The Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County is a partner of the Gault&Millau 2024 guide
In the new Croatian edition of the Gault&Millau guide, 82 restaurants and POP places from the Split-Dalmatia County were included. Their chefs received three prestigious trophies: for Chef of the Year, Great Chef of Tomorrow and Young Talent of the Year
Photo: Goran Jakuš & Robert Gašpert for Gault&Millau, Saša Burić & Tom Dubravec / Cropix
According to the Gault&Millau Croatia guide inspectors, the gastronomic scene of the Split-Dalmatia County, confirmed its reputation as a region of good cooking and eating. In addition to the fact that in the new guide’s edition there is a list of 63 restaurants and 19 trendy and affordable taverns, bars, bistros and pastry shops. Three chefs from Split have a special reason to celebrate. The biggest award - Trophy Chef of the Year went to the culinary virtuoso Marko Đurašević, recently the executive chef of the restaurant Zrno Soli. On the other hand, Roko Nikolić from the restaurant ZOI is named the Great Chef of Tomorrow, while Antonela Goreta from the Zinfandel Food & Wine Bar was declared the Young Talent of the Year.
All of them have in common that they respect autochthonous ingredients and especially value the rich Dalmatian culinary tradition. In their performances, it varies from quite simple snacks, reinterpretations of Dalmatian delicacies such as meat dish pašticada, cuttlefish risotto, brudeto or octopus under the iron bell, to fine dining creations inspired by tradition.
The tourist board of Split - Dalmatia County is a partner of Croatian Gault&Millau new edition. Not too large geographical area of this County is full of gastronomic diversity. Zagora attracts guests with autochthonous dishes under the iron bell and lamb on the spit. Sinj stands out for its local arambašići, a dish created under the influence of the Turks. Trilj is the right place for the lovers of frogs, which can be fried, baked, grilled or prepared as a brudeto. The villages below mountain Mosor are proud of the soparnik. This heavy dish filled with chard, onion and parsley, which is roasted on a wood stove, was included by UNESCO on the list of protected intangible cultural heritage. Vrgorac, a small place in the hinterland of the Biokovo mountain, is known for its prosciutto, and the island of Brač for its million olive trees that produce top-quality olive oil. The pride of Vis is a cake made from chopped anchovies or sardines, stewed onions, Mediterranean spices, olive oil and capers. What everyone enjoys is grilled fish, the most authentic and simplest way of preparing fish in Dalmatia. And brunch, in Dalmatia called marenda, is what connects everything. A ritual that cannot be skipped, is more than the meal itself. It is a lifestyle philosophy, a custom, laughter, song and socializing. Tourists also like to go to small restaurants and taverns to feel the spirit of marenda and experience the flavors of traditional Dalmatian cuisine. Dalmatian wines are an integral part of every lunch or dinner. They are produced from autochthonous varieties such as plavac mali from Hvar or crljenak, an old wine variety from Kaštel. Guests at the Gault&Millau gala dinner on the occasion of the promotion of the new edition of the guide tasted Rosé 2022 wine from one of the best Dalmatian wineries, Markus Fine Wines. That sophisticated wine was served with the main course of French chef Ludovic Turac - red mullet prepared as a bouillabaisse.
The restaurant’s chefs are highly motivated by the fish, seafood, olive oil, Mediterranean spices and top quality wines in order to raise the ranking of their gastronomic offer. As many as 12 restaurants of the Split-Dalmatia County in the new Croatian edition of Gault&Millau were awarded with 3 toques. At the top of the list of the best ranked is Split ZOI with promising chef Roko Nikolić, who won 16.5 points. Only a half point less is restaurant Dvor from Split with experienced chef Hrvoje Zirojević (Chef of the Year 2019) as well as Laganini from island of Palmižana, with chef Matko Bukovac. They are followed with 15.5 points by Il Ponte from Trogir with popular chef Stjepan Vukadin, Lemongarden with chef Ante Udovičić, Martinis Marchi from Maslinica at Šolta island with chef Toni Miloš, as well as restaurants from Split - Noštromo whose kitchen is run by chefs Zlatko and Stipe Marinović, Zora bila with chefs Sandra and Dane Tahirović, and Zrno Soli with chef Branimir Prnjak. The 15 points club includes Maslina resort from the Stari Grad on Hvar island and chef Bogomil Križ, Olive Tree Dining & Clubbing from Split with chef Toni Bilić and Riva Tavern from Bol at the island of Brač with its chef Josip Eterović. The new edition of the guide also includes a selection of 25 top Dalmatian wines.
