- Shareable small plates
The menu offers flavor-forward twists inspired by Biles’ tastes and Houston’s vibrant food culture, which means this is not standard terminal fare. There is a clear culinary point of view running through every item.
The restaurant is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., covering early departures through late arrivals — no traveler gets left out.
The Vision Behind the Restaurant
Biles did not walk into this venture alone. The restaurant is a collaboration with Athlete Playmaker Group, a company that develops and operates restaurants and bars co-created with elite athletes in airport terminals across the country. The partnership reflects a broader movement of athletes building legacy beyond their sport — not through endorsements, but through ownership. Biles joins a growing group of athletes who are choosing to put their name on something they actually built, not just something they were paid to promote.
Athlete Playmaker Group co-founder Derek Missimo described the mission as creating places that feel familiar and local without sacrificing quality, speed, or consistency — because airports are the front door to a city but too often feel interchangeable. Taste of Gold is Biles’ answer to that problem for Houston.
A New Chapter Running Alongside a Big Personal Move
The timing of this opening lands in the middle of a significant personal transition for Biles. Her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, was recently traded from the Chicago Bears to the Indianapolis Colts — a move that has the couple preparing to relocate ahead of the upcoming football season.
Through all of it, Biles has handled the transition publicly with the same composure she brings to competition. She has been open with fans about the adjustment, asking for city recommendations and leaning into the new chapter with visible excitement. Taste of Gold opening in her hometown right now feels less like coincidence and more like an anchor — a permanent piece of her legacy planted in the city that shaped her.
What This Moment Really Means
Houston Airports chief commercial development officer Francisco Cuellar called the opening a defining moment for the concessions program, saying that having a global icon like Biles choose Bush Airport for her first restaurant speaks to the strength of the platform and the millions of passengers it serves each year. That is institutional language for something much simpler — Simone Biles just made a Houston layover worth looking forward to.
For travelers passing through Terminal A, the stop at Gate A8 is no longer just about catching a flight. It is about catching a glimpse of what it looks like when greatness builds something that lasts.
