Tampa’s Manila Eats hosts Sunday night market to celebrate Filipino Independence Day

While June 12 is the official Independence Day, marking the day in 1898 when the Phillippines broke free of Spanish rule, Filipinos spend the whole month celebrating the independence for the nation made up of more than 7,000 islands.

And while expats are divided on whether or not President Bongbong Marcos is good for the country (his father was an ousted dictator accused of human-rights violations, and found to have ransacked billions of dollars of state money), nothing—absolutely nothing—will stop Filipinos from throwing a party with big ol’ plates of food.

In the working class neighborhood of Palmetto Beach, Filipino restaurant Manila Eats teams up with the Juju Taiyaki to celebrate “Kalayaan” (aka “liberty” and “freedom”).

There’ll be a little Japanese (Juju, Sugar House Confectionary) and Thai flavor on site (Chada), but the rest of the lineup is pure Pinoy, from the desserts (Yumsty's, Reyzen’s), grill (Maya’s Merienda) and gloriously-funky fish thanks to Salt’n Fish which produces jeprox (crispy fried smelt), bagoóng (shrimp paste, IFYKYK, pictured), and dried fish, too.

There’s no cover for the Kalayaan Celebration Night Market happening Sunday, June 23 at Tampa’s Manila Eats. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

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