Okinawa is home to an enclave of good restaurants and cafes.

While Japanese food is widely popular, Okinawan cuisine is slightly under the radar, and it is a shame because they are unique in its own rights. The cuisine is highly influenced by its region, hence a mix of Japanese and Chinese.

When visiting Okinawa, you have to try both their local eateries as well as renown cafes and restaurants for a comprehensive idea of what the Japanese island-city has to offer. Here, we present to you the 11 Restaurants & Cafes in Okinawa You Must Try.

BACAR OKINAWA

Bacar Okinawa is a modern restaurant where we had one of the best pizzas in our lives. Yes, best. It only has two pizzas (¥1,620 each) on its menu—Margherita and Marinara. And they were both out of the world, though we secretly preferred the Margherita.

We liked how all pizzas are made to order in the wood fire oven. The end result is a thin-crust pizza that still retains its moisture, with a lovely smoky fragrance.

On Bacar’s menu, there are several appetisers such as Fried Sweet Potatoes (¥600), Tomato Stewed Tripes (¥910) and an assortment of Okinawan Seafood (¥1,680)—Tuna Carpaccio, Smoked Swordfish and Octopus—for sharing.

3-16-15 Kumoji, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 863 5678

BISHOKU DINING EN OKINAWA

Bishoku Dining En Okinawa is an izakaya-style restaurant; think a big menu of snacks, mains and beers.

We had a great dinner at Bishoku Dining En Okinawa—umi budo was refreshing with a ponzu dip, grilled pork was tender and flavourful, and the taco rice was memorable.

There are many arguments about the origins of taco rice, but the common belief is that Taco Rice originated from Okinawa. Ingredients that are typically used to make taco are treated differently in Okinawa—they are mixed together with rice, then served as a main course a la a one-dish meal. Give this a try when at Bishoku Dining En Okinawa.

And don’t forget to get a glass of Orion Beer too!

2F, 3-16-19 Kumoji, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 941 7588

CERRADO COFFEE

This tiny coffee house in Urasoe is not exactly a cafe, but is still frequently visited by coffee lovers. They have a range of self-sourced beans and their hand drip coffee is exceptionally popular.

You can also bring home a bag of coffee beans or two for your own brewing.

2-15-6 No.28 Minatogawa, Urasoe, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 875 0123

Read: 10 MUST-TRY Local Food in Okinawa

CHATAN HARBOR BREWERY

If you want to dine with a view of the harbour, Chatan Harbor Brewery is the one to go to. Situated at Chatan Harbor is this huge restaurant which has both indoor and alfresco seating.

Chatan has its own brewery within the restaurant, and you bet they serve an incredible range of craft beers. From the food menu, try the Mussel Frites; that was our favourite.

Chatan Harbour Brewery also has a private yacht which is available for rent, and the restaurant has complementing food and beverage menus for onboard events and parties.

53-1 Mihama, Chatan-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 926 1118

ITOMAN GYOMIN SHOKUDO

This is undisputedly our favourite restaurant in Okinawa. The small restaurant in the Itoman neighbourhood impressed us to no end. They specialise in serving fish and seafood dishes, and the fish menu is comprehensive, to say the least.

Popular items include the squid ink stew, assorted fish stew, and the one that had our hearts—grilled fish of the day with garlic and butter). The lunch set comes with an appetiser of sashimi and salad, and a bowl of rice. Look around you and you would realise most patrons have a grilled fish on hotplate on their tables; that is it.

Itoman Gyomin Shokudo may be a drive away from the city centre, but every day, discerning patrons would take the long drive to the small restaurant for lunch. Its insane queues and long waiting hours are a testament to its popularity and huge success; reservations are strongly recommended.

4-17 Nishizakicho, Itoman-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 992 7277

KATEIRYORI NO MISE MANJUMAI

This may look like just any other humble eatery, but Kateiryori no Mise Manjumai has a menu that is not so ordinary. The wide variety of your usual Okinawan cuisine includes champuru, Okinawa soba, rafute (which is very good) and taco rice. Try the goya champuru; you would see this dish on almost every table.

The homely eatery dishes out home-style cooked food at very reasonable prices, and the owner has a collection of koregusu—a spicy dip that is made of chilli peppers soaked in awamori. They are complementary dips for almost everything.

If you are lucky, the owner of Kateiryori no Mise Manjumai would also play the shamisen for you!

3 -9-23 Kumoji, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 867 2771

KINCHICHII SOBA

Okinawans love their Okinawa Soba and Kinchichii soba is a cult favourite. While the restaurant does not serve Okinawa Soba the traditional way (clear broth that is cooked with seaweed, pork and vegetables), it still enjoys popularity amongst locals.

