First announced in November last year and originally expected to open in February or March, Taylor Sam’s is now up and running at 312 3rd Street South, in the Camden Pier District apartment tower. The space formerly housed a Simple Greek franchise.

Originating in Brick, New Jersey, in 2013, Taylor Sam’s bills itself as a homestyle breakfast and brunch café. A popular menu item, according to Owner and Executive Chef Scott Spivak, is “Hashtag Delicious” — a corned-beef hash featuring braised brisket.

Spivak’s daughter, Karah Kaszuba, a trained pastry chef, has relocated to St. Petersburg and will manage the restaurant. Spivak told St. Pete Rising that he and his wife, Dawn, have become enamored with St. Pete and hope to buy a home in the area eventually.

“My wife has always wanted to relocate down here at some point, so we started the process of finding a place where we could set up shop and integrate into the city,” Spivak said.

The local Taylor Sam’s menu will include plenty of popular items from the eatery’s original location, including the Vicious Biscuit, a cheddar jalapeño breakfast biscuit with creamy pimiento cheese and crispy buttermilk fried cauliflower. For lunch, diners will enjoy the Monster Sam burger, which is topped with ham and a fried egg; and for dessert — and lovers of puns — Grateful Bread Pudding. Prices are reasonable — the most expensive item, a sirloin steak and egg dish, costs $16.49.

“We do a lot of things with pork roll,” Spivak says. “It’s a Jersey thing we’re going to bring down here. It’s a cross between baloney and salami — a smoked piece of pork, basically.” 

Kaszuba, he added, is a trained pastry chef and plans to create a selection of homemade muffins, blondies, scones, and other sweet and savory delights. He said the café’s original location is also known for its pancakes and coffee.

“We call ourselves a mom-and-pop-style diner, but we we’re kind of all over the map,” he said. “We have everything from sandwiches, salads, and a full breakfast menu to burgers and rice bowls.”

The St. Pete Taylor Sam’s, Spivak said, will be able to seat about 40 customers but will also have outdoor dining. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. seven day a week.

Follow Taylor Sam’s on Instagram at @taylorsamsbrunch.