Hrvoje Zirojević and Aminess in Makarska open a new gastronomic chapter: VIRA on the roof of the Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel
When one of the most awarded Croatian chefs and one of the most dynamic domestic hotel groups come together in one story, it is clear that the goal is no longer just to "eat well", but to create an experience for which one travels to a specific destination. Exactly this ambitious promise lies behind the announcement of the new restaurant VIRA by Hrvoje Zirojević, which according to plans should open its doors in the spring of 2026 on the roof of the Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel in Makarska.
A rooftop position with a view of Biokovo and the sea, the complete authorial signature of a chef known for an innovative approach to Dalmatian ingredients, and a strong strategic focus of the Aminess group on the gourmet offer, make VIRA one of the most anticipated new projects on the Croatian coast. The restaurant will, according to announcements, be conceived as a destination in itself – a space where, along with hotel guests, domestic guests and international foodie travelers who tailor their itineraries around top restaurants will specifically come.
Makarska as a destination for a new generation of guests
The opening of the new restaurant comes at a moment when Makarska is additionally profiling itself as a destination for guests of higher spending power, who, along with beaches and natural beauties, are looking for a serious gastronomic offer. The city located between the steep slopes of Biokovo and the Adriatic Sea has for decades been a symbol of the Makarska Riviera, one of the most recognizable tourist regions in Croatia. Along with long pebble beaches, a promenade, and a rich offer of activities at sea, Makarska has in recent years been increasingly developing year-round contents, including sports, outdoor tourism, and gastro events.
Aminess is present in Makarska through the hotel Aminess Laurel Khalani, a modern facility by the sea which is also the first five-star hotel in the portfolio of this group. With this, Makarska, alongside destinations in Istria, on Krk, Korčula, Hvar, Pag, and Pelješac, has become an important point of expansion for the Aminess brand on the southern coast. Considering that it is a high-category hotel, a strong emphasis on gastronomy as one of the key elements of the overall stay experience for guests looking for more than a classic summer vacation is logical.
For guests who want to complete their stay on the Makarska Riviera, an additional advantage will be easy vacation planning because the hotel already today offers various packages and options, and nearby there are numerous accommodation offers in Makarska and the surrounding area for those who want to combine different types of accommodation and stay longer in the destination.
Aminess: a strategy in which gastronomy is a key link
The hotel group Aminess has in recent years built a recognizable identity precisely on the combination of friendly, relaxed service and serious gourmet content. Its portfolio includes a number of hotels, campsites, and resorts with villas and apartments in Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, and gastronomy is thereby a clearly defined pillar of the brand, just as important as the location or the level of accommodation.
Through projects like Aminess Wine & Gourmet Nights, within which leading Croatian chefs create multi-course menus in individual Aminess hotels and restaurants, the group has already positioned itself as one of the most innovative in the field of hotel gastronomy. These events bring guests to destinations outside the classic peak season, and at the same time serve as a platform for the presentation of local winemakers and food producers.
Parallel to this, the educational program Aminess Gourmet Lab is designed as an internal "knowledge incubator" for cooks, waiters, and bartenders. These are expert workshops led by renowned chefs and experts, and the focus is on modern techniques, understanding ingredients, and contemporary presentation of food and drinks. Precisely through such programs, Aminess builds teams that can follow the high standards of authorial restaurants such as VIRA will be, but also ensure quality in everyday hotel F&B operations.
The collaboration with Hrvoje Zirojević fits into this strategy as the next step – from guest appearances at individual dinners and educations, towards a complete restaurant concept that bears the name and signature of a recognizable chef.
Who is chef Hrvoje Zirojević?
Hrvoje Zirojević has for years been one of the most prominent names in Croatian gastronomy. He became known to the wider public primarily through his work in restaurants Laganini on Palmižana, within the Hvar archipelago, and Dvor in Split. In those kitchens, he developed a style that relies on Dalmatian and Mediterranean tradition but is simultaneously open to contemporary techniques and global influences.
