Salute
Matsuzaki
104
In the rural landscape of Matsuzaki, there is a restaurant called Salute,
where you can enjoy simple Italian cooking.
Open the wooden door and you are welcomed by earth-toned plaster
walls and wooden-framed windows. Built with careful attention to
natural materials, the interior feels almost like a cave.
As conversations drift through the space, sounds gently echo off the
walls, creating a sense of quiet comfort. “I've never been really
comfortable in big cities,” owner-chef Kenji Satosays with a smile.
Together with his wife Yukiko, who is originally from Matsuzaki, he
traveled throughout Italy, learning Italian cooking in Naples, northern
Italy (Udine), and the Marche region.
Naples, with its strong local dialect, was particularly challenging. He
studied Italian while working in kitchens, learning words that could not
even be found in a dictionary. Returning to his wife's hometown, he
found himself drawn to Matsuzaki — a place whose mountains and sea
reminded him of landscapes he had known in Italy. Salute opened in
2004 and has now been part of Matsuzaki for more than twenty years.
Like the family tables found in the Italian countryside, the food here is
simple, honest, and unpretentious.
Not Roman. Not Neapolitan. Not Tuscan.
Instead, Chef Sato creates what he calls “Matsuzaki-style Italian.”
“The image I have in mind is Matsuzaki,” he says.
That phrase stayed with me.
From time to time, travelers from overseas find their way to Salute.
“Rather than carpaccio, people often choose pizza or herb-crusted local
fish,” he explains.
Perhaps they are looking for something a little more familiar after a few
days of sushi and sashimi.
Local fish, seasonal citrus fruits from Izu, river seaweed, and vegetables
grown by friends nearby all find their way onto the menu.
If requested, the restaurant will do its best to accommodate vegan and
vegetarian dietary needs.
In spring, the terrace overlooking the Naka River is often fully booked
beneath the cherry blossoms.
A taste of the Italian countryside, found in Matsuzaki.
Salute is that kind of place.
170-9 Naka, Matsuzaki, Kamogun, Shizuoka
TEL： 0558-42-1597
Hours： 11:30～14:00 / 17:30～20:00
