(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
One day after the rainy season was declared over in Okinawa, I was walking on the boardwalk by the Mihama American Village, still unable to embrace the unusually early arrival of the summer.
However, having lunch at Pizzeria Bar Ariccia put me in the mood for a full celebration.
Located in the waterfront area of the American Village, Ariccia is known for its impressive Neapolitan pizza it’s been serving here since 2017.
In Okinawa, you’ll find a variety of pizza styles for every appetite, including New York, Californian and Hawaiian. During the summer, however, I’m especially attracted to Neapolitan-style pizza, and Ariccia was the perfect place to ring in the hot season.
On the outside, Ariccia’s white front adorned with charcoal-colored wooden boards was exuding a casual but chic mood. Inside, the spacious interior welcomed me with a relaxing atmosphere. What caught my attention first was a big brick pizza oven colored in vibrant red.
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
According to the True Neapolitan Pizza Association. or “Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN),” authentic Neapolitan pizzas have to be wood-fired between 430-480C° (approx. 800 F to 900 F) for just 60-90 seconds.
Looking at the big oven made my expectations soar.
As I took a seat at a corner, I was impressed with the nice ocean view. Through the window, the color of the ocean and the sky looked very vivid.
For lunch, Ariccia offered a variety of pizzas such as Margherita, Bianca, Rossa, Romana, Bismark and pepperoni, all of which were priced between 1,850 and 2,050 yen.
I had a hard time picking one but decided to go with Marinara (1,980 yen, approx.$13.70), which came with a salad and a drink.
When my freshly baked pizza arrived at my table, I was surprised at the large portions. According to the menu, the pizza was to be about 30 centimeters in diameter (close to the max size set by the AVPN at 35 cm), but I was shocked with this large pizza pie before me.
With one bite of this simple giant, fresh sour tomato sauce, garlic and savory oregano flavor filled my mouth. The soft, chewy, and a bit crispy edge was a delight to chomp on.
On the table, the restaurant also had a small bottle of spicy olive oil, which I used to give a generous kick to the pizza.
Although the Italian-style dough was much thinner than that of American pizza, I was satisfied thanks to its size and rich flavor. When I finished, I felt fully charged and ready to enjoy the summer day.
Ariccia’s pizzas are available for takeout, and their dinner menu has a wider variety of pizzas to choose from.
The authentic Neapolitan pizzas, the nice ocean view and the comfortable mood will for sure take me back to Ariccia many times.
Things to know
GPS Coordinates: N 26.315799, E 127.753724
Hours: 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Lunch), 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. (Café, last order at 3:30 p.m.), 5:30 – 10 p.m. (last order at 9:30 p.m.)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
