New Trinidadian restaurant Pepper’s Island will open in Ybor City this summer

Tourists and locals alike flock to Ybor City for its history and Caribbean flare, and a new restaurant opening this summer will definitely continue the district’s reputation.

Trinidadian restaurant Pepper’s Island is swiftly finishing its buildout and will soon dish out roti and hearty curries from the heart of Ybor City.

Located at 1701 E 4th Ave. in the historic building that most recently housed Cephas’ Hot Shop—which dished out harsh health advice and bitter aloe shakes for almost 40 years—Pepper’s Island is slated to soft open next month.

Owner and operator Rodney Dhanraj—a Trinidadian-American of Indian descent—is taking the leap from corporate executive to full-time restaurateur and chef when his debut eatery opens this summer.

He tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that it’s been a lifelong dream to open a restaurant of his own, after spending countless childhood summers helping his grandparents with their roti shop back in Trinidad.

“My grandparent’s roti shop is over 60 years old and is still going strong back on the island, with my aunt running it now,” Dhanraj says.

While Dhanraj will tap into family recipes and familiar Caribbean and Indian flavors at his restaurant, there will only be a handful of regular items on Pepper Island’s menu.

He’ll offer chicken and beef two ways—stewed and curried—alongside doubles, a popular Trini street food of fried flatbread stuffed with spicy chickpea curry, as well as aloo pie, a savory pastry filled with potatoes and other spices.

Paratha roti—colloquially known as “buss up shot” (because the bread is torn like an old shirt)—will also be offered, in addition to sides like rice and pholourie, a pea flour-based fritter. Eventually, Dhanraj plans to extend his menu to offer more varieties of curry, utilizing various types of proteins like goat, shrimp and duck.

“I'm using recipes that my grandmother and mother have used for decades. I grew up in a household where we cooked pretty much every day,” Dhanraj tells CL. “The rare times we went out, we always ate at mom and pop restaurants—we knew that’s where the flavor and love was.”

He took over the Ybor City building back in May, and has been tirelessly renovating it with his friends and family since. The historic building no longer has dozens of plants outside and an overgrown, jungle-like patio, but it’s now adorned with the bright colors of the Trinidadian flag. In addition to indoor seating, Pepper's Island will also have additional tables on the sidewalk and on its back patio.

Inside, the restaurant features about a dozen seats , a resident DJ booth, a counter where customers will pick up their orders, and a large, island-themed mural painted by Dhanraj’s 13 year-old daughter.

The words “spice up your life” greet you as soon as you walk through the door—and Dhanraj warns his future customers that his food is indeed spicy. He actually named the restaurant after his girlfriend Naoumi Sliman, who boasts the nickname "Pepper."

On the weekends, he plans to fire up the outside grill and offer specials like jerk chicken late into the night.

Cephas left the colorful building on E 4th Avenue in the fall of 2019, downsizing his business from a full-service restaurant to a small juice stand a few blocks over on Seventh Avenue. In late 2020, Tequila's Ybor—which housed Cephas’ juice bar—was purchased by a new owner and both the Mexican restaurant and smoothie stand closed. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay spoke with Cephas in 2021, who was then focused on creating an urban farm and eventually wanted to reopen an herbal shop and smoothie bar elsewhere in Ybor City.

Cephas dished out hearty Jamaican dishes in Ybor City for nearly four decades—a laid back, welcoming ambiance that Dhanraj will continue when his Trinidadian restaurant opens this summer.

“I tried to keep the vibe really casual, real island-like. When people taste the food in this type of atmosphere, I think it will really come together and make sense,” Dhanraj explains.

After Pepper’s Island opens its doors this summer, it will be neighbors with other Latin and Caribbean-inspired concepts like Nana’s Restaurant & Juice Bar and El Puerto.

For the latest information on Pepper’s Island and its upcoming soft opening, head to @peppers_islandrestaurant on Instagram, where you can catch sneak peeks of its menu, too.

Although Pepper’s Island’s operating hours are still tentative and subject to change, Dhanraj plans to open at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 10 p.m. throughout the week and as late as 2 a.m. during the weekend.

UPDATED 12 p.m. 6/21/23: to include the inspiration behind the restaurant's name.