Where to Eat on the Izu Islands

Ferries from the city arrive in Oshima as early as the sun rises. While most restaurants are still closed, Otomodachi caters for the early morning visitor. Serving traditional Japanese teishoku with an emphasis on seafood, Otomodachi is a cozy little shop with a local vibe. The owners cook and serve the food and like to interact with visitors, albeit a bit shyly at first. The restaurant serves teishoku sets, sashimi bowls and Oshima specialties such as kusaya, or dried, fermented fish. Otomodachi is located near Motomachi port and is a popular spot for breakfast.

お食事処 おともだち

東京都大島町元町1-17-3

0499220026

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The family run Dosanko specializes in both ramen and surfboards. The restaurant and surf rental shop are located right next to each other so hungry surfers fresh from the beach can indulge in a steaming bowl of noodles immediately after returning their boards. The ramen choices are plentiful, ranging from the basic soy sauce to Hokkaido’s miso butter corn to fish stock. Besides ramen, Dosanko also serves gyoza and kakuni donburi, or pork belly rice bowl. The restaurant is central and is very popular with both tourists and locals.

Sapporo Ramen Dosanko (Niijima)

Tokyo Niijimamura Honson 6-2-14

0499250823

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Located quite close to the beach, Cafe Beni is the perfect place to relax and cool down after a long day in the sun. This 100 year old cafe serves a variety of soft serve ice cream flavors for 300 yen, alongside traditional cafe goods such as coffee and sweets made from local produce. Their homemade dorayaki is the most popular dessert, and is paired well with a standard cup of black coffee. The cafe is also open from 7:30 in the morning, making it a good breakfast option before a day spent in the water. It is also across the street from Dosanko.

CafeBENI (Beniya)

Tokyo Niijimamura Honson 6-1-6

0499250055

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For a late night option, Yakitori Daisan is a cozy izakaya operated by a friendly, English speaking owner. Despite the name, the izakaya serves much more than yakitori. Seafood dishes are abundant, as well as tempura, salad and savory karaage chicken. The food is always cooked fresh which gives diners time to nurse their beverages.

焼鳥大三

東京都新島村本村5-3-1

0499250109

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Fancy a post dinner beverage? Just a one minute walk away from Yakitori Daisan is Bar Okesho, a neon filled bar filled with friendly locals and quality booze. The owner of the bar also runs a guesthouse located in the same building. Both the owner and staff are very friendly towards both locals and visitors, and are happy to spread their extensive knowledge of the island. The music playing is just as eclectic as the staff, most recently their music of choice was traditional enka. Local shochu is the drink of choice at Bar Okesho and the staff is more than happy to give recommendations.

Bar&民宿 桶庄

東京都新島村本村4-3-6

080-3531-7658

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Located directly on the beach, ComeRing is a relaxed restaurant and bar for those who don’t want to leave the beach at sundown. The restaurant specializes in fresh cocktails and island dishes such as loco moco, taco rice and coconut curry. Plenty of snacks are also served for pairing with a nighttime drink. The staff is very friendly and well traveled and interested in making connections with new visitors. The restaurant closes at 10PM with the last order at 9PM, making it a relaxed and picturesque way to end the day.

COMERING(カムリング)

東京都神津島村 前浜海岸

07044123340

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For a traditional izakaya with an island twist, check out Tatsumi izakaya. Tatsumi specializes in fresh sashimi and typical izakaya fare, such as karaage and skewers. The sashimi is fresh since the restaurant is located so close to the ocean. Seafood is the main theme here, with large fried shrimps, raw oyster still in the shell and octopus serving as the main dishes. Alcohol is plentiful, from local shochu to the customary draft beer.

居酒屋 ちょうちん たつみ

東京都神津島村74

0499280289

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