Villa Spiza — Restaurant in Grad Split

Best meal I had in Croatia, so nice that I went back twice. It's not just the high quality of the food (the freshness of the local fish, mouthwatering flavors added thanks to the incredible seasoning, or taste of the local wine) but the entire dining experience.

I was a solo female traveler and had the great fortune of getting seated at the corner spot of the bar, with a perfect vantage point to watch the restaurant's open kitchen operations. Friendly servers making recommendations and taking orders, an assistant prepping salads and plating, a dish washer managing to surpass the speed at which new hungry customers were walking in, always managing to have fresh kitchenware and cutlery ready for the next order.

But the biggest marvel of all is undoubtedly the chef. One person, six stovetop burners, singlehandedly preparing every single hot dish for the entire restaurant, from seasoning and marinating fresh meat and fish to expertly cooking each dish to perfection--simultaneously. This is for a handwritten menu that changes daily based on the local catch, and over the two nights I was there, not a single dish was over/under cooked. In fact, he was so focused in his magic that he didn't look up once until I interrupted him to tell him how impressive it all was (and my hope that he could eventually have a rest and get some dinner himself!). Even with his laser focus on his work, he immediately recognized me on my second visit and his kindness and warmth made me feel at home despite being the only solo diner in the restaurant.

Somehow in the midst of all this activity, the team stayed chilled out, singing along to the jams being played, joking around with one another, and making everyone feel like they're a guest for a home cooked meal (local or foreigner). Dining at Villa Spiza teaches every visitor the embodiment of the local values: a deep connection to the sea, strong family ties, an appreciation for history and heritage, and a lifestyle of relaxation and reminder to be content in the present moment.

The burrata, seabass, and tiramisu were each the best I had ever had and I can't wait to return. Thank you...

We arrived at 11:45, 15 mins before the advertised opening time and waited until almost 12:30 before they opened. By this time there was quite a queue so clearly a popular place and I would advise turning up in plenty of time.

The menu was still being written when we arrived, testament to how fresh the dishes are. They serve what they can make that day based an availability of ingredients and whatever is caught at sea. Food is rarely fresher than this.

We started with burrata and had truffle pork pasta and tuna steak for mains.

The burrata was served atop a fresh salad complete with balsamic dressing. Nothing to write home about here, a fairly average burrata with standard creamy notes. I would recommend being more adventurous.

The mains featured underwhelming presentation. However this feeds into the core concept of this establishment: this is not fine dining, it is home cooked Croatian sustenance. Presentation aside, the mains shone much brighter than the starter. The truffle pork pasta, which can so often be overpowered with truffle flavours, was well balance. Creamy notes with flavours of rosemary accompany the primary flavours. I have seen other pictures where this looks to be served with a green herby garnish of some description, I would have liked to have seen this on mine. Tuna can be fishy, chewy and flavourless. I'm happy to report none of these boons afflict this serving. Teeth press effortlessly through the fish with little effort. It has been served rare with only a cautionary stint in the pan. A slightly hotter pan could have produced a better surface crisp whilst maintaining the internal temperature but that would be a particularly picky observation.

There are lots of other interesting experiences to be had on the menu. My advise is to be adventurous and let the experience of the chefs shine through. I would recommend this restaurant highly for home made...

This was the worst experience during our trip to Croatia. When my friend and I arrived, 3 tables were taken. We asked the waitress where she would like us to sit and she said she preferred we take the table for two rather than the table for 4. (There was a table for 6 that could be divided into 2 and 4). We took the high top table for two as indicated. However, the speaker was directly behind my head. I asked the waiter to turn it down as it was blasting in my ear. He hesitated but complied. The waitress came over a minute later and said, “this is a restaurant, not a funeral” and cranked back up. I told her I couldn’t sit there with music right in my ear. She said fine and brusquely gesture to the 4 top. We ordered the squid and a cheese plate. It was 23 euros for each squid dish and 10 euros for the cheese place. The cheese plate was basically 6 slices of cheese like you’d get in a grocery store. All the same cheese. Very weak and a poor value. But the squid. What can I say except it was the most off putting meal I’ve ever had. The squid was not cleaned. The cartilage was still inside. When you cut into it, slime and ink spewed out . The inside was slimy and it was tasted of grill and salt. It was incredibly unappetizing. The sides was a granular potato much and bland over cooked creamed Swiss char. We told the water we couldn’t eat it. We left paying full price, grossed out, nauseous and ripped off. Do not go here. We went to Portofino the next night and my dish was 3 euros more and incredible. Avoid...