Kinchichii Soba has several options, from tonkotsu soup to spicy miso broth. They are richer in flavour as compared to the regular Okinawa Soba broth, tastes somewhat like ramen broth, but the soba remains to be thick, wheat noodles.

Every bowl is served with pork slices/ belly and vegetables.

201, Kina, Yomitan Village, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 958 5896

MISO DINER – MARUTAMA

This is a miso speciality diner with dishes revolving around homemade miso. Miso Diner -Marutama uses miso—by Tamanaha, a miso and soy sauce maker in Shuri with a proud history dating back more than 170 years—in the preparation for all its teishoku.

Breakfast sets are very popular and value-for-money, and we liked the Grilled Ginger Pork set (¥970). It is a comforting champuru dish served with rice and miso soup.

1F, 2-4-3, Izumizaki, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 831 7656

NAGO COFFEE

For authentic Okinawan coffee, go to Nago Coffee. This traditional coffee house takes pride in their cup of joe. From sourcing and roasting their own beans, the hand-drip Okinawan coffee is what Nago Coffee is known for.

Nago Coffee also has a merchandise corner where you can bring home bags of coffee beans and snacks that complement your coffee.

2 -9-24 Kohagura, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 855 3009

TEPPANYAKI STEAK RESTAURANT HEKI

This upscale teppanyaki restaurant is conveniently located at the popular shopping street, Kokusai-dori. They have a menu that specialises in beef and seafood, as well as seasonal produce.

The multi-course menu features an assortment of vegetables followed by the chosen meat/ seafood. Go for the range of wagyu beef and you will not be disappointed by its amazing marbling.

The service is excellent, and if you take a closer look, the chefs are all females. Your entire meal will be prepared before your eyes, except for the bread which they bake in-house and are served to you fresh from the oven.

3-2-3 Makishi, Naha-shi, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 866 2939

TIMELESS CHOCOLATE

When in Okinawa, you have to visit American Village. And when you are at American Village, drop by Timeless Chocolate. It is a chocolate specialty cafe that you must visit. The owner is a passionate chap who has a strong love for chocolates and coffee. Combining his experience of working as a barista and his knowledge for chocolates, he founded Timeless Chocolate.

He uses cacao beans from various regions (including Vietnam and Brazil) and sugar grown in local Okinawa sugar cane farms to produce his chocolates. You can purchase the bags of chocolates or have them in the form of his daily desserts.

But what you must not miss out on is the chocolate cacao juice which is an interesting and unpredictable drink; it actually tasted like lychee!

Distortion Seaside Building 2F
9-46 Mihama, Chatan-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa
Tel: +81 98 923 2880

This post is brought to you by Okinawa Prefecture.

Okinawa is not quite the Japan you know. Ths island pretty much sits on its own, has its own cultures and expressions, and food that is unique to them.

Because of its geographical location, Okinawan food is very much influenced by the Chinese culture, while still retaining authentic Japan elements and flavours. As for its beverages, it is no secret that Okinawa is home to some of the best beers and liquor in Asia.

A recent trip to Okinawa had us discovering the many wonders of its food scene, and every single item listed in this guide to 10 MUST-TRY Local Food in Okinawa wowed us in its own ways.

Be unique, #BeOkinawa.

#1 GOYA CHAMPURU

Okinawan cuisine is largely distinguished by the ‘champuru style’. The word ‘champuru’ means to simply mix everything; hence, Okinawan cuisines revolve largely around stir-fry dishes.

Goya Champuru is definitely the most “iconic” champuru dish in Okinawa, and goya translates to bittergourd. Beautiful bittergourd are freshly sliced, then stir-fried with eggs and luncheon meat (sometimes fresh pork); the end result is a comforting, home-style dish that we would gladly eat with Japanese rice every day.

This is, without a doubt, our favourite local food in Okinawa.

#2 SEA GRAPES

These are the caviar of Okinawa. The proper term is umi budo, which translates to sea grapes.

You might think they are not spectacular, but dip it into ponzu (citrus vinegar and take a bite into this crunchy appetiser and you will realise just how addictive it is. The burst of freshness and tinge of sweetness is what umi budo is well-loved for.

#3 AWAMORI

Someone once said, “Awamori is to Okinawa what Soju is to Korea.” Essentially a type of sugar-free shochu that is low in calories, awamori is an integral part of Okinawan culture and traditional rituals.

Awamori is produced using fermented rice malt made from rice, with the addition of black koji mould—the ingredient that gives awamori its distinctive aroma. The more aged the awamori, the more mature its flavour, and aged awamori costs a lot more too!

They are usually stored in earthenware, and premium earthenwares will affect the eventual taste of aged awamori. This is also why awamori connoisseurs invest in expensive earthenwares to preserve their alcohol.

