It's so good that I'm speechless! My partner and I had 4 types of doubles: traditional, curry chicken, stew chicken, and goat. I also tried Chef Rodney's homemade pepper sauce. While my partner had the coconut drops made by the chef's mother. When I say you should be running here I mean it run! The hospitality, the atmosphere, THE FOOD, and the culture you find here is everything you want in a local community restaurant. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Dany!!! Such a welcoming spirit! If you want to get to know the local spots that's who you need to talk to. read more

See all

Friendliest service and wonderfully fresh bus up shut are standouts at Pepper's Island. This Ybor City Trini restaurant is packed with flavor and energizing Calypso music. They were out of doubles, and one type of roti, but the bus up was fresh out the oven, and paired beautifully with the spicy curry goat, chana and potatoes. Their drink selection is a treat as well, and we enjoyed an ice cold Red Stripe as well as a Champagne Cola while we waited. The owner was so hospitable, checking on us multiple times, and the server made us feel at home as well. Worth a stop on your next visit to Ybor City. read more

See all

The food here was tasty. Ordered a curry chicken option one and it was so good. The hot sauce provided is dangerous, there is a super spicy one and a hot one. That super spicy one is very hot so exercise caution. The service was outstanding, the owners are very friendly and interact with their customers. Love the ambiance and decor. Street parking is your only option when visiting Pepper's Island. Gotta come back to see DJ Jeff on the ones and twos! read more

See all

Wanted to check out this place for over a year. I always pick the worst hours. I finally was able to check it out this past Sunday. I was so upset, I came about 3pm i think and of course all of the doubles were gone which is something that i wanted to try. There is plenty of street parking. The restaurant isn't huge but big enough to come there to do what you need to which is eat some yummy food. The inside is pretty bright and a lot of great decor. I don't remember the name of what I got but it included curry chicken and the only thing i needed in front of me was a beach. I enjoyed it and tried a new 0.9% alcoholic beer. It was the sorrel flavor and tasty! I think 2 of the owners were working and both were very helpful & friendly. read more

See all

Have passed this place many time and finally decided to stop and try it. This is a little gem, the decor is definitely island themed, the service is friendly and welcoming. The food is delicious, we had the curry chicken and it had just the right amount of spice. Will be back to try the curry goat. read more

See all

Yum Yum!!!! Loved the atmosphere. Loved the dining room. Loved the employees/owner. But most of all - loved the food. If there was one place I would make sure to go to eat when I go to Tampa, this is it. read more

They were very welcoming and friendly. The curry chicken with roti was fall off the bone tender. It could've used a little more seasoning to be perfect, but overall it was an enjoyable meal. read more

See all

The curry goat was entirely too spicy and full of more bones than meat. The buss up shot was delicious. read more

Pepper's Island - Curry goat and buss up shot - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This place is definitely a hidden gym in ybor. Never had seen or heard of this place before until someone posted food from here on social media. I'm so glad I seen that post because the food lived up to the hype. I had the curry chicken and curry goat doubles. They were filling and very flavorful. The sauces were good as well. I'm not a huge fan of spicy so I didn't overdo it with the pepper sauce but it definitely adds a good kick . The service was great and the owner was very attentive and welcoming. I will definitely be coming back to visit again. I highly recommend checking this place out if you need a Caribbean fix . read more

See all

The food was great. Very tasty. The service was excellent. Friendly place. Nothing fancy. Smaller establishment means it's quaint. We met the owner as well. Very nice man. We had two chicken doubles, BUSSUP and a curry chicken. read more

See all

Island Comfort Food with Real Trinidad Flavor Pepper's Island in Ybor City feels like a small neighborhood spot you'd stumble into on a side street in Trinidad. The vibe is casual, welcoming, and unpretentious--simple, clean, good music playing in the background but not so loud that you can't enjoy your meal and conversation. Service was warm and personable. When I ordered the curry shrimp roti, the owner kindly warned me that it was spicy. I appreciated the honesty--and he was absolutely right. The shrimp curry brought some real heat, but the flavor was excellent. The roti was soft and hearty, soaking up the curry perfectly. We also ordered the curry goat platter with rice, chana (chickpeas), and curry potato. The goat was tender and full of deep curry flavor without being overly spicy, which made it a nice contrast to the shrimp. The gravy over the rice and chana tied everything together beautifully. A must-order is the paratha (buss up shut)--flaky, layered, and ideal for scooping up the curry. For something sweet, we tried the homemade coconut cookie, which had that rustic homemade texture and just the right amount of sweetness. To balance the spice, we grabbed their mango pineapple herbalade juice, which was fresh, tropical, and incredibly refreshing after the curry. Prices were fair for the quality and portion sizes: * Curry Shrimp Roti - $19.99 * Curry Goat Platter - $18.99 * Buss Up Shut - $5.99 * Coconut Cookie - $3.99 * Mango Pineapple Juice - $4.39 Food came out quickly, the atmosphere stayed relaxed, and the flavors felt authentic rather than toned down. If you're looking for real Caribbean comfort food with bold Trinidad-style curry in Tampa, Pepper's Island is absolutely worth the visit. I'll definitely be back the next time I'm craving curry and roti. read more

