Some places impress. Others stay with you. And then there are those rare few—like ZOI—that do both, quietly yet unmistakably. We’ve written about ZOI before on Luxury Living Croatia, but a place like this is never static. It deepens, ripens, transforms with the seasons—much like the city it calls home.

Perched against the timeworn southern wall of Diocletian’s Palace, ZOI is more than a restaurant. It is a sensorial echo of the centuries, a space where history, culture, and bold Mediterranean flavors meet—with elegance, confidence, and the kind of atmosphere that lingers long after the last course is cleared.

Just steps from what was once Emperor Diocletian’s private triclinium, ZOI offers something exceedingly rare: the chance to dine not just with a view of history, but within it. And yet, for all its grandeur, the experience remains profoundly human—intimate, warm, quietly alive.

Life, Layered

The name ZOI, meaning “life” in Greek, couldn’t be more fitting. This is a place animated by Mediterranean complexity: Roman bones, Venetian grace, French charm, Dalmatian soul. It’s not a recreation of the past, but a respectful dialogue with it—brought vividly into the present.

Leading that conversation is Chef Alberto Garcia Perez, whose creative direction has breathed a bold, poetic clarity into the ZOI experience. Originally from Andalusia, with a culinary résumé that spans continents, Perez treats Mediterranean cuisine not as a fixed idea but as a living language—ripe with metaphor, memory, and reinvention.

His current tasting menus, ECHO and TERRA, capture two dimensions of the ZOI philosophy.

ECHO reverberates with ancient feasting and celebratory abundance—luxurious, emotional, transportive. TERRA, in contrast, is rooted, quiet, vegetarian—a reverent ode to simplicity, seasonality, and the sensual rhythms of nature.

The dishes that arrive are thoughtful without being theatrical. A crudo of yellowtail cured in seawater, resting in tomato tea and lemon verbena, speaks of both sea and sun. Monkfish aged in Pata Negra, with a scattering of snow peas and whisper of cauliflower, is delicate but daring.

A Setting Like No Other

And then there’s the setting. Framed by palm trees and polished stone, ZOI’s sea-facing terrace is among the most beautiful places to dine on the Dalmatian coast. From this vantage point, Split’s Riva promenade shimmers, the Adriatic stirs, and the city’s everyday rhythm becomes a kind of background music.

Inside, vaulted stone and curated details invite you into a world apart. But the entrance itself—tucked discreetly beside the Palace’s ancient cellars—is so unassuming you might miss it. Those who climb the steps upward, however, are rewarded with something unforgettable: a harmony of culinary artistry, timeless architecture, and soulful hospitality.

A Place to Return To

What makes ZOI truly special isn’t just the food or the view—it’s the feeling that something essential is being honored. Not tradition for tradition’s sake, but a certain Mediterranean art of living: unrushed, layered, full of flavor and feeling.

ZOI is a place where travelers pause, locals return, and stories are shared over surprising plates and rare wines. A place where each season brings new inspiration, yet its essence remains unchanged.

It’s hard to say whether the magic lies in the food, the setting, or the energy that flows between them. But one thing is certain: if you want to stop time—even just for an evening—this is the place to be.

‍

For more information, check out their website.

‍