Island Style BBQ is a family business in the best sense: Flavors come from Haiti and Guyana and America, just like the Jean-Jules family.
Juliano met his wife, Daleth, at a Brooklyn block party and wooed her with cooking and a charming smile.
It was always a dream of Juliano’s to open a restaurant, using the Hatian recipes he had grown up with. Now living in Battle Creek, there was a void of Caribbean flavor and the time seemed right.
He has the recipes down to a science, to the point where he could make it all with his eyes closed.
Juliano's family helped make his dream come true, and that family feeling carries to the restaurant for an encouraging, uplifting environment.
“We’re sharing what we love, what’s second nature to us,” Daleth said.
Walk into Island Style, and you can instantly smell the spices, which come from all over the world: thyme, paprika, garlic, cumin, curry and more. Take a trip with recipes like Guyanese dahl, mais-mouline’ and cornbread.
There's also music, the kind played at family gatherings for that true island flair. After all, the motto for Island Style is “Bringing the Taste & Sounds of the Caribbean.”
The meat is slow cooked and wood smoked. The spice rub will hit your palate a little different from typical BBQ, and has enough flavor in its own right, but the sauces are a must-try. Especially the jerk sauce – homemade and authentic, sweet and spicy.
Address: 2254 W Columbia Ave, Suite 121, Battle Creek, MI 49015
