Welcome to Melendez Imports and Restaurant, Globally Inspired Mexican Cuisine and West Indies Cuisine
Discover a culinary journey at Melendez Imports and Restaurant, where we bring you the best Mexican cuisine and West Indies cuisine in the heart of Berrien Springs, Michigan. Whether you are a fan of spicy Mexican flavors or crave the vibrant tastes of the West Indies, our menu will satisfy your cravings and leave you wanting more.
Authentic Mexican Delights
Indulge in Mexico’s rich and authentic flavors with our wide selection of traditional dishes. Every bite celebrates the vibrant Mexican culinary heritage, from sizzling fajitas to mouthwatering enchiladas. Our chef uses only the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to ensure that each dish is bursting with flavor. Check out our Mexican Cuisine.
Exotic West Indies Cuisine
Transport your taste buds to the sunny shores of the West Indies with our selection of West Indies-inspired dishes. From jerk chicken to coconut shrimp, our menu is a tribute to the diverse and vibrant flavors of the islands. Each bite will transport you to a tropical paradise, leaving you craving more of our exotic creations. Explore our Caribbean Cuisine
A Warm and Casual Atmosphere
Step into our restaurant and be greeted by a casual, inviting atmosphere reflecting the vibrant cultures we celebrate. Whether you’re joining us for dinner, a family gathering, or a casual lunch with friends, our restaurant is the perfect setting for a casual occasion.
Location
We’re situated right in Berrien Springs, Michigan, at the heart of Southwest Michigan. Our prime location means we’re easy to find for both locals and visitors. Whether enjoying the scenic countryside or checking out nearby attractions, drop by and savor the delicious food at Melendez Imports International Food Market & Restaurant.
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Join Us Today
Ready to embark on a culinary adventure? Join us at Melendez Imports and Restaurant and treat yourself to Mexican and the West Indies flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Our menu is designed to cater to all palates, with options for vegetarians, seafood lovers, and meat enthusiasts. Experience the best of both worlds in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Mexico meets West Indies cuisine at Melendez – Imports International Restaurant.
So a Jamaican chef walks into a Mexican restaurant — no joke — and whips up food of the West Indies, from jerk chicken to curry goat to oxtail stew, plus a vegetarian option. This two-culture menu greets diners each Thursday and Friday at Melendez – Imports International Restaurant in Berrien Springs, a modest spot with a small grocery on the side that carries imports from Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Why? Look directly across Old U.S. 31 to the main gate of Andrews University, where a 3,000-plus student body hails from more than 90 countries.
“There was a need for it,” owner Joe Melendez says about augmenting the Mexican menu. “I saw a big West Indies population here.”
“Everything we have comes in vegetarian and vegan forms,” Melendez says — flautas, empanadas, tamales, and others filled with vegetables.
And it’s closed on Saturdays, the Sabbath.
It’s a worthy stop for harvest-time road trips through the area’s fragrant vineyards, the hike, bike, and ski options at Love Creek County Park, or even a salt-cave experience at The Salt Haven in downtown Berrien Springs.
“Everything is made from scratch,” Melendez says, standing near a box of tomatoes that local farmers came and sold to him. “We don’t even have a can opener.”
One exception is the Jamaican patty, a meat pie that comes frozen and is baked here.
Mexican chef Emilio Enriquez describes five kinds of salsa that he makes. There’s the fresh salsa with homemade chips — salsa made with tomatillos, onions, cilantro, and spices that kick, but he’s toned down. There’s a special salsa for the wet burrito, then red, green, and fire-throwing habanero salsas for other dishes.
Jamaican chef Paul, who’s shy about giving his last name, comes early to cook his native specialties on Thursdays and Fridays, then heads to his full-time job as a vegetarian chef for students at Andrews.
The flavors of the West Indies span such island countries as Haiti, Cuba, Trinidad, Tobago, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
Paul, who trained as a chef in New York City after immigrating 35 years ago, notes how jerk chicken was initially concocted by former African slaves who’d taken refuge in Jamaica, called Maroons. Two spices that drive its unique taste are pimento, which is sweet, and Scotch bonnet pepper, which is fiery like the habanero and a native of the West Indies.
The oxtail stew has soft meat on the bone in a savory sauce of lima beans, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and other flavors. If customers try it, Paul rightly says, “They will start (regularly) eating it.”
The vegetarian option is the same stew but uses a soy-based meat substitute instead of ox.
It’s best eaten over coconut rice and beans, which are included with the West Indies dinners.
Think this place is small? You should have seen the tiny South of the Border storefront on downtown Ferry Street that the Melendez family had run — a fixture there for 34 years and the tip of a cultural iceberg. The Melendezes also delivered Mexican imports to dozens of small and significant grocery stores within 100 miles, at a time before many local Mexican mom and pops began to appear.
Melendez and his nine siblings pitched in on a business their father, the late Domingo Melendez, started in the 1970s by loading up a step-van with Mexican staple foods, driving it into the migrant worker camps around Milford, Ind., and selling out.
“He knew the Mexican people,” Melendez says. “He’d sit outside of their temporary homes.”
By 1980, the family moved to Berrien Springs, which is smack in the middle of Berrien County’s rich agriculture, hungry migrant workers, and close to the university.
The family eventually grew tired of the road and quit the import deliveries.
Melendez, who’d earned a business degree and spent several years in retail management, returned home from a job in Illinois when his ailing father called for help with the business.
As owner, Joe Melendez moved to the current spot on Old U.S. 31 five years ago, keeping up with recipes his mother had influenced. You find wet tamales and wet burritos, both smothered with melted cheese. Now, there are fried plantains every day, too. Melendez prides himself on using flank steak, which is known for its flavor.