Savor Okinawa: 10 Great Restaurants for Food Lovers
Where to Eat in Okinawa and What to Try?
The best restaurants in Okinawa showcase a unique food culture, drawing inspiration from the island’s tropical seas and fertile lands. Delight in shimadofu (island tofu) dishes for an authentic taste, or savor Okinawan soba, a cherished local staple. The island’s renowned taco rice and hamburger shops highlight its American cultural influences.
This culinary journey across Okinawa features local favorites, from medicinal dishes with island vegetables and wild grasses to venues specializing in Okinawan branded pork and rare fresh fish. Dive into the local flavors and embrace the island’s rich culinary heritage.
1. Shimachan Shokudo
A tofu lover’s lunch delight
Good for: Budget, Food
For tofu enthusiasts, Shimachan Shokudo is the ideal lunch spot. Their Yushidofu, freshly made at the tofu shop behind the cafeteria, is a local Okinawan dish with a slightly salty taste. This fluffy tofu hasn’t been molded or hardened and is delicious on its own or with soy sauce or miso.
The Yushidofu set meal is a great deal, offering a filling combination of Okinawan-style seasoned rice, Okara Inari, salad, and Jimami tofu. The restaurant closes as soon as the tofu runs out, so make sure you get here nice and early.
Location: 2 Chome-3-12 Yogi, Naha, Okinawa 902-0076, Japan
Open: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 11.30 am to 3 pm (closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-832-1233
Shimachan Shokudo
2. Kishimoto Shokudo
Authentic Okinawa soba steeped in tradition
Good for: Food, Budget
Kishimoto Shokudo is the go-to place for experiencing Okinawa soba, the quintessential noodle dish of Okinawa. This long-standing eatery, located in Motobu-cho, has been serving traditional recipes for over 110 years. The menu is simple yet satisfying, offering large and small portions of Kishimoto soba and Juicy, an Okinawan rice oatmeal. The soba features flat noodles in a light soy sauce-flavored soup with bonito broth, topped with thick boneless ribs, kamaboko, and island onion.
The handmade Juicy is packed with flavor and quickly sells out. To ensure you get a taste without facing long queues, plan to arrive when the restaurant opens.
Location: 5 Toguchi, Motobu Town, Kunigami District, Okinawa 905-0214, Japan
Open: Thursday–Tuesday from 11 am to 5 pm (closed on Wednesdays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-047-2887
Kishimoto Shokudo
3. Tsurukamedo Zenzai
A cool delight with a colorful twist
Good for: Couples, Families, Food
Tsurukamedo Zenzai, located next to the Zakimi Castle Ruins in Yomitan Village, offers a delightful twist on traditional zenzai. While zenzai is typically enjoyed warm in Honshu, here in tropical Okinawa, it’s served chilled with shaved ice. This popular shop often sells up to 300 cups a day, with its simple set menu featuring Ryukyu zenzai made from handmade rice flour dumplings and sweetened red kidney beans topped with fluffy ice.
The flavors intensify as you work through the mountain of shaved ice. Among the specialties is zenzai with purple yam and brown sugar, accented with ginger syrup, offering a unique and irresistible taste.
Location: 248-1 Zakimi, Yomitan, Nakagami District, Okinawa 904-0301, Japan
Open: Thursday–Monday from 11 am to 5 pm (closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-958-1353
Tsurukamedo Zenzai
4. Café Garamanjaku
A culinary journey through Okinawan wellness
Good for: Couples, Families, Food
Café Garamanjaku is renowned for showcasing the secret to Okinawans’ longevity: traditional Okinawan cuisine. Nestled in an old house with a red-tiled roof, the café focuses on medicinal foods made from island vegetables and wild grasses, many sourced from its own garden.
The Garaman Set Meal offers a vibrant array of dishes crafted from over 50 ingredients. The five-color rice, cooked with natural hues like indigo and turmeric, is truly impressive. Delight in dishes like sautéed island carrots, bitter gourd boiled in soy sauce and brown sugar, and Umukuji doughnuts with purple and golden yam. Simple seasonings such as salt, miso, and soy sauce enhance their flavors. Complete your meal with a refreshing Purple Yam Miki smoothie.
Location: 10507-4 Kin, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-1201, Japan
Open: Friday–Monday from noon to 3 pm (closed on Tuesday–Thursday)
Phone: +81 (0)98-968-8846
Café Garamanjaku
5. Itoman Gyomin Shokudo
Okinawan fresh fish dishes
Good for: Couples, Families, Food
Itoman Gyomin Shokudo is a popular restaurant where you can enjoy freshly caught fish from the nearby port. The specialty of this restaurant is a set meal of freshly caught, butter-grilled fish. You can choose from three types of butter: sea lettuce butter, Okinawan-style fermented tofu butter, and turmeric butter.
