8 recommended lunch spots in the central area of Okinawa's main island
Yomitan Village in Okinawa Prefecture is the most populous village in Japan. It is rich in nature and has a relaxing atmosphere that makes you want to take a drive while admiring the scenery. There are many unique restaurants and eateries in the surrounding area, such as a store attached to a yachimun workshop, a restaurant where you can enjoy a meal while admiring the spectacular view, and an organic restaurant. So, here are 8 recommended lunch spots around Yomitan Village and in the Chubu area when you visit Yomitan Village.
1Ryudon-ya
One of the few restaurants in Okinawa specializing in poke-don
Located along the main street (Prefectural Route 6) in Yomitan, this restaurant specializes in "poki-don" (poke bowl). In Okinawa, where American culture is pervasive, authentic American gourmet food is one of the pleasures of traveling. While classic favorites such as hamburgers and steaks are good, Hawaii's poke-don is also highly recommended.
Poki-don is similar to what is called "pickles on rice" in Japan. At Ryudon-ya, you can choose from inshore tuna, salmon, steamed shrimp, or chicken meat as the main ingredient. You can choose from white or brown rice, and for an additional 50 yen, you can also choose island tofu, giving you the freedom to customize your dish. You can enjoy your own poke bowl.
Seats with a panoramic view of Yomitan Village
The restaurant is located on a hill, offering a panoramic view of the town of Yomitan Village. At night, you can enjoy the beautiful night view from a special seat. There is a wide variety of alcoholic beverages on the menu, which can be ordered not only at night but also during lunch hours. The food menu includes not only poki bowls, but also Hawaiian a la carte dishes such as "Mochi Flour Fried Chicken" and "Garlic Shrimp" that are perfect as snacks with drinks. Enjoying a drink in the relaxing Okinawan atmosphere while admiring the scenery from a window seat or terrace is also recommended.
2Yachimun Cafe Gunjo
Cafe attached to a yachimun studio
This café is attached to the Yomitan Village yachimun studio "Toshin Gama. The store also serves as a yachimun gallery, where you can enjoy both dining and shopping. All of the vessels used in the café are made in the studio next door. When you actually use them, you can feel the comfort of Yachimun in your hands.
On the menu are pizzas baked in a stone oven. The recommended "Butter Chicken Curry & Garlic Cheese Pizza" is a style of pizza dough that is served like naan and dipped in curry. The moderately spicy curry and garlic-cheese pizza dough are a perfect match.
Handmade Shisa pizza oven is a must-see!
The Shisa-shaped pizza oven sitting at the back of the kitchen was handmade by the owner and his son. The glass walls of the oven allow customers to watch the pizza being baked in the seersucker's mouth.
The Neapolitan pizza made by the owner, who trained under an Italian master, has the best dough. Using carefully selected flour, the dough is fermented and matured slowly over 3 to 4 days, and then baked at once in a stone oven over a wood fire. Try the pizza with a crispy outside and a glutinous inside.
- Yachimun Cafe Gunjo
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2898-21 Zakimi, Yomitan-mura, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
Approximately 45 min. from Naha Airport by Car
Weekdays 10:00-17:30 (L.O. 17:00)
Saturday, Sunday, Holidays 10:00-18:00 (L.O. 17:30)
(PIZZA 11:00～ ※Close when sold out)
Wednesday
098-927-9167
Free of charge
3Gaitokuya Kujira
A Western-style restaurant that pursues safe and delicious homemade food
This Western-style restaurant is located about a 3-minute drive from Cape Zanba Park. The restaurant uses local ingredients as much as possible and focuses on safe and secure homemade products. The sauces used in the dishes are also handmade. The homemade all-purpose spicy sauce "Kujira no Spicy Noodle," which goes well with a variety of dishes, is a very popular product sold only as a sauce.
The main dish for lunch is a choice of three different daily pasta dishes, cheese risotto, or dry curry, and comes with soup and two sides for a very reasonable price.
A cozy restaurant that is comfortable no matter who you go with.
The concept of the restaurant is to make it easy for anyone to come in, from babies to the elderly, and the interior is a cozy space that is not too stylish. With a wide variety of seating options, including counter seats, table seats, and tatami rooms, the restaurant is perfect for any occasion.
From the windows of the table seating, you can see the best sunset view of Cape Zanba, which is said to be the last place on the main island of Okinawa where the sun sets. It is recommended to have a little late lunch and then relax and enjoy the sunset.
- Restaurant Kujira
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- 949 Senanami, Yomitan Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
- Approximately 60 minutes from Naha Airport by Car
- 11:00-23:00 (L.O. 22:00)
Lunch time 11:00-17:00 - No holidays
- 098-989-9150
- Free of charge
4Beach Kitchen Momenbaru
A café where you can walk to the beach
The restaurant appears as you walk down a narrow road toward the sea. The lunch set menu is semi-buffet style, with free refills of salad, soup, and rice.
The recommended "Chicken Green Curry" contains chomeiso, a herb that is valued as a medicinal herb in Okinawa, and its refreshing taste is addictive. It is recommended as it is spicy enough for Japanese people to enjoy. The menu is not limited to green curry, but also includes a wide range of dishes such as Chinese, Western, and taco rice, so you can enjoy different tastes no matter how many times you visit.
Pleasant terrace seating where you can hear the sound of waves
On the ocean side of the restaurant, there is a large garden where wedding parties are sometimes held and a terrace that looks out over the ocean. The terrace, which has been expanded twice since its opening to its current size, is a very pleasant place where you can hear the pleasant sound of waves. It is a very pleasant place to relax and lose track of time.
At the end of the garden is the entrance to the beach, and after passing through a tunnel of trees, the beautiful beach appears in full view. Why not take a walk before or after your meal?
