Local Guide
5 cafes where you can enjoy exquisite sweets to stop by during sightseeing in Okinawa

Okinawa, once the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, is a city of "chanpuru" (mixed and mingled) culture influenced by the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, the United States, and other countries. Chinsuko," a well-known standard souvenir of Okinawa, is one of the traditional confections of the Ryukyu Islands, but Okinawa is also home to many sweets that are modern interpretations of traditions and sweets from around the world. It may be interesting to visit cafes from such a point of view. Here are five cafes where you can enjoy exquisite sweets unique to Okinawa to relieve the fatigue of sightseeing.

Rustic carrot cake at a cafe run by a couple who have traveled the world

Carrot cake
Carrot cake" drink set 900 yen

This café in Yomitan Village boasts Brazilian cuisine and home-roasted coffee. The recommended sweet is "Carrot Cake," a classic Brazilian sweet that allows you to experience the authentic taste of Brazil. The carrot cake is made with Okinawan cane sugar and Okinawan carrots (at certain times of the year), and coated with a homemade chocolate sauce, making it very moist. The simple and gentle sweetness is the reason for its popularity.

Coffee beans are purchased from a local farm run by the owner's (wife's) uncle, who is from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and roasted in-house at the store.

A "traveling cafe" run by a couple who have traveled to 39 countries.

This café was renovated from a foreigner's residence. The white-based interior is filled with the warmth of wood.
This café was renovated from a foreigner's residence. The white-based interior is filled with the warmth of wood.

The concept of the store is "a café that travels the world. The owner and his wife traveled to 39 countries in two years and learned about cooking and coffee. Many of the menu items on offer are recreations of "local flavors," and the Brazilian soul food "feijão" (1,150 yen), which is hard to find anywhere else, has the No. 1 repeat customer rate.

The store is decorated with photos taken during their travels and books related to their travels, stirring the desire to travel. Coffee lovers and café lovers alike are welcome to visit.

Local Guide Comment
It is rare to find a café where you can enjoy authentic Brazilian cuisine and sweets, isn't it? And the owner and his wife are simply charming! I think many customers visit to meet them both.
VIVA LA COFFEE
  • address (e.g. of house) 662 D-201 Owan, Yomitan Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
  • Direction Approximately 45 min. from Naha Airport by Car
  • Business Hours 9:00-15:00 (Food L.O. 14:00, Drink L.O. 14:45)
  • Closed Wednesday, Thursday
  • TEL 098-953-8728
  • Parking Free of charge

Crispy and chewy. Dutch Baby Pancakes" from Germany

Oimono Pancake
Oimono Pancake" 968 yen. Delicious with lemon and maple syrup!

Located in a residential area of Kitanakagusuku Village, this café stars "Dutch Baby Pancakes," pancakes born in Germany. When you think of pancakes, you probably imagine thick and fluffy, but the restaurant's pancakes have a new texture. The batter is poured into a skillet with good heat conductivity and baked in the oven, resulting in crispy, chewy pancakes.

The "Oimono Pancakes" topped with Daifuku ice cream, homemade sweet potato paste, and black sesame seeds are especially popular. The sweet batter has a gentle egg flavor.

Stylish café renovated from a foreigner's house

The owner himself renovated the interior to create a relaxing space.
The owner himself renovated the interior to create a relaxing space.

The interior of the restaurant, which was originally a foreigner's residence and was renovated by the owner himself, has an impressive antique atmosphere. The walls finished with Ryukyu plaster create a warm and relaxing atmosphere. Many foreigners who live nearby also visit MOTHER COFFEE because of its location, giving it an exotic atmosphere that makes you feel as if you are overseas, even though you are in Japan.

A total of 10 types of pancakes are available: 5 types for meals and 5 types for sweets. You will want to visit MOTHER COFFEE at any time of the day, whether for breakfast, lunch, or sweets.

Local Guide Comment
They say that "berries" are especially popular among the sweets, and "bacon" pancakes are popular among the meals. They all look delicious, so it might be a good idea to share them with several people.
MOTHER COFFEE
  • address (e.g. of house) 588 Aza Zukeran, Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
  • Direction Approximately 40 minutes by car from Naha Airport
  • Business Hours 8:00-17:00 (L.O.16:30)
  • Closed Thursdays
  • TEL 098-923-3723
  • Parking Free of charge

Smooth and fluffy! Soda with a lovely new texture and colorful jellies!

Bukubuku Jule Soda
Bukubuku Jule Soda" (1,000 yen), which will cheer you up from the outside.

The café stands along the coastline of Yomitan Village, where all seats are specially reserved. There are four areas in the Property: the "O-roof deck," "seaside terrace," "rocky terrace," and "lounge," where you can fully experience the charm of Okinawa's nature.

The "Bukubuku Jule Soda," which was inspired by Okinawa's traditional "Bukubuku Tea," is the perfect drink to savor while gazing at the spectacular view. Underneath the fluffy bubbles is herb-scented soda and colorful polka-dot jelly of mango and hibiscus, giving it a tropical flavor. The texture is smooth and fluffy! The pure fruitiness of the drink will quickly permeate your body.

