"A rooftop room in the wall of Diocletian's Palace, where chef Alberto Garcia Perez turns Adriatic produce into a Michelin Guide tasting."
About ZOI
ZOI is the rooftop fine-dining room built into the southern wall of Diocletian's Palace in Split, looking out over the Riva promenade and the harbour. Spanish chef Alberto Garcia Perez, from Cadiz, trained at Aponiente and Martin Berasategui before taking the kitchen, and since opening in 2017 the restaurant has stayed in the Michelin Guide, earned 17 out of 20 from Gault & Millau and was named Croatian Tourist Board Restaurant of the Year in 2022.
This is contemporary Mediterranean cooking with a strong seafood hand in a fine-dining register. For more of the city's best tables, compare the Diocletian's Palace dining at Kinoteka, the seafood at Zrno Soli and the modern plates at Storija. For a marker night, see our proposal dining guide.
The Kitchen
Garcia Perez cooks seasonal Adriatic seafood and Dalmatian produce through technique drawn from his Spanish and French training. The kitchen builds two routes - an Obala menu rooted in the seafood of the Dalmatian coast and a Zagora menu drawn from the meat of the hinterland - and merges them in the signature seven-course Dalmacija tasting. Dishes lean on the day's catch and local farms, finished with refined sauces and a strong wine list; a carrot cake with cashew and orange that nods to the port's trading history is a memorable close. This is a top-end Split table where the tasting menus, rather than a la carte, are the way to eat, paced across a long evening above the old town.
The Room
The setting is rare: a rooftop terrace and dining room set directly into the southern fortifications of Diocletian's Palace, the fourth-century Roman complex at the core of Split. Tables look out over the Riva, the palm-lined seafront promenade, and the harbour beyond, and the stone of the palace wraps the room. It is intimate and polished, the service formal but warm, and the rooftop is the seat to request on a fine evening. The entrance is on Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda, the Riva itself, in the old town. Because the room is small and the view in demand, booking ahead is essential, especially in the summer season when Split fills with visitors.
Best for a Special Occasion
The rooftop over the Palace walls, the tasting-menu format and the polished service make ZOI a memorable proposal or anniversary dinner, and a confident table to impress visiting clients in Split.
Not for
Not for a casual or budget meal - this is a formal rooftop tasting-menu room at the top of Split's prices, built for a planned special occasion rather than a drop-in.
Frequently Asked
What is ZOI in Split known for?
ZOI is known for chef Alberto Garcia Perez's contemporary Mediterranean tasting menus and for its rooftop setting in the southern wall of Diocletian's Palace, over the Split Riva. It has stayed in the Michelin Guide since 2017, earned 17/20 from Gault & Millau and was Croatian Restaurant of the Year in 2022.
Who is the chef at ZOI?
Alberto Garcia Perez is the head chef. A Spaniard from Cadiz, he trained at three-star kitchens including Aponiente and Martin Berasategui before taking the kitchen at ZOI, where he cooks seasonal Adriatic seafood and Dalmatian produce.
How much does ZOI cost?
ZOI sits at the top of Split's dining. The kitchen works through tasting menus - an Obala seafood menu, a Zagora meat menu and the signature seven-course Dalmacija - with wine pairings available, so a full evening is a premium, multi-course affair.
Where is ZOI restaurant?
ZOI is at Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23, on the Riva promenade in Split, with its dining room and rooftop terrace built into the southern wall of Diocletian's Palace in the old town.
Do you need a reservation at ZOI?
Yes. The room is small and the rooftop view is in demand, so booking ahead is essential, especially in the summer season when Split fills with visitors. Request the terrace for the view over the Riva and harbour.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at ZOI
Booking ahead is essential, and request the rooftop; ZOI is set in the south wall of Diocletian's Palace at Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23 on the Riva.
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Practical Information
AddressObala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23, 21000 Split, Croatia
NeighbourhoodDiocletian's Palace, the Riva
CuisineMediterranean
PriceTasting menus (Obala, Zagora, 7-course Dalmacija); pairings extra
Dress CodeSmart
SeatingRooftop terrace and dining room in the Palace wall
ReservationEssential