See all

10 out of 10 experience every time! Amazing food by amazing people. A must try! Rodney treats you like family happy we discovered this gem

Ya know, we have to support our Caribbean businesses. In Tampa our West Indian friends looking for a good roti and this my friends, is one of them places. If you remember way way back when Caribbean Connections was around or even that place is Wesley Chapel, of course Tara's RIP is still around but we need more of this in more places. It was great, nice gentleman cooks all the food and his lovely mother makes the dhal puri and roti. I like it's not too much salt. Just the right amount. We gotta watch our salt We coming back honey to try the doubles and tings. Sit down, enjoy the soca on the speaker and they serve you well. If I had one ask, I'd love sorrel on the menu ( not too sweet for us old women watching the sugar) read more

See all

Hungry in Ybor??? This place was delicious. First the menu is very direct, no fluff. I had the Curry Shrimp Roti.... absolutely worth it. The service was on point, you order at a counter. The young lad that took my order stated that the shrimp was the spiciness on the menu. It was but I enjoyed it. My two friends both had curry goat & loved it. The owner stopped by own table & was very friendly. The place was small but clean. Go again....yes please. read more

Pepper's Island - Curry shrimp ronti Yummy - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

The owner is absolutely a delightful person who truly puts his foot into the food! The pepper sauce was spicy yet so tasty i could easily handle the heat as it added great flavor to my doubles. We ordered Chana doubles (vegan friendly) and chicken rice entree. Used the pepper sauce on every single bite. The island vibes & music makes you feel like you were transported to Trinidad ! We loved the food & welcoming atmosphere! Would highly recommend! read more

See all

Pepper's live up to its name. The food is REALLY spicy lol. If you love spice and a challenge. Pepper's is the place to be. I personally didn't enjoy the food because of the spices. But I love the ambiance and the customer service. The vibe and location is amazing. The parking can be a bit tricky. Again, be aware of the spices and enjoy. read more

See all

Rodney is the owner, he's a nice man, still has the value of hospitality in his heart. Even though he sold out of food, he still let us in and we purchased the Herbalade drinks, mine is the lean mean protein, and my bf got the mean leaf greens. He also, had some curry chicken and rice in the back so we decided to get it. The meat is tender, you can tell he cooks with love, and he makes his own pepper sauce, not too spicy and tamarind sauce nice and sweet, with a hint of heat. Good for doubles, which we will be getting Wednesday, because he's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The ambience is chill and inviting, very family orientated. He also gave us mangos from his mango tree, he has three of them. He said they're very sweet and good for mango chutney. read more

See all

Some of the best food and customer service I have ever experienced!! 10/10 would recommend

RE: The place needs a serious cleaning, paint job/makeover. The table was very sticky and dirty. I was courteous when you and your sister inquired if everything was satisfactory, aiming to avoid embarrassing you in front of other customers. Your response to the review suggests that you do not take the matter seriously and may be dismissing it as a joke. Would you have made the same comment if I had addressed your restaurant in person? I believe so. Maintaining cleanliness is crucial in a restaurant. If your tables were dirty, why did you or someone else not clean them? Additionally, if you wanted me to redesign your restaurant, please note that there would be a service fee. I am a retired NYC union carpenter with extensive experience owning residential and commercial painting businesses in New York, as well as being an interior decorator. I plan to return in a few months to assess whether any changes have been made, to see how much you care about your restaurant's success, and to gauge how you respect your customers' reviews. On another note, my Conrad said the food tasted very good. The food for me was ok. read more

I had an amazing chicken curry dinner at Pepper's Island in Ybor. The food was absolutely delicious and authentic, and Rodney, the owner, is incredibly welcoming and friendly. Highly recommend! read more

Pepper's Island - Pepper's Island - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Wonderful place to get the Trinidadian classics. I wasn't too hungry, so I ordered the classic doubles and also a doubles with goat curry to go. I also got a bottle of Rooting 4 U (tumeric/ginger lemonade). My food was ready in 5 minutes, and it was packed well with napkins and cutlery. Both doubles were excellent. Good heat from the chickpeas, great texture of the bara, tender goat (warning, the goat does have bones!). I had intended to eat the food at home, but it all smelled so good, I ate it in the car, despite the fact that doubles are a very messy street food. The restaurant is in a more residential part of Ybor, although you will still have to pay for parking or risk a ticket. The restaurant is small and has seating for about 20 people tops. The people I encountered were friendly and so helpful. I'll happily return. read more

