A Touch of Texas BBQ (3559 Arsenal) is bringing barbecue to South Grand. The restaurant recently relocated from Carr Square to the corner of South Grand and Arsenal, in the space that previously housed Navin’s BBQ and Guerilla Street Food. Along with his wife Gloria, former high school football coach John Randle draws on 100 years of family tradition for the Texas barbecue–inspired menu. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
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As the restaurant’s name implies, the menu centers around dry rubs. “We’re about the seasoning and not the sauce,” says Randle, “even though we’ve got doggone good sauce.”
Randle says the recipes derive from a century of family tradition, starting with his great-grandmother. Coach requested the secret techniques from his grandmother for the venture—but they came with conditions. “There was a lot of hesitation,” he says. “She’s a stickler for perfection. She had a couple of rules. No. 1: If you don’t love it, don’t do it. No. 2: If it’s not right, don’t serve it.”
The meats and sides are smoked over wood purchased just outside Randle’s hometown of Dallas (though he declines to say what kind of wood to help keep the recipe secret).
Mains range from Texas barbecue faves, such as beef, rib tips, and Texas-style pork ribs, to less-familiar items, such as oxtail. Polish beef sausage occupies part of the menu and offers a variety of toppings, such as STL Beef Polish (covered in potato salad) and Tennessee Beef Polish (topped with baked beans). The restaurant also features hot links (with the same regional topping configurations), along with several burgers, including the STL Monsterburger, a grilled 12-ounce, uh, monster, topped with American cheese, onions, and potato salad.
Customers can choose from three sides: potato salad, pit-baked beans, or smoked spaghetti. Drink options currently include soda and water, though a liquor license is in the works.
The Location
Guests are greeted by the smell of barbecue outside the brick building. Inside, the red-and-black interior is adorned with football photos and plaques from Randle’s former teams. Guests can study a large menu mounted on the wall while waiting in line to order at the counter. Seating is limited, with a handful of wooden tables and chairs, as well as stools along the window.
The Background
Randle (not to be confused with the Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer of the same name) might be described as a larger-than-life football fanatic, with many customers calling him “Coach.” Hailing from Dallas, Randle first came to St. Louis by way of football after becoming Sumner High School’s head football coach. (Randle was already familiar with the area, as he had played in multiple Gateway Classics at The Dome as a player for the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff in the early 2000s.) He later coached at Lutheran North, Hazelwood West, and Trinity Catholic. “We had a lot of success and sent a lot of kids to college,” says Randle.
Beyond football, Randle also had a longtime passion for barbecue. Every Friday, he would ‘cue for colleagues at the middle school where he taught in the Riverview Gardens School District. A first-place win in a wing competition in 2017 bolstered Randle to pursue the hobby by opening a restaurant.
After retiring from coaching in 2021, Randle opened the original Cass Ave. location of Touch of Texas BBQ. When the lease ended there, he decided to call an audible and move the operation to South Grand, where he can often be found running between the counter, kitchen, and smoker. You can try to strike up a conversation—but chances are he’ll beat you to it.