- Beach Kitchen Momenbaru
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- 502-1 Toguchi, Yomitan Village, Okinawa MAP
- Approximately 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport
- 11:30-22:00 *Reservations required for dinner
- Closed on Mondays and irregular holidays
- 098-957-1533
- Free of charge
Currently open only for lunch
5BIRTHCAFE
Delicious and healthy organic food café
This café focuses on additive-free and organic products. There are many menu items ranging from light meals perfect for breakfast to hearty rice dishes.
Due to the recent increase in demand, there are many vegan menu items, and among them, we recommend the "Double Veggie Curry," which does not contain any meat. The "Keema Curry" is made with soybean meat, and the "Curry with Coconut Milk and Spinach" is a two-color curry. It is hearty but not greasy, and can be eaten without upsetting the stomach.
You can also shop at the organic store attached to the cafe
Next to the restaurant is a store that sells carefully selected organic products. Some of the items sold in the store are used in the café, and you can purchase delicious products on the spot.
The wide selection of organic vegetables, dried fruits sold by weight, instant foods, wines, and more than 1,000 other items are available. There are also snacks and beverages to accompany your drive, as well as Okinawan products that make great souvenirs. Of course, you can also use the store only.
6BANTA CAFE by Hoshino Resorts
Sea café where you can feel the greenery, the wind, and the sound of the waves
One of the largest ocean cafes in Japan stands on a cliff on the west coast. The site stretches along a cove and the natural coastline is used to create an extraordinary space where you can enjoy a casual menu that is uniquely Okinawan.
The "Pork Tamago Onigiri" is a soul food that you must taste if you come to Okinawa. It contains two kinds of egg rolls (plain and aosa) and pork (luncheon meat). The "Garlic Shrimp," with its gusto of spice and garlic aroma, is a perfect match for beer.
Healing space with no noise
BANTA CAFE by Hoshino Resorts stretches along a cove and has four areas on its vast grounds: a large roof deck, a seaside terrace, a rocky terrace, and a lounge for lounging. You can enjoy both the ocean and the forest in the same café, and you can choose at your leisure according to your mood of the day.
The "rock terrace" is surrounded by large rocks carved by the waves and plants, where you can enjoy the excitement of being in a secret base. As you spend your time swaying in the rocking chair, you will be out before you know it ....... You will have a stress-free time.
- BANTA CAFE by Hoshino Resorts
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- 560 Gima, Yomitan Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
- Approx. 70 min. by car from Naha Airport
- 10:00～1 hour after sunset (L.O. sunset)
Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and April 27-May 6: 8:00~. - No holidays
- 098-921-6810
- 60 minutes free with cafe use
- Business days and hours are subject to change for certain reasons
7Taiwanese Small Nosh Hualien
An authentic Taiwanese restaurant in Okinawa
A small Taiwanese restaurant in Futenma. Okinawa and Taiwan are only about an hour and a half away from each other by air, and have historically been in contact with each other. The Taiwanese owner, who immigrated to Okinawa, opened "Taiwanese Little Snack Hualien".
When it comes to Taiwanese gourmet food, you cannot miss the xiaolongbao. The secret of the deliciousness lies in the fact that the pork from Okinawa is used and the dough is handmade without sparing any time or effort. The skin is neither too thin nor too thick, but just the right thickness to hold in the soup. The authentic taste will make you think you are in Taiwan.
Warm and inviting interior with tatami mats
Inside the restaurant, there are counter seats that are easy for one person to sit alone, table seats, and a small tatami room that is also great for children. The interior design is reminiscent of Taiwan, but also has a relaxing atmosphere with a nostalgic feel. The warm atmosphere of the restaurant reflects the personality of the owner, who has a wonderful smile.
The shop is open four days a week from Wednesday to Saturday. The store is located in a narrow alley off the main street, so if you are driving, it is recommended to park at the nearby supermarket "Sanftima (Liubo)" and walk there.
- Taiwanese snack Hualien
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- 2-6-15 Futenma, Ginowan City, Okinawa MAP
- Approx. 30 min. from Naha Airport by Car
- 11:00-22:00 (Lunch L.O. 14:00, Dinner L.O. 21:00)
- Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
- 098-988-9982
- Free of charge
8Seafood Restaurant Ajika
A restaurant on Heianza Island where you can enjoy the freshest seafood
The restaurant is located right next to Henza Fishing Port. After crossing over to Heianza Island along the underwater road, which is a standard driving course in the central part of Okinawa, you will see "Ajika" on your right hand side. You can enjoy fresh fish purchased at auctions held at the fishing port.
In the Okinawan dialect, "imaiyu" means fresh fish. The recommended fish of the day changes daily. We also recommend the "masu-ni" (boiled fish boiled with salt, a unique Okinawan dish) and the kaisen donburi (seafood on top of a bowl of rice).
Inside the restaurant, you can feel the atmosphere of a fishing port.
The other side of the window is a fishing port, so you can sometimes see the fishermen in wetsuits working in the harbor. Eating fish while looking at where it was landed makes the fish seem even fresher. We invite you to taste the daily specials and find out what kind of fish Okinawa has to offer.
The restaurant is spacious, with not only table seating but also five small seats with sunken kotatsu. Why not stop by during your drive?
- Seafood Restaurant Ajika
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- 9396-6 Heianza, Yonagusuku, Uruma City, Okinawa MAP
- Approx. 70 min. by car from Naha Airport
- 11:30 - close when sold out
- Mon.
- 098-977-7783
- Free of charge
MAP
- Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
Local Guide who was in charge of this article
- Yuka Nakamura A chuka-ka-gee with a wonderful smile
