Margarita Wars is coming – Get your tickets here!

Tampa Filipino restaurant Lucky Tigre is moving, but remains open in SoHo for now

Don’t worry–you can still get your favorite lumpia at the SoHo spot in the meantime.

By Suzanne Townsend on Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 12:25 pm

Photo by Rickey Kim

Lucky Tigre, Tampa's first Filipino 'sari-sari' counter, located at 1101 S Howard Ave.

West Tampa is about to come into some good fortune.

Best of the Bay-winning Filipino sari-sari store concept Lucky Tigre is looking forward to opening a new location in West Tampa in the next month or two.

Owner Julie Sainte Michelle Feliciano and her team have signed a lease on a property at 1713 Albany Ave. (across the street from a private park owned by Tampa's strip club king Joe Redner), according to Lucky Tigre social media and public records, but the building on the lot needs plenty of love before its doors open.

Until then, Feliciano has also purchased a food truck which will reside on the same property to fund build-out costs for the actual building.

The menu for the food truck is going to be slightly different from Lucky Tigre’s current menu since it will have better equipment and more capacity. The restaurant doesn’t yet have a name but once it gets up and running Feliciano wants it to be modeled after a classic Filipino diner, adding another addition to the Bay area's burgeoning collection of concepts dedicated to the cuisine of the Philippine islands.

Exact opening and closing dates are still up in the air since Feliciano is expecting a baby very soon (congratulations!). In the meantime, Lucky Tigre in SoHo—located at 1101 S Howard Ave.—will remain open while the food truck gets up and running, which will be a couple more months. After that the food truck will be open until the remodel is complete on the new building.

“There’s so much happening all at once but I’m excited and I know things will be great once we get there,” Feliciano told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

Slideshow

20 Tampa Bay Filipino restaurants and eateries everyone should try at least once

Lucky Tigre 1101 S Howard Ave. Suite B, Tampa This sari sari-inspired walk-up concept has occupied its little SoHo parcel for about a year now, and it’s definitely South Tampa’s go-to spot for Filipino-American dumplings, bao buns, milk tea and lumpia. It’s also probably the only place in all of Tampa Bay where you’ll be able to find vegan and dairy-free halo halo, complete with homemade ube ice cream. Owner and Tampa native Julie Michelle Sainte Feliciano plans to open a larger, full-service version of Lucky Tigre in West Tampa. Photo via theluckytigre/Instagram

Masarap Bowls food truck Various locations throughout Tampa Online Tampa foodie groups have been gushing about this new food truck since it opened a few years ago. Masarap serves all of the classic Filipino entrees, from sisig (sizzling pork cheek) to BBQ skewers, in a build-your-own-bowl style that lets you choose your base, protein, and sauces inspired by different regions of the country. It posts daily about where its parked, specialty dishes of the day, or if the truck is sold-out of something—so keep an eye on Facebook for updates. Photo via masarapbowls/Facebook

Matas Philippine Cuisine 4350 W Waters Ave. No. 102, Tampa After decades of operating a stand at Tampas annual PhilFest, Delio and Ellen Mata decided to open their own brick-and-mortar in early 2020. After trying Matas pinakbetan indigenous Illocano dish from northern PhilippinesCreative Loafing Tampa Bay's s food reviewer, John Palmer Claridge, stated it exhibits layers of satisfying flavor; you really cant go wrong. Adorned with statues of baby Jesus, money trees, and the sound of a Filipino soap opera faintly playing in the background, Matas is the type of place where you leave feeling like family. Photo by Melissa Santell

Filipiniana Philippine Cafe 3848 W Waters Ave., Tampa Strip mall neighbors with fellow popular Southeast Asian eatery Saigon Deli, Filipiniana Philippine Cafe offers a balanced menu that highlights both the savory and sweet side of Filipino cuisine. Sweet treats include the beloved halo-halo, shaved ice desserts, ube cakes and freshly-baked pandesal, while traditional dishes like adobo, lumpia and BBQ skewers occupy the entree portion of the menu. The longsilog (sweet pork sausage, served with fried egg and garlic fried rice) is worth the wait, too. Photo by Ray Roa

Jollibee 4057 Park Blvd. N, No. 120, Pinellas Park Not your typical mom-and-pop shop, this global fast food chain occupies a special place in the hearts of Filipinosespecially those who love Jolly Spaghetti. Jollibees menu is also stacked with all sorts of fried chicken and burgers. And if sweet spaghetti sauce with hot dogs isn't your thing, try your hand at another noodle dish called palabok, which is smothered garlic sauce, sauteed pork, shrimp, and hard boiled eggs. Photo via Ogilvy

Tindahang Pinoy 9150 49th St. N, Pinellas Park If you want food thats going to remind you of something your tita cooks, then head to the very back of this tiny Filipino grocery store and take a seat at one of the two tables at Tindahang. Classics like lechon kawali, kare-kare, lumpia, dinuguan and various breakfast silog options are featured on the limited menu. And if you need to send a balikbayan box back home, this all-purpose store has got you covered. Photo via Google Maps

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About The Author

Suzanne Townsend

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Email Suzanne Townsend

Suzanne Townsend is a senior at the University of South Florida, dual majoring in Digital Communications and Multimedia Journalism, plus art history. She’s also Arts & Life editor at the Crow’s Nest, the student newspaper at USF’s St. Pete Campus. She graduates in May 2024.

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