In the heart of Austin’s warehouse district, Dante Foster, owner and chef of Traphouse Caribbean, shares a poignant reflection: “Life is not promised tomorrow.”
This saying resonates deeply for Foster, who found inspiration during his tenure as a director at a local senior community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a rich family heritage that includes Filipino, Puerto Rican, and African roots, Foster was propelled to pursue his dream of opening a restaurant.
“I thought, let me start before it’s too late,” he states, noting the lack of Caribbean cuisine, particularly in Downtown Austin.
After two years of perfecting his menu through pop-up events, dinner parties, and farmers’ markets, Foster seized an opportunity to showcase his culinary creations at a Downtown venue.
He started with a brunch pop-up at Coconut Club and subsequently honed his skills working in the kitchen at Cuatro Gato, located next to Coconut Club and Neon Grotto.
Eventually, Traphouse acquired the lease for Cuatro Gato, transforming the space into a remodeled restaurant that has embraced its grand opening earlier this year.
“We changed it to a more restaurant/lounge vibey feel.
It’s not too many places in Downtown Austin where it’s a chill, relaxed vibe where you can sit down, get some good food, and listen to some Caribbean music, old school hip-hop, and R&B,” Foster explains.
Foster praises the opportunity provided by the prime location but acknowledges the challenges that come with being a small business.
“It’s just me and my other business partner Alvin [Toledo].
We don’t have a bunch of people backing us, so being around these huge restaurants, chains, and hospitality groups down here can be a challenge.
However, people from Austin love to support local businesses, so we do well.”
Curious about the menu, I made multiple visits to sample various items such as phatties, which are based on Jamaican beef patties, tacos, tostones, and beverages like Trap Juice, a mix of mango, pineapple, and guava, as well as hibiscus mint tea.
“Most of the things on the menu are Jamaican influenced, but we wanted to broaden it a little more, so that’s why we have stuff like tostones, yucca fries—things that make it a little more Caribbean,” states Foster.
“We also have a little bit of soul too.
We like to highlight the African diaspora with items like jollof rice or fried escovitch fish, and sometimes we do Guatemalan tamales.”
Foster mentions that vegan and vegetarian options are also available on the menu, which is often a rarity for Caribbean restaurants.
During my tasting, I was eager to try Traphouse’s loaded mac and cheese, a beloved classic stoner meal, and the new special, oxtail fried rice.
“Things like soul food and oxtail, you can’t get those at places Downtown,” Foster emphasizes.
“Oxtails are hard to cook, they take a long time, and we do a good job at it.
It’s our number one seller, and we highlight it—we’ve got oxtail plates, phatties, tacos.
We’re about to have a whole menu around it.”
As a popular nighttime destination, especially on weekends, Traphouse features DJs, happy hours, and a consistently late food service until 2 am.
“The great thing is being connected to Coconut Club and Neon Grotto because it’s free to get in here and usually it’s less than $10 to get into those two areas.
So if you ever come between Thursday and Saturday nights, you pay one cover and get into three clubs with two rooftops.”
Traphouse offers a rich blend of international music and cuisine, providing a refreshing alternative to the chaos of Sixth Street.
Referring to Traphouse as a “free love spot,” Foster aims to spread awareness about their mission.
“Our goal this year is to let people know, ‘Hey, we are here, we’re a Black- and brown-owned local business, and it’s a great vibe here,’” he affirms.
image source from：https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/food/2025-04-14/first-look-traphouse-caribbean/
