New Tampa is getting a big slurpable upgrade: Ugly Dumpling, a Shanghai-inspired soup-dumpling brand, is under construction at The Walk at Highwoods Preserve, where a "coming soon" banner is now hanging over a storefront. The chain is rolling into Florida with additional spots planned for Kissimmee and Gainesville, giving neighborhood diners a national xiao long bao and dim-sum option as the local Asian-food scene quietly fills out.
Tampa Bay Times photographed the banner and ran a short item on June 19, 2026. As reported by the paper, the concept is described as Shanghai-inspired, and the chain has signaled plans to open multiple Florida locations.
Where It Will Sit
Ugly Dumpling lists a New Tampa shop as "coming soon" at The Walk at Highwoods Preserve, and flags Kissimmee and Gainesville as the other Florida entries. The brand frames the move as part of a broader state rollout.
The Center It’s Joining
Commercial listings put The Walk at Highwoods Preserve at 18001 Highwoods Preserve Parkway, near the Bruce B Downs corridor, which places the future restaurant in a busy suburban retail cluster. The center's property profile shows co-tenants and foot-traffic counts that make it a common destination for new restaurants, as shown on LoopNet.
What To Expect
The Ugly Dumpling menu centers on hand-folded xiao long bao (XLB), a rotation of six XLB flavors, dim sum plates, noodles and a boba/drinks program, a combination the brand promotes across its locations. Ugly Dumpling breaks down the signature dishes and ordering format in its menu guide.
How It Fits Locally
Tampa already has local soup-dumpling options: Shanghai Dumpling House on East Fowler Avenue near USF has been a popular go-to for XLB. Local reporting has tracked the rise of soup-dumpling spots in the market; see coverage of the soup-dumpling invasion for recent openings.
Timeline And What’s Next
No firm opening date has been announced, and the Tampa Bay Times June 19 piece did not list a timeline. For updates and hiring notices, the brand links to a newsletter and social channels via Ugly Dumpling.
