Food · Okinawa · Japan
What to eat in Okinawa
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Okinawa, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA - Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astron, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Goya champuru, Okinawa soba and Rafute. Choose fish, lobster or shellfish from the ground-floor stalls of Daiichi Makishi Public Market and have it cooked to order in one of the upstairs restaurants. Lunch is the best-value meal: many restaurants offer set meals (teishoku) at a fraction of their dinner prices.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Goya champuru
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in Okinawa, as elsewhere in Japan.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Goya champuru
Okinawa's best-known home dish: bitter melon stir-fried with island tofu, egg and pork or luncheon meat. The bitterness is part of the appeal and pairs well with beer.
Where: Every shokudō diner and izakaya on the island; it is the default order in local canteens.
Dish
2.Okinawa soba
Thick wheat noodles, not buckwheat, in a light pork-and-bonito broth topped with braised pork ribs (soki) or pork belly. Add kōrēgūsu, chillies steeped in awamori, at the table.
Where: Soba shops across the island, including old wooden houses in the Motobu area known as the 'soba road'.
Dish
3.Rafute
Pork belly braised slowly in awamori, soy sauce and brown sugar until it falls apart; a dish from the Ryukyu court kitchen.
Where: Okinawan restaurants and izakaya in Naha, often as part of a set meal.
Dish
4.Taco rice
Taco filling — spiced minced beef, lettuce, cheese and tomato salsa — served over rice. It is said to have been created in Kin, near a US base, in the 1980s.
Where: Diners in Kin and Chatan, and casual cafés and convenience stores across the island.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Sea grapes (Umibudō)
Strands of tiny green seaweed bubbles that pop in the mouth with a salty taste, eaten fresh with a vinegar or soy dip.
Where: Izakaya and seafood restaurants, and the Makishi public market.
Dish
6.Agu pork
An Okinawan heritage pig breed with sweet, well-marbled meat, often served as shabu-shabu hotpot or grilled.
Where: Specialist Agu shabu-shabu restaurants in Naha and resort-area restaurants.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Awamori
Okinawa's distilled spirit, made from long-grain rice and black koji mould; aged versions over three years are called kūsu. Usually drunk with water and ice.
Where: Izakaya and awamori bars around Kokusai-dori, and distilleries that offer tours.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Orion beer
Okinawa's own light lager, brewed in Nago since the 1950s and served in almost every restaurant on the island.
Where: Everywhere; the brewery in Nago offers tours with tastings.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Sata andagi
Dense, crunchy deep-fried doughnut balls made with brown sugar, a traditional Okinawan sweet.
Where: Stalls in the Naha market arcades and roadside shops.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Beni-imo sweets
Okinawan purple sweet potato appears in tarts, ice cream and cakes; beni-imo tarts are the island's best-selling souvenir sweet.
Where: Confectioners and souvenir shops on Kokusai-dori and at the airport.
Dessert · Vegetarian
11.Blue Seal ice cream
An ice-cream brand founded for the US military in the post-war years that became an Okinawan institution, with flavours such as beni-imo, salt cookie and shikuwasa citrus.
Where: Blue Seal parlours across the island, including on Kokusai-dori and in Chatan.
Food experiences
Makishi market 'mochiage'
Choose fish, lobster or shellfish from the ground-floor stalls of Daiichi Makishi Public Market and have it cooked to order in one of the upstairs restaurants.
Min'yō live music izakaya
Okinawan folk-music bars in Naha serve island food while musicians play the sanshin lute; by the end of the night the audience usually dances kachāshī.
Soba road in Motobu
On the way to the aquarium, stop at one of the long-running Okinawa soba restaurants in old wooden houses on the Motobu Peninsula.
Shokudō lunch
Local canteens serve big set meals of champuru, soba and rice at low prices; many have been run by the same families for decades.
Quick bites and street food
- Sea grapes — Izakaya and seafood restaurants, and the Makishi public market.
- Sata andagi — Stalls in the Naha market arcades and roadside shops.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Sea grapes, Awamori, Orion beer, Sata andagi, Beni-imo sweets and Blue Seal ice cream. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is the best-value meal: many restaurants offer set meals (teishoku) at a fraction of their dinner prices.
- Izakaya may add a small cover charge served as a starter dish.
- Ask for awamori mizuwari (with water) if you prefer a lighter drink; neat awamori is strong.
- Book popular Naha restaurants and folk-music izakaya in summer and on weekends.
- Outside Naha and Chatan, many restaurants close by about 9pm.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in Okinawa, as elsewhere in Japan. Resort hotels and some restaurants add a service charge.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Haisai | Hello (Okinawan, used by men) |
| Haitai | Hello (Okinawan, used by women) |
| Mensōre | Welcome (Okinawan) |
| Nifēdēbiru | Thank you (Okinawan) |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much (Japanese) |
| Sumimasen | Excuse me |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Okinawa famous for?
Goya champuru, Okinawa soba, Rafute and Taco rice. Okinawa's best-known home dish: bitter melon stir-fried with island tofu, egg and pork or luncheon meat.
+Is Okinawa good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Sea grapes, Awamori and Orion beer.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Okinawa?
Tipping is not expected in Okinawa, as elsewhere in Japan. Resort hotels and some restaurants add a service charge.