East Hirafu – Italian
From ¥10,000/person
Incredible wood-fired Italian by Japanese chef.
Italian restaurant NisekoBion is headed by European-trained chef Naoki Matsuoka. NisekoBion is located in LodgeTONY Niseko, nestled alongside the forest of Izumikyo in East Hirafu.
It has been an overwhelming favourite on the Niseko dining scene since opening in 2017. Chef Matsuoka was born and raised in Chitose, and has worked at restaurants in Singapore and Tokyo. Before that he trained for many years in France and Italy. He has been running “Ristorante e Caffe Nao” in Chitose City for more than 20 years, but has alays kept an eye on the world-class international ski resort of Niseko.
Thanks to the support of loyal fans who continue to be impressed by Matsuoka-san’s Italian style featuring only local Hokkaido produce that can never be tasted anywhere else, he decided to open a restaurant in Niseko.
Chef Matsuoka’s speciality is meat grilled over wood fire and charcoal. Carefully selected Hokkaido Kuroge Wagyu beef, venison from female deer, and porchetta pork are baked soft and juicy over charcoal, while taking advantage of the smoke flavour of the firewood. His more than a quarter of a century of experience guarantees the perfect taste.
Chef Matsuoka’s cooking style at NisekoBion is different from the orthodox Italian, and Japanese taste is abundantly incorporated. Hokkaido Kuroge Wagyu beef is served with mountain wasabi, oma tuna is served with Hokkaido sea urchin, and matcha tiramisu is served in a square, wooden masu sake cup at the end of the course.
Chef Matsuoka knows Hokkaido and is sure to use only the best local seasonal ingredients. Therefore, at NisekoBion, there is no a la carte menu, only course meals because he pays close attention to sourcing the best ingredients that can be purchased at specific times. In addition to French and Italian wines, we also offer a lineup of rare Hokkaido wines such as Domaine Takahiko and Norakura.
Open 7 days. 5pm-11pm.