Just a 10-minute walk from HOTEL RESOL TRINITY NAHA, in a quiet residential area of Naha, you will find "Pipachi Kitchen," a cute shop with a general goods store-like appearance.

A restaurant where you can feel the power of Okinawa's nature throughout the restaurant

Pepper Kitchen is known for serving healthy meals made with plenty of vegetables. It is very popular among locals, and I heard that there is a line almost every day at lunchtime, so I visited the restaurant around 2pm on a weekday, a little after the lunch rush. However, the restaurant was still crowded with people. On weekends, people apparently line up in front of the restaurant even before it opens.

"The 'Pipachi' in the shop's name comes from a spice that grows wild on Ishigaki Island (the Yaeyama Islands). It is also sometimes called 'island pepper.'"

The store stocks original spices made from pepper grown without the use of pesticides.

That's what the manager, Mr. Ikeshiro, told us. Pepper is a spice that has the characteristic of having a sweet aroma like cinnamon, in the refreshing, sharp taste of pepper. The dishes served at Pepper Kitchen are made from "gentle Okinawan ingredients," including pepper.

"Not only the food we serve, but also the drinks and desserts, the tableware we use, and the miscellaneous goods and paintings displayed in the store are all from Okinawa."

Ginger soda made with Okinawan citrus fruit "kabuchi"

The tableware is made by artists active in Okinawa, and some are even baked by the store manager, Ikeshiro-san himself. Also, the "banana painting" displayed at the back of the store was painted by Ikeshiro-san's older brother.

Original pottery designed with the "Pi" from Piparchi Kitchen

The walls of the restaurant are decorated with paintings by Ikeshiro's brother.

You can feel the "nature of Okinawa" from the entire restaurant at Piparchi Kitchen. Why did Ikeshiro, who is from Ishigaki Island, open a restaurant in Naha?

I want more people to know about the charms of my hometown, Ishigaki Island

"I opened my shop here 13 years ago. I'm from Ishigaki Island, so I know that there are many delicious and wonderful things on the island. But at the time, Ishigaki Island was still not very well known on the main island of Okinawa."

Ishigaki Island is even more naturally rich than Okinawa's main island. Even though they are both in Okinawa Prefecture, the foods that grow there and the cultures that have been cultivated there are slightly different. We want to convey the unique charms of Ishigaki Island to the main island. With this in mind, the manager started Peparchi Kitchen in a residential area on Okinawa's main island.

"Pipachi is also known as 'island pepper,' but I don't really understand that term. It's pepper, but it's not exactly pepper. It has a unique, addictive flavor. Ishigaki Island has a lot of gentle and warm ingredients and culture, even though they have their own unique characteristics. I would like both locals on the main island of Okinawa and tourists to try it out."

A popular menu item since the restaurant first opened has been the "Scorched Cheese Hamburger Steak Set Meal," which even won an award in a viewer vote on a local television program.

A very popular dish using "Pipachi", the burnt cheese hamburger steak set meal

The manager's recommendation is "Ika Rice" instead of the Okinawan specialty taco rice!

Piparchi Kitchen's specialty "Squid Rice"

"Even though it's called squid rice, it doesn't contain any squid. And taco rice doesn't have any octopus in it either (laughs). That's the idea behind it, but it's gradually become more popular, with squid rice bento boxes being sold at Family Marts throughout Okinawa. It's made with plenty of Okinawan vegetables and light chicken, so it's a very healthy dish."

Have fun and eat a lot during your trip. If your body and stomach get tired, why not relax at Piparchi Kitchen and enjoy some healthy dishes? The power of nature in this island nation will surely help you recover from the fatigue of your trip.

Piparchi Kitchen

電話：098-988-4743

Address: 2-6-16 Nishi, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, 900-0036

Access: 10 minutes walk from Asahibashi Station

HP:http://piparchikitchen.com/

SNS:https://www.instagram.com/piparchikitchen_info/

*For details on business hours and holidays, please check the link above.