As for the fish, try one of the local Okinawan varieties such as Bitaro (bluestripe snapper), Meebai (a type of grouper), and Akamachi (queen snapper). The pale Okinawan fish fried in plenty of butter makes for an exquisite dish with rice. For the sashimi served as a starter, try the Sichuan pepper-rich “numbness soy sauce” (its name hints at the level of spice you can expect).
Location: 4 Chome-17-7 Nishizakicho, Itoman, Okinawa 901-0306, Japan
Open: Wednesday–Monday from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-992-7277
Itoman Gyomin Shokudo
6. Yachimun Cafe Shisa Garden
Forest views with delicious local flavors
Good for: Food, Photo
For pure relaxation, Yachimun Cafe Shisa Garden is hard to beat. Nestled in the mountains of central Okinawa Island, its open upstairs windows offer views of Yanbaru’s forest framed by Okinawan lion statues (Shisa) on the rooftop.
If you’re hungry, try Hirayachi, Okinawan-style pancakes baked with flour dough using leeks and green onions. For sweet snacks, there’s the popular Okinawan traditional brown sugar crepe known as Chinpin (or Pawpaw). This is a perfect match for the home-roasted coffee made using the spring water from the park. On hot days, the “Ultra Fresh Citrus Juice” using seasonal citrus fruits such as locally produced Okinawan lime and tankan is the perfect tonic.
Location: 1439 Izumi, Motobu, Kunigami District, Okinawa 905-0221, Japan
Open: Wednesday–Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-047-2160
Yachimun Cafe Shisa Garden
7. Manmi Shimabuta Shichirinyaki
Okinawa’s unique pork flavors
Good for: Couples, Families, Food
Manmi Shimabuta Shichirinyaki is a must-visit in Okinawa, where pork cuisine is legendary. Yanbaru Shimabuta, which is a crossbreed of the purebred native Agu and the Kurobuta (Berkshire) pigs, offers pork with sweet, delicate fat. At this restaurant, you can broil 16 kinds of Yanbaru Shimabuta on a charcoal-fired shichirin grill.
Savor ribs, shoulder roast, and melt-in-the-mouth fatty pork, or try the umami-rich pig’s head. Enhance the experience with a special kombu sauce or rosemary herb salt. Balance the feast with a fresh salad of seasonal vegetables and Shimadofu from the Yambaru area.
Location: 251 Isagawa, Nago, Okinawa 905-1152, Japan
Open: Tuesday–Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Phone: +81 (0)98-053-5383
Manmi Shimabuta Shichirinyaki
8. Jef
An Okinawan hamburger shop
Good for: Families, Food, Budget
As Okinawa is home to a US military base, it’s no surprise that there are many American gourmet hamburger joints on the island, including Jef. This burger restaurant is particularly loved by the locals and has three branches on the main island of Okinawa. One distinctively Okinawan menu option is the “Nuyaru Burger,” which combines sliced bitter gourd and eggs with pork luncheon meat in a bun. If you want to share with children, try the set of three mini burgers.
There’s also a drive-in if you want to quickly grab something to eat without stopping your sightseeing. The Tomigusuku store is 15 minutes from the airport, so you can always stop by again before returning to catch your flight.
Location: Tomigusuku store: 66-1 Tagami, Tomigusuku, Okinawa 901-0234, Japan
Jef
9. King Tacos
A fusion of American and Okinawan culinary traditions
Good for: Food, Budget
King Tacos is synonymous with original Okinawan taco rice fast food, which was created in 1984 and started with taco meat being served on top of rice. The chain has many branches throughout Okinawa Prefecture, but the original Kin Main Store, located in Kin Town, where there’s a strong sense of American culture, is particularly popular and is always serving plenty of customers.
If it’s your first time here, the “taco rice cheese vegetable” option with cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce is a great place to start. The portions are generous, often challenging the takeout pack’s lid. With taco meat, cheese, crispy vegetables, and spicy salsa sauce, this is a meal that keeps you hooked until the very last bite.
Location: Main store: 4244-4 Kin, Kunigami District, Okinawa 904-1201, Japan
King Tacos
10. Urizun
Island spirits and culinary delights
Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife
Urizun, an essential stop in Okinawa, celebrates the island’s rich cultural heritage through its renowned Awamori drink, passed down for over 600 years. Established in 1972, Urizun brings together all 57 of Okinawa’s Awamori distilleries, including rare selections from remote islands. Their unique Kusu, aged Awamori, adds an extra layer of tradition to the experience.
Accompanying the drink is a delightful array of dishes, from Okinawan home-cooked classics to imperial and creative cuisine. Highlights include the Okinawan Durtan croquette, made with local taro, and Rafute, a pork stew simmered in Awamori. If you’re overwhelmed by choices, opt for the Urizun set meal and savor the authentic flavors of Okinawa.
Location: 388-5 Asato, Naha, Okinawa 902-0067, Japan
Open: Daily from 5.30 pm to midnight
Phone: +81 (0)98-885-2178
Urizun
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