About Us

Our Story

Born in Japan. Raised in Peru. At Home in Closter.

Some of the best things in life happen when two worlds collide.

Nikkei cuisine began more than a century ago, when Japanese immigrants brought their traditions and techniques to Peru. What emerged was something entirely its own: vibrant, precise, unexpected, and delicious.

That spirit is what inspired Nikki Nikkei.

In a building that Bergen County has long known as The Hill, we've created something new. A place where hand-painted murals meet intimate lighting, where the cocktails are as considered as the food, and where dinner is rarely just dinner.

OUR FAMILY OF RESTAURANTS

Mykos, #1 New Restaurant of 2025

Verana — Best Chicken Parm · consistently ranked among the top 40 restaurants in New Jersey

Nikki Nikkei is our new Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Closter, New Jersey, from partners Robert Briskin, Tommy Demaras, and Chef Giuseppe Agostino. It occupies the space at 252 Schraalenburgh Road that Bergen County long knew as The Hill.

The Food

Japanese precision. Peruvian soul.

From bright ceviches and delicate tiraditos to richly layered sauces and dishes kissed by fire, our kitchen finds harmony in contrast.

Led by Executive Chef and Partner Giuseppe Agostino, whose experience includes Manhattan's celebrated Del Posto, our menu honors the traditions that inspired Nikkei cuisine while giving them room to evolve.

Nikkei cuisine took shape more than a century ago when Japanese immigrants settled in Peru. Their technique, rice and respect for raw fish met Peru's chiles, citrus, corn and coastline, and something new grew from both.

We treat each dish as a balance between Peru's heat, acid and color and Japan's precision and restraint, and we let neither side overwhelm the other. We cook with ingredients we believe in, apply technique where it improves them, and hold back where it doesn't.

Order for the table. Taste a little of everything. Discover a new favorite.

The Experience

There's more to Nikki than what's on the plate.

Step inside and discover a world of bold artwork, warm textures, dramatic lighting, and unexpected details.

Find a seat beneath the vaulted ceilings, settle in beside the fireplace, or venture upstairs to the Elixir Room, our intimate, apothecary-inspired hideaway.

Every room has its own character. Every evening writes its own story.

Visit Us

Come Meet Nikki

252 Schraalenburgh Road, Closter, New Jersey

Dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations recommended. Curiosity encouraged.

Complimentary valet parking is available at the rear of the building.

Our Team

The People Behind Nikki

Nikki Nikkei comes from partners Robert Briskin, Tommy Demaras, and Executive Chef Giuseppe Agostino, the team behind two acclaimed Bergen County restaurants.

Our sister restaurant, Verana in Norwood, has earned recognition among New Jersey's top restaurants, while Mykos in Northvale was named North Jersey's #1 New Restaurant of 2025 by NorthJersey.com.

Nikki is our next chapter. Different cuisine. Different personality. The same belief that a great restaurant should give you more than a great meal.