The Hogs Trough in Grayson is a community favorite
The Hogs Trough in Grayson never had to find its footing as a small business, says owner Bryan Welch—because it was off and running on Day 1.
Located at 1051 state Route 7 in Grayson, the barbecue restaurant serves up slow-smoked meats and made-from-scratch sauces and sides. The Hogs Trough “never missed a beat” during the pandemic, Bryan says, and with rapid growth over the last three years, he’s looking to expand.
“It’s good food,” he says. Local support “really keeps it popping, because we just try to give them something good. Something not out of a can.”
Diners love the brisket, chicken, shrimp, and on Friday nights, rib-eye steaks. This time of year, they also love the brisket chili—especially if they snag a spot by the wood stove. There’s also a full bar, covered outdoor seating for warm weather and a large banquet room that hosts everything from church groups to local sports team banquets.
Served by Grayson RECC, the restaurant caters events for the co-op and values the close relationship in their community. “I’m on it at my house also, for the last 35 years,” Bryan says. “They do as good a job as they can as quick as they can.”
Bryan started cooking for churches, family get-togethers and community fish fries—”Not for money, just because I loved doing it,” he says, but dreams of a sit-down restaurant took root. When a 125-seat space came available in Grayson, it was more room than he thought he needed. After opening on Aug. 5, 2017, however, all that space turned out to be a good thing as the business grew quickly.
Bryan’s not-so-secret ingredient is family—his three children and two daughters-in-law all work in the restaurant. “If it wasn’t for the kids, we couldn’t have taken it to where it was in such a short time,” he says.
The Hog’s Trough, Grayson, is open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. on Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday–Saturday and Noon–6 p.m. Sunday.
