Austin-area barbecue lovers were met with hungry stomachs when one of the most celebrated and controversial smokehouses in recent years abruptly closed its doors. Those hungry stomachs now know who will fill their bellies almost half a year since the popular eatery's sudden closure.
Salt Lick BBQ, the award-winning barbecue joint, is continuing its expansion across Central Texas as plans for a new concept are officially moving into Buda Grain & Mill Co., the former home of Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ. The new concept, Roxie's, is named after Salt Lick BBQ owner Scott Roberts' grandmother, Roxanna Roberts.
"It's about bringing the community together and allowing them to have a place where they can have a nice, traditional family meal," Buda EDC Marketing Communications Manager Trae Garcia said to MySA.
The new smokehouse got a major boost from Buda City Council on Tuesday, January 7, as council members unanimously approved up to $50,000 in incentives for the 6,000-square-foot restaurant. The incentives provide a 25% sales tax rebate over a three-year period, totaling around $37,000.
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Food on the menu will include fried chicken, chicken fried steak, barbecue chicken, chicken tenders, yeast rolls and "all-you-can-eat family style sides," all inspired by Roxanna's home cooking. Roxie's is aiming to open in the spring but an official opening date has yet to be announced. MySA reached out to Salt Lick BBQ for comment.
Buda Grain & Mill Co. — a mixed-use development built from the former Buda Mill — opened in 2016 and now houses businesses from yoga studios to Cajun restaurants and wine boutiques.
"We are thrilled to welcome Roxie’s, a Salt Lick family restaurant to Buda Mill and Grain Co. and believe they will be a perfect fit as they join the eleven other amazing local businesses on site," Buda Mill & Grain Co. wrote in an Instagram post.
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ moved into Buda Grain & Mill Co. in June 2023 after 10 years as a food truck around Austin, receiving great fanfare for its Tex-Mex fusion barbecue. However, Valentina's fell into controversy owing millions of back-pay on taxes, employee wages, rent, and loans. It resulted in new owners taking over and a Department of Labor investigation in April 2024, followed by the restaurant's departure from Buda that May.
Valentina's owner and San Antonio native pitmaster Miguel Vidal now seemingly runs the pit at La Familia OG Tex Mex BBQ alongside Oscar Juarez.
A company like Salt Lick BBQ, opened in Driftwood in 1967 and has expanded to Round Rock and Fredericksburg, proved to be the fit Buda Grain & Mill Co. was looking for its barbecue needs.
"For the owner, she had wanted a tenant that was going to be stable and that was true to the community, that's not going to have the same type of effect that they had with Valentino's," Garcia said to MySA. "So they were very particular as far as who they wanted in there. And for them, Salt Lick was a staple that they were comfortable with, who had the track record to be able to bring this type of buzz to the community. But then, not only that, what they're known for, which is their traditional Texas barbecue style, but having a spin on it, but still keeping it within the family."
MySA reached out to Buda Grain & Mill Co. for comment on Roxie's.
Find it: 308 Main St., Buda, TX 78610