By Chris Sasser
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Hungry pilots flying into the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will think they hit the mother lode after setting foot in the new Skyline Cafe.
Boasting the best Reuben in East Texas along with their thick Angus burgers, the Skyline Cafe has quickly gained a loyal following with aviators and Tyler residents alike. The restaurant opened this year in March, in the old terminal building at the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport, next to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum.
“Even though this is my first restaurant, I grew up in the business,” says restaurant owner Becky Kalmowitz. “My grandmother owned a restaurant in upstate New York, and my mother also had a restaurant in North Carolina. Opening a restaurant is something I had always wanted to do.”
The opportunity came when a member of the Tyler Pounds Airport aviation board casually inquired if Kalmowitz, who ran a successful catering business, would be interested in opening a restaurant at the airport. As they say, the rest is history.
According to Kalmowitz, the success of their restaurant comes from a simple philosophy. ‘We want to give our customers excellent food and service. Everything we prepare is fresh and made with love.”
In addition to the burgers and Reuben, the menu also features their signature sandwich: Sonny’s Steak & Cheese which is named after the owner’s father. The Skyline Cafe also serves breakfast and healthy options such as salads, turkey burgers, veggie burgers and wraps.
And despite not having much experience with aviation, Kalmowitz has quickly become a fan of watching the planes park in “her backyard.”
“All fly ins are welcome. We have parking at our gate just below the air traffic control tower. We will let them in through the gate, escort them into our restaurant and then back to their plane again after eating,” says Kalmowitz.
Tyler residents eating at their restaurant also enjoy the floor-to-ceiling window view of the airport tarmac and watching planes take off and land.
“It’s not every day you can chase your dream and have it come to your realization,” says Kalmowitz. “I wake up every morning with a smile on my face.”