My wife found this restaurant online about 3 weeks ago. I decided to try it. Rodney, the owner is very friendly. I had the curry chicken roti, shrimp roti, and stewed chicken. It was all delicious. I went back a week later for doubles. The doubles were delicious. And, they have the Carib beer that love. I recommend this restaurant for the great taste of Trini food. read more

Was extremely upset cuz they didn't have any chicken curry but they did have curry chicken...as a Guyanese who knows what good curry taste like...this is it!!! So flavorful and fresh. From the vibes to the food to the service 100/100! Looking forward to coming again. The owner was also so nice and welcoming! Do urself a favor and check them out! read more

Pepper's Island - Curry Chicken - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

See all

I met Rodney, his mom, daughter in law, grand children today and they are absolutely delightful, humble and sweet. The doubles was so light and thin, the pepper sauce had a nice tasty kick to it, the dhalpuri roti and chicken were delicious. I even got one of the best tasting mangoes I ever had. I had such a beautiful experience today when I visited this food establishment and the owners! The service was exceptional! Thank you! read more

My wife and I came here for the first time today. It was on our list and we are so glad that we finally made it. The food and the service was amazing. We had the curry chicken and we have to come back and try other things soon. read more

Tasty food; very delicious and very hot hot sauce. Homemade and family vibes, really nice people.

The food was delicious but what made it even better was the owner! He was really sweet and checked on us often to make sure we were enjoying our food. Highly recommended! read more

Food was delicious, felt like you were on the island, good service and ambiance definitely will be back loved the vibes. read more

Pepper's Island - Front of building - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida

See all

When visiting the place, I was greeted personally by the owner and wanted to go over the menu with me. He made recommendations and advised of spice level, what was still available and what is popular. He also introduced normal customers and their pick of the menu. I chose the chicken stew with roti and it came with a chick peas and potatoes. Everything was splendid. I walked away with 5 fresh squeezed juices and my favorite so far is the pineapple mango. Still haven't tried the watermelon splash. I wish I was able to go on amateur night to see the hidden talent they have. The ambiance was that of a Trinidadian home. I loved it! read more

The service was amazing. Local hot spot. Ordered the curry chicken, great flavor and chicken was fall off the bone.

"Came to Pepper Island around 3:00pm on Saturday with an American friend after bragging to her about our local cuisine. Waited in line for fifteen minutes only to be told they had to stop taking orders. Very embarrassing, especially after a 25 minute drive to get there" Solomon C. read more

I've been a fan of this place from the very start! I've driven as far as Sarasota to satisfy my craving for a taste of the islands. The taste of the food and hospitality they serve is very rare on the mainland! Enjoy , I certainly do! read more

The shrimp roti is inedible hot with pepper and lacks flavor. Vegetable roti with channa was only potato and channa..... no vegetables! She offered to put my pepper on the side then charged me for pepper on the side. First and last visit to this overly priced restaurant! read more

Went for a weekday take out lunch. Nice restaurant in an interesting area of historic district downtown (10 mins from Glazer kids museum). Service was fast and attentive- lady behind the counter was friendly and explained the options for the entrees. Owner was very friendly and included a few fresh mango along with my order. Food was great - Shrimp doubles was spicy but delicious. Curry chicken had tons of flavor. The pepper sauce is very spicy but has tons of flavor. Coconut drop dessert was meh but the mangoes were delicious. read more

Good food. Good doubles. I'm a little spoiled having eaten Trini food in Trinidad so it's a lil expensive etc imo but it's very good Trini food that you can find in Tampa. The price is also just America in general. The owner is very nice read more

this was my first experience trying a roti stew and it was amazing! great spices the flavor wasn't masked by the heat and really gave me the feel of home cooking for a family, and while I was very unfamiliar with this culture cuisine the staff was very informative the foods roots and even explained the differences of roti come from India influences but there styl of food is more grounded in Trinidad influenced in flavor. As for the ambience I'd say it fits well with its location of Ybor. if someone told me this food spot has been around for decades I'd believe it, I'd say it should of equivalent of the Columbia restaurant familiarity in ybor. read more

Arrived to support this local spot and super disappointing. They open an hour ago and are not taking new orders fir at least 20 mins. Kitchen is backed up on roti and barra. There are limited offerings doubles, beef or chicken curry. Drinks sre non alcoholic- coke, root beer , peanut punch, crème soda, goya coconut water. Music was straight chutney, no vibes. I would have waited but knew it would probably be lack luster. Also no prices listed. I dont like being surprised at the register. Ill give this another chance id future reviews are positive. read more

Amazing atmosphere and great customer service. Everything was filled with flavour. Met the owner great guy. Definitely worth the visit and will be recommending to everyone I know read more

Delicious Trini food . Great customer service. Highly recommend it . Amazing ambiance . read more

See all

iv never had roti and i think iv fell in love with it because of this place very authentic the owner is very nice and i had a great experience read more

Pepper's Island - Trinidadian Near Me - Tampa, Florida