Passion for the sea and the fruits of the Adriatic is one of his trademarks: fresh fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and seasonal vegetables are the starting point of numerous plates with which he won over guests and critics. Zirojević is known for extracting unexpected flavor combinations from classic ingredients, while retaining the recognizable Dalmatian identity of the dish.
In 2019, he was named Chef of the Year according to the Croatian edition of the prestigious guide Gault&Millau, thereby further cementing his status as one of the most important chefs of his generation. His biography also records guest appearances in New York, Los Angeles, and Japan, where through guest dinners he presented Croatian cuisine to an international audience and collaborated with esteemed chefs and restaurants.
His work is often described as a combination of technical precision and an emotional relationship towards the ingredient – especially towards that from the sea. In interviews, he often emphasizes that in the Adriatic and the Dalmatian hinterland he sees an almost inexhaustible source of inspiration, of which he still hasn't "used even a fraction of the possibilities".
From guest dinners to his own restaurant within Aminess
Zirojević's collaboration with Aminess does not begin with the opening of the VIRA restaurant. In recent years, he has participated in a series of Wine & Gourmet evenings and special guest appearances in Aminess facilities, and as a lecturer and mentor, he has also been involved in individual modules of the educational program Aminess Gourmet Lab. That collaboration, according to available information, was very intense and well-accepted among participants, but also among guests who followed the events.
The opening of the restaurant VIRA in Makarska is a logical continuation of that series: instead of occasional guest dinners, Zirojević now gets the opportunity to design a complete concept, menu, and experience, from the first greeting from the kitchen to the last sweet bite. VIRA should function as an authorial restaurant within the hotel system – sufficiently independent and recognizable that the guest comes specifically for it, yet simultaneously organically connected with the rest of the Aminess offer.
For the hotel group, a project like this also means further strengthening the gourmet portfolio, alongside already existing addresses like 7 Seas Restaurant & Bar by Matija Bogdan on Krk and in Korčula, which in a short time profiled themselves as fine dining destinations for more demanding guests. The common denominator of these projects is collaboration with chefs of strong authorial handwriting and a focus on local ingredients interpreted through contemporary high cuisine.
Rooftop scene: the view as part of the experience
One of the assets of the new restaurant will certainly be its position. Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel is located along the coast, with a view of the sea and islands, while Biokovo rises in the background – a landscape for which Makarska is recognizable on postcards. The rooftop floor of the hotel is already recognized today as a place for relaxation by the pool and bar with a view, and the opening of VIRA will additionally turn that part of the facility into an evening gathering place.
In tourism, a trend of demand for "instagrammable" places has been clearly visible for years – locations that offer a strong visual impression, whether it is about the interior or the view. In combination with ambitious cuisine, such a space has the potential to become one of the most photographed stages on the Makarska Riviera. For guests who decide on a longer stay, the variety of content in the hotel and in the city, along with numerous accommodation possibilities in Makarska and the surroundings, additionally enhances the attractiveness of the destination.
What can be expected from the kitchen of VIRA?
Details of the menu and serving format of VIRA are not yet fully publicly known, but the work of Hrvoje Zirojević so far and the communication of Aminess suggest basic guidelines. A strong emphasis on seafood and fish dishes can be expected, with creative use of seasonal vegetables, olive oil, and aromatic herbs characteristic of the Dalmatian climate.
Local producers will likely also play an important role – small fishermen, olive growers, winemakers, and family farms from the hinterland – whereby the restaurant fits into the wider trend of more sustainable, responsible gastronomy that nurtures short supply chains and supports the local community. In the fine dining segment, such an approach is increasingly not only desirable but a necessary part of the brand story.
Given the group's experience with multi-course menus at Aminess Wine & Gourmet Nights, it is realistic to expect that VIRA will also offer tasting menus in several courses, with careful pairing with wines from Croatian winemakers. Whether the focus will be primarily on Dalmatian labels or the list will be wider is not known for now, but given the profile of the hotel guests and the reputation of the chef himself, the choice should be ambitious.
