Review of Vongo & Anchor Restaurant in American Village, Chatan

Vongo & Anchor is a coffee/bike rental shop that sits on the coastal side of American Village in Chatan. The location is one of my favorite parts about this trendy spot. It’s located in the vessel hotel on depot island facing the water. The owners intention was to bring the coffee culture of the American northwest to Okinawa, and I believe they knocked it out of the park. As soon as I walked in I felt as if I had been transported to Portland, OR. The vibe was very Hipster, and maybe I’m just homesick, but there was something comforting about it.

The ambience and flow of Vongo & Anchor was laid back and very “west coast”. On the outside there are rows of bicycles available for rent, and a small patio with outward facing bar seating, making it an ideal spot for people watching and/or taking in the beautiful ocean view. The ceiling was decorated with bike frames and a beautiful wooden light fixture with eucalyptus branches coming off of it on either side. As well as bike rentals, they sell bike parts, cooking utensils, aprons, candles, and a bunch of other seemingly unrelated trinkets. In addition to coffee they also offer a wide variety of cocktails, healthy foods, baked goods, and smoothies on their menu.

I walked up to the server/barista/hostess and asked if I could sit outside. she motioned towards outside and followed me with menus. It seemed like everyone shared tasks, which, can sometimes go very wrong, but it seemed as though they had worked out a good system. Vongo & Anchor has a very relaxed atmosphere.

I already knew what I wanted to drink because I had seen it on the menu outside the restaurant. I ordered a frozen margarita… in the daytime! (Don’t judge, it was my birthday.) The only reason I bring up the fact that it was early in the day is because I have been looking for a good brunch spot since I moved here and cant find many places that serve alcohol before 6 pm. Thoroughly excited by this revelation, I took full advantage and tried two more of their signature cocktails, the lychee lemonade, and the peach lemonade. they were a little sweet for my taste, but delicious and refreshing none-the-less.

The food was phenomenal. I ordered the “fat farmers bowl”, which was a heavy salad with Salmon, broccoli, tomatoes, red onion, cottage cheese, house made granola, kidney and garbanzo beans, quinoa, mixed greens and hidden at the bottom were big chunks of garlic bread. It felt like finding the prize in my crackerjacks. hiding surprise garlic bread in a salad? Genius! The portions are huge. Luckily, I had my husband to help me finish it. The rest of the menu looked amazing as well, but I was too full to even think about ordering anything else. I noticed they had some sandwiches and small plates and a vegan menu, because what is a hipster joint without a vegan menu?

I will 100% be back to Vongo & Anchor. Great service, drinks in the daytime, amazing food, chill atmosphere, awesome location. I don’t know what more you could ask for.