5 Best Restaurants in Northern Okinawa, Okinawa

You'll enjoy pâtisserie perfection at this tiny traditional Okinawan house on Sesoko Island. Relax with a delicious coffee, a macaron, or chou à la crème as you listen to the cicadas. Vincent, the maître pâtissier, worked in France and then Tokyo, but chose to raise a family in Okinawa. The locals now enjoy the gastronomic finery of Paris from the tropics!

After a hearty bowl of pho or a plate of gapao rice (fried rice mixed with ground meat and usually served with a fried egg on top), relax in one of the many hammocks and enjoy the stunning views. The presentation of the dishes and location are Insta-worthy. Located just down the road from Pizza in the Sky, access here is best by rental car or taxi. 

Perched on the Hope Hills area of Nakijin, Cafe Kokuu serves delicious Japanese and Okinawan cuisine in an elegant wooden building with stunning views of the countryside and ocean. All dishes are created with organic wild and farm-grown vegetables from the Yambaru region. Food is served only between 11:30 am and 4 pm.

Pizzas, salads, and drinks are served in this beautiful, traditional Okinawan house. The garden has stunning panoramic views out over the Motobu Peninsula toward Sesoko Island and Ocean Expo Park. Try the fresh acerola juice for a tart cranberry-like refreshment. There is no public transport here, so if you don't have a rental car, take a taxi from central Motobu. Lunch can be extremely busy, and you can't make reservations. In the winter months, stop here for an early dinner and watch the sunset (last order is at 6:30 pm).

This excellent bakery is the perfect place for a quick bite or to assemble a picnic for the beach. There are French staples including baguettes, croissants, and pain au chocolat, plus Japanese favorites such as melon pain.