Merely mention Naugles to St. Louisans of a certain age, and the stories will flow. Originally called Naugles Tacos and Burgers, the restaurant was primarily focused on Mexican food, with an emphasis on burritos. Naugles may have been the first in town to offer Tex-Mex breakfast—surely it was the first fast food spot to do so.
Drive-through traffic was often backed into the street at the McCausland location, just south of the Hi-Pointe Theatre. Later came a location in the “flying saucer” building on South Grand, the one that now houses a Starbucks and Chipotle. Though Naugles drew all kinds of customers, it held particular appeal for young males with healthy appetites and dwindling funds. After events at St. Louis Arena, the place was a madhouse.
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Naugles burritos were the size of a forearm and filled with beans cooked on-site. A former employee remembers going through 50-pound sacks of pinto beans to ensure that there was no gravel in them before soaking them. Alas, the burritos were tricky to eat while driving, the filling languorously sliding from the far end of the tortilla unnoticed until it landed on the lap—or steering wheel. Still, it was always worth it.
