11 dishes you must try
The dishes that tell you what Okinawa eats — ranked by how distinctly Ryukyu they are
1
If you're brave enough to try bitter melon — this is the right place to start. Champuru means "mixed" in Ryukyu, and Goya Champuru is the culinary symbol of this island. Thinly sliced bitter melon, stir-fried hot with yellow Okinawan tofu, chicken egg and thin pork (or canned Spam — totally fine, it's part of the identity), topped with dried Katsuobushi fish flakes. It's bitter, but a bitterness that, once you get used to it, you'll want again. Okinawans have eaten it as a health food for a thousand years and believe it's part of their longevity.
2
Ever wondered why the "soba" noodles here look like udon? Because they're made from pure wheat flour, without a single grain of buckwheat — the name "soba" means "noodle" in Okinawa, not the type of noodle. The broth is made from pork bones and dried tuna (Katsuobushi), simmered long until it comes out rich and sweet. On top of the bowl sit Sanmai-niku (braised pork belly), Kamaboko (fish cake) and pickled red ginger. More aromatic than ramen but not as intense — you can eat it at any meal and never tire of it.
Just like Okinawa Soba in every way except the topping — instead of pork belly it uses Soki, pork ribs braised slowly until the meat falls off the bone on its own. Deeply sweet, the fat seeping into the broth. If you love pork ribs, you'll fall in love at first sight — this is Okinawa Soba leveled up another notch. Some shops serve Tebichi Soba instead — Tebichi being pig's trotters braised so long they turn to gelatin. These two are the reason Okinawans rarely waste any part of the pig.
4
Ever eaten the tacos the American soldiers' base created? This is Okinawa's taco. In 1984, Matsuzo Gibo, owner of a shop in Kin Town next to the Camp Hansen base, wanted young soldiers to eat their fill cheaply, so he took the taco filling — seasoned Mexican ground meat, cheese, fresh vegetables, tomato — and set it on steamed rice instead of a corn taco shell. Half the price, easier to eat. The soldiers loved it, the Okinawans loved it too. Today it's sold all over the island, eaten with a spoon instead of a fork, with salsa drizzled to taste.
5
If you've ever loved Thai braised pork belly — Rafute is Okinawa's answer. Pork belly with the skin still on, braised in Awamori spirit with soy sauce, brown sugar and dashi until the skin turns to gelatin and the fat melts out to act as its own sauce. You can cut the meat with chopsticks alone, no knife needed. Eaten with mustard or pickled ginger. A plate runs ¥400–1,000, but most often it's part of a Ryukyu set meal at a traditional shop.
6
We love Umi-budo for the way it changes the minds of people who've never eaten seaweed before — it's a dark-green seaweed with tiny beads lined up like miniature grapes, and when you bite them, a mild salty seawater pops in your mouth, like green fish roe that isn't raw or fishy. Served fresh, drizzled with citrus ponzu or soy sauce, it makes a perfect first dish before the mains. You can buy it fresh on the lower floor of Makishi Market; in restaurants it runs ¥500–700 per plate.
7
If you see round golden-brown balls sold along Kokusai-dori, that's Sata Andagi — the Okinawan-style doughnut, made from flour, egg and sugar, deep-fried in plenty of oil so the outside cracks crisp while the inside stays soft and chewy like a light mochi. Not too sweet, not too oily. The name Andagi comes from the Ryukyu language and literally means "fried in oil." Best eaten hot, straight out of the pan — easy to grab 2–3 to munch while you shop.
8
Awamori isn't sake and isn't shochu — it's a long-grain distilled rice spirit that Okinawa has made itself since the 15th century. Its ABV runs 25–43%, nearly three times stronger than sake. Unaged, it's heavy and fierce, but well-aged versions (Kusu — aged over 3 years) become very smooth and complex. The way Okinawans like to drink it is Mizuwari — diluted with 2–3 parts cold water over ice, which brings out the fragrant rice aroma, lightens the taste and makes it far more approachable.
Walk Kokusai-dori for about 10 minutes and you'll see purple souvenirs in every shop window — that's Beni-imo, an Okinawan sweet potato variety with a vivid purple colour that differs from the usual Japanese purple yam, milder and softer in sweetness. It's made into everything from Tart (the classic, the Okashigoten brand) to Blue Seal ice cream, candies, cakes, Kit Kats and mochi. It travels home easily because the baked-and-dried Tart needs no refrigeration and keeps for 2–3 weeks.
Agu is Okinawa's native pig breed — a small black pig that nearly went extinct during the war, revived through the efforts of local farmers. Agu's fat is unusually white and sweet, melting just below body temperature so it feels soft in your mouth the moment you eat it. Have it shabu-shabu style in a clear broth, cooked just right and eaten with sesame dipping sauce, or yakiniku grilled over charcoal. It's a special-occasion premium meal, but worth it if you want to try something found only in Okinawa.
Called tofu, but there isn't a single soybean in it — Jimami Dofu is made from ground peanut milk and kuzu (arrowroot) starch, giving it a texture like pudding or Japanese panna cotta, but with a clear peanut fragrance. Served cold with sweet soy sauce or grated ginger. If you're allergic to peanuts, absolutely don't order it — but if you're not, this is the eye-opener that shows Ryukyu cuisine isn't all pork — there's a delicacy of flavour here too.