Mamma Lella cucina Italiana salutistica — Restaurant in Onna

If you’re gluten-free and in Okinawa this spot is a MUST. I was searching for GF options and couldn't believe the entire menu here is gluten-free. As someone with both gluten and dairy allergies, dining out in Japan can be a challenge but this restaurant went above and beyond.

Definitely make a reservation in advance. We tried to walk in on our first night, but they were fully booked. Thankfully, the staff was very kind and helped us secure a reservation for the following evening. It’s a prix fixe menu, and when I mentioned my dairy allergy, the owner was incredibly accommodating and customized the entire experience for me. That kind of care is rare in Japan and truly appreciated.

The food was exceptional, Italian dishes made with care, with an excellent wine selection and I highly recommend the wine pairing. The flavors, presentation, and attention to detail made it one of the best meals I’ve had anywhere. Bonus: they sell their gluten-free bread to take home which was such a treat to have for the rest of my trip.

The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, run by a hardworking local couple who made us feel so welcome. You can tell they genuinely love what they do. This place is a standout for anyone but especially a dream for gluten-free...

What an experience!! We felt so welcomed and the chef talked to us all about our meal and what he recommends. He is from Italy and truly a master at what he does. We ordered the 5 course meal for about $33 a person. So worth the price! We got an appetizer platter filled with tuna, chicken, white fish, homemade mozzarella, and quiche. All amazing! You could choose what pizza you wanted with your meal, a great size for 2 or 3 people. We got the margarita pizza, so so good!!! Best pizza on island! Then we ordered spaghetti pasta, there were two choices, that or carbonara. So good!! The final entree was Fried Cod fish, wow!! I don’t know how the breading was so crispy but the fish so tender! Dessert was a pastry filled with cream.

We left feeling full but not stuffed which is just how we like it. Such fresh ingredients!

We will be going back and grabbing just a pizza next time. Lots of choices and we want to try them all.

Can’t say enough good things about this place and the chef and staff. So welcoming, so talented, and...

Overall a great experience and the service was top notch. I personally think that it was too expensive for what we got, and paying 800++ for wine and you get a tiny portion was kinda a buzz killer.

We went for the full set menu and ended up snacking at home as portions was too small. Having some extra bread, olives or anything else would improve the experience as you have something to eat while waiting for next dishes.

Lastly I thought they did pizza, but in reality they used to do and now no longer serving pizza anymore due to the cook being allergic to gluten; hence now it is a gluten free Italian resturant, which makes it hard to cook famous Italian food.

The bread was really hard as it was made with maze dough and tasted more like tacos than focaccia. The ravioli was however really good thought

Overall we enjoyed our date night but will probably not come again. Been...