Local Tampa native brings her Filipino food favorites to the menu at the Lucky Tigre

Lucky Tigre brings Filipino flavors to new Tampa location

Heading into 2026, Lucky Tigre is hopeful for a great start to this new season at their new Tampa location.

TAMPA - Lucky Tigre is looking forward to this new year in their new location being a chance at a new start for 2026.

It was just in September that the Filipino food truck opened a brick-and-mortar location trading in the confines of a vehicle for the spaciousness of a full kitchen and dining area.

Lucky Tigre

The backstory:

Then a burglary set them back in early December.

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Not one, but two people broke into the restaurant, stealing cash from the cash box, food from the refrigerator and damaging the facility to the tune of more than $2000. 

See more on that here.
 

What they're saying:

Picking up the pieces, chef and owner Julie Sainte Michelle Feliciano is prepared to keep bringing the menu items that the customers want for the new year.

Feliciano and her husband Seanissey Loughlin started the food truck as a side hustle back in 2020.

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Customers responded to her fresh dumplings, spring rolls and bao as they were parked along South Howard Avenue. That fan base helped propel them to seek out their current location 5 blocks north of I-275 in the West Tampa neighborhood.

Spring Roll creation

"I'm Filipino. I grew up in Tampa, I lived in Tampa my whole life. A lot of my experiences are both Filipino at home, my Filipino community," related Feliciano, "And then also all of the things that I've experienced throughout Tampa."

Those experiences and the foods she grew up with became the basis of her culinary creations. 

"It's not traditional, but it does come from a place of genuine love for the traditions that I did grow up with and the flavors and food that I experienced growing up," she shared. 

To go with the rice plates, dumplings and other offerings, Lucky Tigre also offers all sorts of cold-brewed teas and coffees.

"We have tons of different milk teas, all of our beverages are dairy-free," she said. "We use oat milk, coconut milk, we have a full espresso bar, we've got Matcha, we do it all."

Tea offering at the Lucky Tigre

The goal is not only to create a wonderful meal, but also a wonderful experience.

"It's very casual, we like it to be accessible, comfortable, this is just an extension of our home. We want people to be very comfortable," admitted Feliciano, "Food is just an extension of that impression that Filipinos have on the community."

What's next:

To visit Lucky Tigre in person, you can find them located at 1901 North Howard Ave. just north of Chestnut near the West Tampa Library. You can find their hours and menu here.