All seats have a guaranteed view! A café with a spectacular view that makes the most of the natural terrain

The cozy atmosphere makes you want to stay longer!
The cozy atmosphere makes you want to stay longer!

One of the areas spread out in the space utilizing the natural topography is the "seaside terrace" where you can feel the sea breeze. When you sit down on the seating area, a spectacular view unfolds before you. You will never get tired of looking at the sea, which changes its expression depending on the weather and time of day.

Listening to the sound of the waves and enjoying a sweet treat while gazing out at the ocean is a blissful experience. You can also go out to the beach and stroll along the shore. The blue sea and sky, and at dusk, you can watch the sun set over the sea, turning the sky an azure color. Experience a healing and extraordinary experience.

Local Guide Comment
This café has an overwhelmingly spectacular view that impresses even Okinawans who should be used to seeing the ocean. Coming here is a refreshing and invigorating experience.
BANTA CAFE by Hoshino Resorts
  • address (e.g. of house) 560 Gima, Yomitan Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
  • Direction Approx. 70 min. by car from Naha Airport
  • Business Hours 10:00～1 hour after sunset (L.O. sunset)
    Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and April 27-May 6: 8:00~.
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 098-921-6810
  • Parking 60 minutes free with cafe use
  • Memo Business days and hours are subject to change for certain reasons

Japanese sweets made by a Japanese confectionery shop that accompanies the daily life of the village

Mame Daifuku
Mame Daifuku" (bean-shaped rice cake) 190 yen, "Taiwan Chimaki" 330 yen

In a quiet residential area in Kitanakagusuku Village, there is an authentic Japanese confectionery shop, which is rare in Okinawa. It was established in the spring of 2008. The storefront is lined with wagashi that can be bought and eaten casually and that are a part of everyday life. The standard items are "mame daifuku" made with homemade daifuku bean paste and rice cake freshly pounded every morning, "dorayaki" made with brown sugar, and "Taiwan chimaki" made of 100% glutinous rice with shiitake mushrooms and cashew nuts.

Other seasonal sweets such as "Strawberry Daifuku" (January and February), "Sakura Mochi" (March), "Kashiwa Mochi" (April), and "Imoyokan" (fall) are also available.

Nostalgic yet new. Gaijin Houses Incorporating Japanese Style

The wooden shapes of wooden geese and brass spatulas on display in the store were inherited from the owner's grandfather.
The wooden shapes of wooden geese and brass spatulas on display in the store were inherited from the owner's grandfather.

The store is owned by the owner, whose parents own a Japanese confectionery in Gifu Prefecture, and two people who run a bakery (Plowman's Ranch Bakery) in the village. They make and sell sweets every day with the wish to "be a wagashiya that accompanies the daily life of the village.

The interior of the store, which was renovated from a foreigner's house, is a cozy space where newness and nostalgia coexist. Freshly made wagashi can be eaten in as well as taken out, so be sure to try them with green tea or coffee in the brightly lit store.

Local Guide Comment
It is a popular place where locals go as well, and sometimes sells out early on weekends and before events. Advance reservations are recommended.
YOYO AN FACTORY
  • address (e.g. of house) 366 Kishaba, Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
  • Direction Approx. 33 min. from Naha Airport by Car
  • Business Hours 10:00-16:00 (L.O.15:00) *Last order time is subject to change.
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 098-979-5661
  • Parking Free of charge

Cool and fluffy! Shaved ice even in winter

Red Potato Brown Sugar Zenzai
Red Potato Brown Sugar Zenzai" 680 yen

This long-established zenzai shop is located in front of the gate of Zakimi Castle Ruins. The "Beni-imo Brown Sugar Zenzai," also known as "Purple Dynamite," is a bright purple color that makes a great visual impact.

The ice is filled with kintoki-mame (kidney beans), which are simmered for more than 6 hours every day, shiratama (white beans), and beni-imo ice cream, and topped with an original syrup made from brown sugar and ginger made from pesticide-free sugar cane and finished with a dash of beni-imo powder. The ice is crisp and fluffy. The zenzai has a mild flavor with a low sweetness, so you will never get tired of eating it until the very last bite.

The store retains its Showa-era retro atmosphere.

Nostalgic miniatures and old shaved ice machines are displayed in the store.
Nostalgic miniatures and old shaved ice machines are displayed in the store.

Many people think of "zenzai" as a warm bowl of sweetened red beans, but Okinawa's zenzai refers to this kind of shaved ice topped with sweetened kintoki-mame (red kidney beans). Since kintoki-mame is rich in nutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamins B1 and B2, zenzai may be called a healthy sweet treat.

Available in the Showa-era atmosphere of the restaurant are about 10 types of zenzai, and they are also developing a menu using local ingredients.

Local Guide Comment
The kintoki-mame (red kidney beans) are cooked slowly, making them soft and moist inside. The moderate aroma of ginger will stimulate your appetite.
Tsurukamedo Zenzai
  • address (e.g. of house) 248-1 Zakimi, Yomitan-mura, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa MAP
  • Direction Approximately 60 minutes from Naha Airport by Car
  • Business hours Open 11:00-17:00
  • Regular holiday Wednesdays (open daily from July to August)
  • TEL 098-958-1353
  • Parking Free of charge

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.