KALAMAZOO, MI — Four eateries opened in the Kalamazoo area in June and none closed.
Here’s a roundup of June’s restaurant news:
Opened: Colonel’s Kitchen
A longtime patron has revived a beloved Kalamazoo dining spot.
Decker Hains opened Colonel’s Kitchen on June 15, at 330 N. Drake Road in Kalamazoo.
The restaurant replaces Colonial Kitchen, which closed after more than 50 years.
Owner Decker Hains poses for a portrait inside Colonel’s Kitchen on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The restaurant opened where Colonial Kitchen was, at 330 N. Drake Rd. in Kalamazoo, Mich., on June 15. Hains was a regular of Colonial Kitchen for years before it closed.(Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)
Hains kept the same staff while rebranding the restaurant with Army green, gold and black colors.
The new owner retired from the military in 2016 and now works as a Western Michigan University professor.
Colonel’s Kitchen serves breakfast and lunch daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The remodeled space features updated kitchen equipment and now accepts all forms of payment.
A look inside Colonel’s Kitchen on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The restaurant opened where Colonial Kitchen was, at 330 N. Drake Rd. in Kalamazoo, Mich., on June 15.(Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)
MORE: A beloved Kalamazoo diner closed after 53 years. A regular is bringing it back.
Opened: K-UpBop Laboratory
A fast-paced Korean barbecue restaurant has moved into a former Tex-Mex chain space.
Owner Jin Wook Kook opened K-UpBop Laboratory on June 4 at 6225 S. Westnedge Ave. in Portage.
The new business fills a vacancy left by Moe’s Southwest Grill, across from the Southland Mall.
A look inside the newly opened K-UpBop Laboratory in Portage, Mich., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The Korean BBQ bowl-themed restaurant replaced Moe’s after the Tex-Mex chain closed its doors, at 6225 S. Westnedge Ave., at the beginning of 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)
Customers can order a signature Korean barbecue bowl packed with proteins, noodles and sides for $16.
The restaurant also serves Korean barbecue burritos and offers vegetarian or gluten-free options upon request.
Inside the building is a market-style shop where customers can purchase authentic Korean snacks and drinks.
K-UpBop Laboratory is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
The K-UpBop combo at the newly opened K-UpBop Laboratory in Portage, Mich., on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The Korean BBQ bowl features bulgogi, chicken, pork, japchae noodles, rice, gyoza, fried japchae, ginger, fried tofu and two signature sauces. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)
MORE: Korean barbecue restaurant opens in Portage, replaces Tex-Mex chain
Opened: Midnight Melt
A new Dubai-inspired late-night dessert shop aims to bring unique Middle Eastern sweets to the local scene.
Tushar and Kathreen Verma opened Midnight Melt on June 13 at 1710 W. Main St.
The shop is located in Suite F of the Tiffany Village strip.
A look at the some of the homemade desserts being sold at Midnight Melt in Kalamazoo. From left: Pistachio Baklava, Chocolate Burma, Walnut Baklava, Pistachio Twist and Pistachio Burma. Kalamazoo’s new late-night dessert spot will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 1710 W. Main St. in Tiffany’s Village.Courtesy photo
Midnight Melt focuses on handcrafted ice cream infused with Indian dessert flavors.
Customers can purchase treats like homemade pistachio baklava by the piece or tray.
The shop features seating for about 15 to 20 people and offers an array of handcrafted milkshakes in flavors ranging from rose to cookies and cream.
The business is open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
A sneak peak inside Midnight Melt, a new Middle Eastern dessert place opening Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 1710 W. Main St. in Tiffany’s Village, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.Courtesy photo
MORE: ‘Not your typical ice cream shop’: Middle Eastern dessert culture arrives in Kalamazoo
Opened: Jack in the Box
Just up I-94, a Jack in the Box restaurant opened June 15 — the first in Michigan in decades.
The opening, at 2588 Capital Ave. SW in Battle Creek, marked the first of six total planned Michigan locations from the franchisees Niraj and Nirmal Patel.
The fast-food chain is known for its signature Sourdough Jack burger, breakfast sandwiches, egg rolls, and tacos.Devin Anderson Torrez
Their second location is planned for Kalamazoo, the brothers said. Permit approvals are in the works, with construction expected to begin in six to eight months.
A sign on the outside of the Battle Creek location reads, “The best burger joint famous for its tacos.”
Jack in the Box, founded in 1951 in San Diego, has 2,200 locations across 24 states and Guam.
Scenes from the grand opening of Jack in the Box in Battle Creek, Mich., on Monday, June 15, 2026.(Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)
MORE: 26-year-old twins brought Jack in the Box back to Michigan. Their first one is now open.
More local food news
Here are a few other nuggets of food news from June:
A vacant Battle Creek building is set to undergo renovations to become a mixed-use space featuring apartments and a restaurant.A long-standing Chinese restaurant in Portage is shutting its doors in July after 46 years of business.A historic church from 1861 in New Buffalo called Beer Church is planning to open a second location — in a much warmer location. 7 Brew is opening two coffee shops in the Kalamazoo area in July.
Did we miss any restaurant openings or closings from June? Email tdesorme@mlive.com and let us know.
April: 4 restaurants that opened, 2 that closed around Kalamazoo in April
May: Kalamazoo-area restaurant openings, closings from May
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Dining and Cooking