Beloved Japanese-inspired Shiso Crispy food truck coming to the Jannus Block in downtown St. Pete
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Known in the Sunshine City for its handmade dumplings and Asian-fusion bowls, the popular food truck Shiso Crispy is opening a restaurant on one of downtown St. Pete’s most vibrant blocks.
Founded by award-winning chef Ronicca Whaley, a six-time contestant on Guy's Grocery Games, Shiso Crispy will debut this June on the Jannus Block at 226 1st Avenue North. The space was most recently home to T’s and Tacos, and before that, Cap's Steamer Bar & Grille and MacDinton's Irish Pub.
Shiso Crispy, named after the Japanese word shiso—which means “mint”—launched its first food truck in late 2019 to rave reviews. It went on to earn a Tampa Bay Times “Best of the Best” award in both 2020 and 2021.
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For years, The Joint’s patio had the bones of a great outdoor hangout: space to sit, a neighborhood crowd, and the kind of laid-back setting that feels made for a cold beer and a game on TV.
What it did not have was much protection from Florida’s sun and rain.
That is about to change. The Joint, the longtime Jungle Terrace tavern at 7630 34th Avenue North, has added a covered patio, an outdoor bar, fans, and seven TVs.
Owners Ben Scherlis and Francesco “Fran” Balzano expect to welcome customers into the new space later this month, although an opening date has not yet been finalized.
“We just wanted to open this space up and make it a whole new outdoor concept where people can sit outside, order food and drinks, and watch TV, same as you could inside,” Scherlis said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “It’s just giving people another option.”