Visitors to Hobby Airport will soon be able to get a true taste of Houston during their layovers. This week, Houston City Council approved a new, 10-year contract that will bring 10 new restaurants to the airport.
LaTrelle’s Galley, LP., a division of Houston-based LaTrelle’s Management, has partnered with local restaurants, including:
- Dish Society, a casual, farm to table restaurant
- Common Bond, the bakery and cafe known for its pastries and sandwiches
- The Rustic, the Texas comfort food bar and restaurant that counts musician Pat Green as an owner
- Velvet Taco, the Dallas-based restaurant known for its creative combinations
- Pinks Pizza, a Houston pizzeria with seven locations
- Fat Cat Creamery, the retro-inspired ice cream shop that uses Texas eggs, dairy, and produce
National brands coming to the airport consist of Peet’s Coffee, Jersey Mike’s, Wendy’s, and Dunkin’.
Each restaurant in the 17,000-square-foot space will have branding and signage consistent with its other locations. For example, The Rustic will have a stage for live music performances. Overall, the renovations are expected to take approximately two years to complete. Food service will not be disrupted by the construction.
Each brand will feature distinctive signage. Courtesy of Houston Airports
LaTrelle’s Management started its airport business in 1985 with a bakery at Hobby. Now, it operates more than 30 restaurants in airports across the country, according to a release.
“We are bringing ourselves to this project, and we are Houston,” LaTrelle’s operations director Cameron James said in a statement. “We put together a proposal that aims to do right by our restaurant operators and the airport alike — everyone wins. When a local, family-owned and operated business like us is given the opportunity to spearhead a venture like this, it also sends an important message to other entrepreneurs: This is something that can happen in this city.”
The new restaurants should help Hobby Airport maintain its prestigious reputation. Last year, it became the first airport in North America — and one of only 16 in the world — to receive a prestigious 5-star rating from the Skytrax World Airport Star Rating.
“As the first and only 5-Star airport in North America, it’s imperative that Hobby Airport continues to elevate the passenger experience through unique, diverse, and delightful culinary options,” Houston Airports COO Jim Szczesniak stated. “Because LaTrelle’s is rooted in Houston, I am confident that the variety of local, regional and national concepts will raise the bar on our world-class customer experience while ensuring all of our guests experience the ‘‘Houston friendly’ hospitality that comes with Hobby Airport being a five-star global service gateway.”
