Gate 27 sugar hit before boarding at Hobby
At William P. Hobby’s Terminal 1 near Gate 27, Fat Cat Creamery is the ice-cream stop for when you have 10 spare minutes and don’t want another bar burger. It sits post-security, so you can grab a cone on the way to Southwest departures without watching the clock for TSA lines.
Expect classic American ice cream flavors served in cups or waffle cones, usually in the $5–$8 range depending on size and toppings. It’s grab-and-go style, so you order at the counter, wait a minute or two, then walk straight back to Gate 27’s seating with your scoop. Portions run on the generous side for an airport stand.
The move here is simple: get the ice cream. This is not the place for a full meal, but it works well as a dessert after something heavier elsewhere in Terminal 1 or as a quick sugar boost before a late-afternoon departure. If your connection is under 25 minutes, skip the extra toppings so you’re not juggling a melting cone in the boarding line.
Lines spike around 3–6 p.m. when multiple Southwest flights out of gates 26–28 all board at once, so budget at least 10 minutes during that window. Morning hours are quieter; if your flight leaves before 10 a.m., you can usually walk right up and be done in under five minutes.
Watch out for softening scoops on hot Houston days: the walk from Fat Cat Creamery back to the far end of Terminal 1 can be a bit warm, especially when the concourse fills with passengers from two or three flights at gates 25–27. Grab a cup instead of a cone if your gate is more than a two-minute walk.
Tip: If you’re leaving from a remote gate in the low 20s, stop at Fat Cat Creamery right after security in Terminal 1, then stroll to your gate so the ice cream is gone before boarding starts.
Ice Cream