Popular food truck Shiso Crispy announces first-ever brick and mortar

One of St. Pete’s most popular food trucks is finally getting its first-ever brick and mortar. Shiso Crispy announced today that it will open a restaurant in Tyrone Gardens, taking over a 2,600 square foot spot in the shopping center located on the corner of 9th Avenue and 58th St N. The new restaurant will feature a similar menu to the food trucks, but with a heavily expanded menu of dumplings.

Shiso Crispy already operates three food trucks in Tampa Bay, with one roving truck popping up at events all over, and two fixed locations at HOB Brewing in Dunedin and Unlimited Video Games in Pinellas Park. Owner Ronicca Whaley said build out of the new restaurant will take around five months, which means St. Pete could be getting heaping plates of gyoza and Rangoon by late spring.

Shiso Crispy has quickly become a favorite throughout the area since debuting its first truck, even being voted as Tampa Bay’s #1 food truck less than a year after opening. The always creative (and typically vegan-friendly) menu is celebrated for sticky rice bowls, bao buns, hand folded gyoza, and made-to-order Rangoon (lobster or vegan). Whaley also rolls out regular specialty creations for occasions both special and random.

Whaley has also twice represented the concept on Guy Fieri’s Food Network competition show, Guy’s Grocery Games. The bang-bang chicken and rice plate is one of Shiso Crispy’s top sellers, but it’s her hand-rolled dumplings that truly steal the culinary show. The specialty wagyu gyoza was a borderline life changing experience for us when it appeared on the menu. And never skip out on the Rangoon – available in vegan or lobster varieties, and absolutely a must-try in both styles.

Whaley said the large space will allow her to not only get creative with the full time restaurant, but to have a space to prepare food for the trucks, and start wholesaling her handmade sauces and dumplings. Stay tuned for more info on the opening date, and follow Shiso Crispy on Instagram to see where you can try out the tasty eats in the meantime.