The 10 Best Places to Eat in Miyako-jima Island, Okinawa

Local gourmet experience is one of the exciting things in a trip. What can we expect in Miyakojima? Miyakojima has a bit different taste from the Okinawa main island. Here are the list of restaurants you can enjoy local Miyakojima food!

1. Shima Oden Takara

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You can’t skip this place in Miyakojima. Frequent travelers to Miyakojima also love this shima oden. Okinawa oden is unique with tebichi and green veges, different from the main island of Japan. Tebichi is cooked for 6 hours and so tender. It’s full of collagen, recommended for ladies. You may think oden is for a cold winter day but Okinawa oden is available all year around.

The restaurant is open until morning, so many locals come after drinking. Order an assortment plate of oden and enjoy with local Orion beer or awamori. A la carte menu such as Chanpuru, fries, shima tofu is also available. It’s always busy with locals and tourists. You better make a reservation or call them before going. Miyakosoba and Miyako beef steak are also great after drink.

2. Miyakogyu Kihachi

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This restaurant buy a whole cow. You can try different parts of beef at reasonable prices. They say they are trying to be “The most reasonable and most tasty yakiniku restaurant in the world”. You wouldn’t regret with any parts you order. Not only commonly known parts such as sirloin or fillet, they also sell rare parts of beef.

We recommend “Special selection of 5 Miyakogyu set”. This comes with today’s recommended five parts of special quality beef. The restaurant uses local vegetables and makes their own pickles and kimchi. Try also rice, risotto, cold noodle, local seaweed and fresh seafood together with this tasty Miyako beef!

3. Awamori to Okinawa Ryori Goya

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You can enjoy the Sanshin live while you dine in this izakaya. Fresh seafood from the local Miyakojima sea and vegetables grown locally under the sun are used for all dishes. You can find great variety of local Miyakojima food here.

The izakaya with wooden interior is quite large but always busy. There are counter seats, tables and horigotatsu style tables. You can come alone or with your friends. Sanshin live is performed after 7:30pm every day, including Miyakojima or Okinawa local music. You can learn the choreography and dance with other diners together! You would love this local experience!

4. Koja Soba

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This is a long running Miyako soba place which was opened in 1932. Koja noodles are made in a traditional way. Noodles are not too soft and you will love this taste once you try. The interior is not like a typical soba place. You feel as if you are in a nice café.

It’s nice to dine, looking at the garden with typical Okinawa plants such as banana, hibiscus and Bougainvillea. The most popular dish is Soki soba (700yen). If you order a soba set (750 yen), drinks and other small dishes come together with Miyako soba. You can pay extra 100 yen to change Miyako soba to Soki soba. If you want to try Miyako soba, Koja Soba is a great place to go!

5. Usagiya

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This is an izakaya popular for shimauta lives. It’s always busy with locals and tourists. You feel as if you are in a traditional Okinawa house. Lives are performed twice a day at 19:00 and 21:00. They play Miyakojima or Okinawa traditional music with vocal and sanshin. You can dance with other visitors together. Once you dance together, you are all brothers.

The food are also very good here. They have a good selection of Okinawa local dishes using local ingredients such as “Steamed agoo pork and local vegetables” or “Raftee”. It’s better to make a reservation for the time when the live starts, as it’s usually quite busy. If you want to have great night life in Miyakojima, do not miss this place!!

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6. Deiriguchi

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This is one of the most popular izakayas in Miyakojima. It’s always crowded whether it’s on weekend or weekday. The main reason why it’s so popular among tourists and locals is of course its tasty dishes. And also cozy atmosphere and nice staffs. It is strongly recommended to make booking in advance.

The menu includes tasty local dishes such as “Nankotus Soki in tomato sauce”,“Salt yakisoba with aasaa” and “Chanpuru with bean sprouts and mozuku”. Try them with local Miyakojima awamori. It’s located on Nishizato street which is close to major hotels and souvenir shops. You may keep coming back to this place during your stay in Miyakojima.

7. Poucha tatsuya

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You can try dishes using fresh local ingredients here. It’s more like a brasserie kind of place than an izakaya. “Poucha” means a person who is responsible for cooking in a celebration in the Taramajima dialect. You probably see fried gurukun, Okinawa’s local fish, in most other restaurants. Instead, you can try gurukun fillet in this place.

Ask the master for today’s fish and try fresh fish in sashimi, or grilled. You can feel all dishes are prepared carefully. They also have a good selection of Miyakojima awamori. You can’t stop drinking with tasty dishes!

8. Kuninaka shokudo

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“Tempura” is one of Okinawa’s local food. “Kuninaka shokudo” is known for good tempura. Next to the diner, there is a window to order tempura for take away. Okinawa’s tempura has thick dough and salty flavor. Choose three from fish, seafood or vegetables. Only 100 yen. You can buy 15 at 500 yen and 30 at 1000 yen. Locals come and buy many to take home. You can eat tempura like a snack.

At the diner, two tempuras come together with soba when you order Miyako soba. This place’s Miyako soba has standard toppings such as slices of pork, kamaboko and shallots. Crispy tempura goes very well with this simple Miyako soba. You can find also typical Okinawa miso soup set or fried rice on the menu too. Try this place once while you stay in Miyakojima.

9. Oshokujidokoro Sumbari

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This is a diner popular among locals. It’s famous for octopus dishes. In this area, people traditionally eat octopus in a celebration, New Year or obon. They use octopus which local fisher men catch. Octopus is surprisingly tender. The menu includes “octopus stir-fry teishoku”, “fried octopus teishoku”, “Soba with fried octopus” and “octopus rice”.

We recommend “Sumubari soba”. Soba comes with fried octopus and vegetable and with a topping of seaweed. It’s been popular with locals and tourists loving octopus dishes since its opening in 1990. You can find also different dishes than octopus.

It’s located near Ikema Ohashi. You can drop by for lunch while you are driving around. You would love delicious dishes here!

10. Ryukyu Okoku Sangoya

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While this izakaya is located in the most competitive areas in Miyakojima, it’s always busy with locals. Basic dishes are 358 yen. It’s very reasonable and delicious. You can order as many local Miyakojima food as you want without worrying too much about the price!

The menu includes typical Okinawa dishes such as “Tebichi”, “shima rakkyo”, fried gurukun, raftee, Miyakogyu or Agoo pork. “Sashimi place” of today’s fish is also a good choice. They also have a good variety of alcohol. Start with local Orion beer and then try awamori, cocktail, wine or sake. Fill your stomach with local dishes using Miyakojima ingredients. It’s worth visiting once.

Enjoy local Miyakojima dishes!

Miyakojima is a gourmet spot in south, rich with fresh seafood, vegetables and meat. You probably want to try nice reasonable dining places when you travel! Miyakojima has many places like that! Try local food at breakfast, lunch and dinner! You may get to know local people through dining experiences! It will be great memory of your trip!