A charcuterie board from Di Punto near Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
Di Punto, an Italian restaurant near Yokosuka Naval Base, works well on date night, after work with friends and everything else in between.
This izakaya takes a traditional Italian experience and gives it a Japanese twist.
From the outside, Di Punto gives off a snooty vibe, but take a chance and you’ll see that everyone is welcome. Inside, a server greets you with a broad smile while wearing a striped outfit reminiscent of a French seaman’s marinière shirt.
Di Punto, near Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, combines Italian cuisine with Japanese presentation. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
The interior is industrial rustic — wooden chairs and tables complemented by concrete, steel poles and exposed lighting overhead. Outside, passersby move up and down Yokosuka’s busy shopping district on Blue Street.
The room feels familiar even though it looks nothing like home. As your server leads you to a table, you pass groups of friends and families casually sharing laughs over bottles of wine.
The basket of bread that arrives at your table is all-you-can-eat, at 385 yen per person, or $2.43, but butter is not included.
Bread and pizza drizzled with honey are staples at Di Punto in Yokosuka, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
The menu is extensive, and the serving sizes are small, as you’d expect at an izakaya.
Di Punto has plenty of dishes to sample, from charcuterie boards with mixed cheeses that resemble flower petals, four-cheese pizzas drizzled with honey and sprinkled with pistachios, and a classic Angus beef steak cut up into bite-sized pieces served with soy-sauce-flavored wasabi.
Each dish that I tried was better than the last, but the best plate of the night went to the Angus beef steak with wasabi for 1,980 yen. The medium-rare steak was tender and juicy, and to my surprise went well with the soy-flavored wasabi.
Slices of Angus beef steak top the menu at Di Punto on Blue Street outside Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
A wide variety of alcoholic beverages are available. Di Punto offers mocktails, or you may have your grape juice in a wine glass if you’re feeling fancy.
The mission statement on Di Punto’s website says its goal is to create a space that encourages conversation, and pair it with delicious food and wine. Whether you put on your favorite going-out shirt or a casual hoodie, Di Punto won’t turn you away.
Di Punto, near Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, is a cut above the typical izakaya. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
Di Punto
Location: 3-18-14 Wakamatsucho Dai 86, Tokyo Bldg 1F, Yokosuka, 238-0007
Hours: Open 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday to Wednesday; 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday; and 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.
Prices: Most dishes range from 580 yen to 1,980 yen.
Dress: Casual
Directions: A 10-minute walk from the Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan.
Information: Phone: 046-828-5070; Online: dipunto.wine
