About ZOI
ZOI is a fine dining restaurant set on the southern wall of Diocletian's Palace in Split, where contemporary Mediterranean cooking meets a quietly dramatic historic setting. The name comes from the Greek word for "life", and every evening here is designed as a layered experience of flavor, light, music and conversation.
History is the backdrop. The table is where the story continues.
Our Story
ZOI -- the Greek word for life. Why a Greek name for a restaurant within a Roman emperor's palace? Because Split's story begins before Diocletian. Archaeologists discovered an ancient Greek fountain inside the Palace walls -- now preserved in the basement, steps from where ZOI stands today -- proving that a Greek settlement existed here long before the Romans arrived. Life in this place is older and deeper than any single empire.
Established in 2017, ZOI was born from this idea: that the history of Split itself is a recipe. Greeks settled here first. Romans built the palace. Venetians shaped the architecture. The French left their cultural mark. The Austro-Hungarian Empire refined civic life. And through centuries of Dalmatian tradition, a unique culinary identity emerged -- one that belongs to no single culture, but to all of them.
At ZOI, we tell this story through food. Our cuisine is a melting pot experience -- an authentic fusion of rich Mediterranean traditions, from the eastern Mediterranean to the Adriatic, infused with the taste of 2,000 years of history.
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A Setting Like No Other
Some places impress. Others stay with you. ZOI does both, quietly yet unmistakably.
Our restaurant is set within the southern wall of Diocletian's Palace, near the site of the emperor's former chambers. The imperial triclinium -- the grand dining room where Roman nobility feasted -- once stood just steps from where our guests dine today. This proximity to ancient grandeur gives ZOI a palpable historical energy that infuses every evening with significance.
The journey begins at street level on Split's Riva promenade. Charming small wooden doors beckon you inside. Ascending the weathered stone staircase to the first floor, you enter the heart of the restaurant -- 20 intimate indoor seats where the most captivating feature is the palace wall itself, stretching the entire length of the space, adorned with windows that offer glimpses into the depths of Diocletian's ancient chambers.
Continue up the staircase and you emerge onto our magnificent terrace -- 80 seats with panoramic views of Split's bustling waterfront, the imposing walls of the palace, and the swaying palm trees below. Evenings here are serene yet exhilarating, elegant yet relaxed. A place where music, conversation, and the rhythmic pulse of the city meld seamlessly.
The Flower of Life
At the heart of ZOI's visual identity is the Flower of Life: a nineteen-circle geometric symbol that appears across ancient cultures, from Greek and Egyptian temples to Roman mosaics and later spiritual traditions. Its interlocking circles suggest continuity, connection and the idea that everything is part of a larger pattern.
In the restaurant, this symbol becomes a discreet motif—echoed in textures, objects and compositions on the plate—linking past and present, earth and sky, ritual and everyday life. It is a reminder that dinner here is not just a sequence of dishes, but a moment inside a much longer story.
History in Every Detail
The interior of ZOI was designed by Stairwell&Loft studio, led by interior designer Boran Petljak and architect Neven Vlahovic. Their vision was to honor every empire that shaped Split through thoughtful design:
The coffered ceiling features ornamental cassettes inspired by the earliest surviving examples of decorated ceilings from ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The lighting -- ceramic plate fixtures handmade in a traditional Sicilian workshop -- draws from Roman ceramic soup vessels. Hungarian-style parquet evokes the Austro-Hungarian era, while black-and-white mosaic tiles echo the floors found throughout Roman imperial palaces.
Our tables, made from Bianco Carrara marble on hand-turned wooden legs, are inspired by the emperor's triclinium, where food was served directly on marble without plates or cutlery. The French-style partition between restaurant and kitchen reflects the Napoleonic architectural influence still visible on Split's main square today.
Even the ladies' room tells a story -- it is set within a niche carved into Diocletian's original wall. During the Austro-Hungarian era, citizens of Split hollowed these openings for practical use, until Emperor Franz Joseph established the first conservation office in 1864 to protect the Palace's heritage.
The Kitchen
Leading ZOI's kitchen is Head Chef Alberto Garcia Perez, originally from Cadiz, Andalusia. His culinary journey spans some of the world's most celebrated restaurants: Restaurante Aponiente (3 Michelin stars), Martin Berasategui (3 Michelin stars), Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville Crissier (3 Michelin stars), and L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel (2 Michelin stars).
Since 2026, Alberto is exclusively dedicated to ZOI, where he treats Mediterranean cuisine as a living language -- ripe with memory, reinvention, and the cultural heritage of Split. His tasting menus, ECHO and TERRA, capture two dimensions of the ZOI philosophy. ECHO reverberates with ancient feasting and celebratory abundance. TERRA, entirely vegetarian, is a reverent ode to simplicity, seasonality, and the rhythms of nature.
Alongside Alberto, Sous Chef Miguel Delgado Garcia brings technical precision to the kitchen, while Restaurant Manager Jure Bogdan ensures every guest's experience is as considered as the food itself.
Recognition
Visit Us
ZOI Restaurant is open daily from 18:00 to 23:30.
Obala Hrvatskog narodnog preporoda 23, Split, Croatia
on the Riva promenade, beside the entrance to Diocletian's Palace cellars.
Public parking is available directly below on the Riva.
Reservations are strongly recommended, especially during summer. Smart casual dress code.
Book online or call +385 21 637 491.