Monumental events and celebratory dates are often marked with awamori; a wedding calls for a bottle of awamori, so does a newborn baby.

The locals will probably tell you to go to Chuko Awamori Distillery, as they are the pioneers in Okinawan awamori, and their alcoholic beverages have won numerous awards in the past decades. The factory is amazing to say the least, and it is where you can get the full range of awamori.

Chuko Awamori Distillery – Kuusu no Mori
556-2 Iraha, Tomigusuku-shi, Okinawa
www.chuko-awamori.com
Tel: +81-98-851-8813

Read: Okinawa Food Guide – 11 Restaurants & Cafes You Must Dine At.

#4 PEANUT-FLAVOURED TOFU

If you see ‘jimami-tofu’ on the menu, it is the famous Okinawa peanut-flavoured tofu. Mostly eaten as a dessert, jimami-tofu has a texture that is denser than the usual tofu we know. Peanuts are squeezed for its liquid, then mixed with potato starch to create the subtly sweet dessert.

Jimami-tofu is inexpensive, and can be commonly found in shokudo and supermarkets (in pre-packed packages). Eat it on its own, or top it off with some grated ginger or brown sugar syrup.

#5 RAFUTE

Rafute is very similar to the Chinese-style stewed pork ribs/ belly, or what we know as ‘dong po ruo’. The Okinawan rendition is a flavourful dish of skin-on pork rib stew, and is cooked in soy sauce and brown sugar, and sometimes awamori. It was first created as a royalty dish, as it is said to prolong one’s life span.

Today, rafute is widely enjoyed in shokudo (Japanese-style casual eateries) and often eaten with an accompaniment of rice or Okinawa Soba.

#6 ORION BEER

This is one beer that is synonymous with Okinawa. Orion Breweries in Okinawa produces some of the best beers in Japan, and Orion Beer is one of the most popular beer choices in the whole of Japan.

When in Okinawa, you definitely have to taste the famed Orion beer, which won the hearts of Japanese with its clear, smooth taste. They attributed the great taste to the spring water they used, which is collected from the mountains “just behind the brewery”.

#7 MOZUKU SEAWEED

The simple vinegared seaweed has humbly made it to the list of Okinawan favourites. Locals love this appetiser for its distinct sourness and low calories. Mozuku Seaweed are best harvested in Okinawa waters, for the temperature gives it the thickness.

Mozuku Seaweed is said to be a healthy snack for its anti-bacterial properties. The slimy surface is actually laden with fucoidan, a molecule that is anti-bacterial, balances intestinal health and strengthens the immune system.

#8 SIHKUWASA

There are many types of citrus fruits that are grown in Okinawa, but shikuwasa is a prized breed. Commonly known as the Taiwanese tangerine, shikuwasa is an Okinawan produce that is extremely sour.

The small citrus fruit is usually harvested in between July to September, and when ripe, it has a pale yellowish-green share. Loved for its low sugar content but potent sourness, locals use shikuwasa to produce juices and cordials, jams and as a garnish.

A very popular shikuwasa farm if you’d love a farm visit is Katsuyama Shikuwasa. Not only do you get to pick the fresh harvest (usually during July), you can also get your hands on the homemade shikuwasa sorbet which is extremely refreshing for summer!

Katsuyama Shikuwasa
9 Katsuyama, Nago-shi
Okinawa-ken 905-0002
Tel: +81-980-53-8686

#9 OKINAWA SOBA

Perhaps one of the most popular Okinawan food, Okinawa Soba is a noodle soup dish that is quite unlike your original idea and perception of Japanese soba.

You would think that ramen is a staple for everyone in Japan, but in Okinawa, Okinawa Soba is the noodle dish that locals rely on.

Unlike the usual thin, brown wheat soba, Okinawa Soba uses thick wheat noodles with a round surface, and it looks somewhat like udon. Its taste vary from restaurant to restaurant, but the idea is a clear broth that is cooked with seaweed, pork and vegetables.

A common condiment for Okinawa Soba is koregusu, a spicy dip that is made of chilli peppers soaked in awamori.

#10 SATA ANDAGI

This snack is what the Okinawans affectionately call the ‘local donut’. These donut-like snacks are made of flour, sugar and eggs. The mixture is shaped into balls, then deep- fried to a crispy exterior. The inside remains soft and cake-like.

This is one Okinawan food that you must try! The best one can be found at Makishi Public Market. Look for this stall on the second level called ‘Ayumi’. Their sata andagi are so popular that they sell out within minutes! Be there early to catch the first batch, and you can enjoy them warm.

Ayumi
First Makishi Public Market 2F
2 Chome-10-1 Matsuo, Naha-shi
Okinawa-ken 900-0014
Tel: +81-98-863-1171

This post is brought to you by Okinawa Prefecture.