Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Okinawa

SomChai Thai Restaurant is one place where you can taste the best of Asian cuisines. Apart from being an expert in Thai dishes, they also offer Vietnamese and Nepalese items on their menu. The food served here is colorful and spicy. They also offer a vegetarian menu for veggie lovers. It has some amazing Pad Thai, Coconut Soup with tofu and noodles, curry dishes, and pumpkin dessert with a combination of lime caramel sauce. It is a small restaurant with only five tables. The kitchen is in the open area that makes their cooking techniques clearly visible.

Travelers can get a taste of the luxury at Kise Bettei Hotel & Spa by visiting their main restaurant, Chura-Nuhji. One of the leading Italian chefs in Japan, Tsutomu Ochiai, owner of La Bettola Da Ochiai in the Ginza district of Tokyo, was specially brought in to design the menu. The chef creates innovative, gourmet Okinawan cuisine by preparing the finest of Okinawa's traditional ingredients (Ishigaki beef, Aguu pork, fresh seafood and local produce) with modern techniques. Lunch is the more affordable option, but dinner here would be divine. Guests are advised to be formally attired; people wearing sleeveless shirts and sandals will not be admitted.

Jakkepoes is an American styled restaurant that specializes in pancakes and other dessert items. It was opened in the year 2008, and slowly became a popular hangout place for a number of tourists, as well as locals. Pancakes are made using original recipes that were passed on from generations ago. They also have a variety of other American dishes for you to order. It is a budget friendly place, and ideal to visit on a weekly basis.

Decorated with simple wooden tables and cane chairs, this bay-facing restaurant exudes nothing but charm. Specializing in fresh seafood, expect to see clams, prawns and local fish on the menu. The key to their fantastic dishes is traditional ingredients fused with inventive recipes. Asian figurines, old barrels and the famous pirate’s wheel make for a whimsical atmosphere.

Tea is a very important part of Japanese tradition and food culture. This beverage came to Japan as a medicinal drink from China in the 700s and was available only to priests and some rich people. It became a popular drink much later, when people gathered at tea parties and played games around it. If you want a taste of the traditional Okinawan tea, Bukubuku, you have to visit this tea shop. It is made from jasmine tea and toasted rice served with foam on the crown. The staff here will show you how to make the foam by beating the tea with a whisk made of wood. One can also add crushed peanuts served with the tea to enjoy it even more.

Koba's, situated atop a hill in Ginowan City, is only five minutes away from ANA Laguna Garden Hotel. Windows span the entire length of the restaurant so that diners can take advantage of the panoramic view of the East China Sea. At night, the city lights create a dazzling backdrop to a romantic French meal. Though the emphasis is on French food, the chicken curry is the most popular lunchtime dish. The restaurant boasts a selection of French wines, as well as an unlimited drink plan for parties. A prix fixe menu is available for parties of 14 or more.