We tried Tchotchke, the new restaurant where Munch's used to be

Right on the menu, south St. Pete's newest eatery Tchotchke acknowledges the award-winning fried chicken in the room.

• "Thank you for trying us out. We hope to grow into being your neighborhood eatery," a note on the bottom right corner reads. "We have some big shoes to fill!"

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Dig in: The big shoes are Munch's, the iconic south St. Pete diner that for seven decades served up breakfast and lunch " like mama used to make " that was once featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

• The restaurant opened as a sundries shop and post office in 1952 and closed December 2022, per the Tampa Bay Times .

👋 Kathryn here. I visited Tchotchke over the weekend, excited to try something new so close to my house in Lake Maggiore Shores.

Disclaimer: I'd been to Munch's a handful of times and totally respect the old-school menu and vibes.

• But I am a millennial, so avocado toast-style modern brunch is more my speed.

The vibe: Tchotchke stayed true to its name, decorated with tons of knick knacks reminiscent of Munch's retro style.

• It was clean, bright and had cute touches like fresh flowers on each table and flamingo wallpaper in the bathroom.

The delicious chicken sando. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios

The menu: New owner Matthew Firosz told St. Pete Rising he was going for "'old Florida' dishes with an international twist" while also paying tribute to Munch's.

• Along with chilaquiles and migas, the menu has an eggs Benedict with fried green tomatoes — a Munch's favorite — and low country-style shrimp and grits.

The bites: The chicken sando ($17) was delicious. Perfectly cooked, perfectly juicy, and the hot pepper relish was incredible. No notes.

• The bread pudding French toast ($11) came out as a Lincoln log-like stack, almost like the dish itself was a tchotchke. I enjoyed the nostalgia factor of dipping French toast sticks in syrup, but I've had better French toast.
• The migas ($16) — a Spanish-inspired dish of potatoes, bread, chorizo and tomato sauce — was under-seasoned but tasty after dousing it in Cholula.

The verdict: While it was a little pricey ($66 for three entrees, two coffees and a tip), we'll definitely go back.

• The chicken sandwich alone was worth a second trip, and I'm eager to try other yummy-sounding dishes like the "not your Mamma's" mac and cheese and the smash burger.

Mmmm, nostalgia. Photo: Courtesy of Winston Bartlett

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