VIRA in the context of the development of the Croatian coast
The Croatian coast has in recent years been developing increasingly intensively as a gastronomic destination, and not just as a space for "sun and sea" tourism. In Istria, Kvarner, and parts of Dalmatia, restaurants with recommendations from guides like the Michelin Guide and Gault&Millau increasingly determine the reputation of individual places. Makarska, despite great popularity among tourists, has only in recent times begun to systematically build a recognizable gastronomic identity.
The arrival of a chef of the caliber of Hrvoje Zirojević to a project related to one of the most recognizable hotels in the city is therefore an important signal that Makarska wants to position itself more strongly on the map of the domestic fine dining scene. If VIRA meets expectations, the restaurant could attract guests who until now may not have considered Makarska as a destination for a gourmet vacation, but have linked such trips to Istria, Zagreb, or individual Dalmatian islands.
At the same time, a project like this raises the bar for other caterers in the city: quality and innovation are no longer reserved only for a few isolated addresses but become part of a wider narrative about a destination that takes gastronomy seriously. This can influence the structure of guests, length of stay, and seasonality in the long term, because the foodie audience often travels outside the hottest summer months, following themed dinners, festivals, and special events.
Benefits for the local community and suppliers
The opening of a restaurant of this level usually has an effect wider than the hotel walls. Employment of additional expert staff, collaboration with local suppliers, internship opportunities for pupils and students of catering schools, and involvement in city or regional manifestations – all these are elements that strengthen the local ecosystem in the long term.
In Makarska, where many catering establishments still seasonally depend exclusively on the summer months, the development of high-quality projects with a stronger pre- and post-season can also mean more stable business for a series of smaller entities. Fishermen, vegetable growers, producers of cheese, prosciutto, liqueurs, or craft products of local origin can get a more secure partner throughout the year or at least through a longer season.
For local residents, the presence of such a restaurant also means greater availability of top gastronomy without the need to travel to other cities. Although VIRA will target an audience that is ready to pay more for the experience, the fact that it is a hotel restaurant open to outside guests as well leaves room for special occasions for the residents of Makarska and the surrounding area – from anniversaries and celebrations to business dinners.
Makarska as a starting point for exploring the region
For guests who will come to Makarska primarily because of the new restaurant, the destination also offers a rich spectrum of activities outside the hotel complex. Mount Biokovo with the Nature Park and the Skywalk viewpoint, one-day boat trips to nearby islands like Brač and Hvar, and numerous outdoor contents – from hiking to cycling and water sports – make this riviera ideal for a multi-day stay.
Precisely for this reason, it is not unexpected that more and more different types of accommodation are developing in the city and surrounding area, from hotels and campsites to apartments and villas. Guests who come to Makarska because of gastronomic experiences like those VIRA will offer can choose between accommodation in the Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel itself or numerous other accommodation options in Makarska, depending on the budget and style of travel.
Perspective ahead of spring 2026
Although there is still some time left until the planned opening of the restaurant VIRA by Hrvoje Zirojević, it is already clear that this is a project that goes beyond the framework of "just another hotel restaurant". Investing in an authorial restaurant on the roof of a five-star hotel, in one of the most popular Adriatic destinations, is a logical step in the strategic development of Aminess as a brand that places gastronomy at the very top of priorities.
For Makarska, this is an opportunity to position itself more strongly on the map of Croatian gourmet destinations. For domestic and foreign guests, this is an invitation to use the spring of 2026 not only for the first encounter with the new menu and the spectacular view from the roof of the Aminess Laurel Khalani Hotel but also for discovering the wider story of a city that wants to be much more than the summer cliché of "sun, sea, and beach".
Sources:
- Aminess Hotels & Resorts – official pages about the destination Makarska, the offer of the Aminess Laurel Khalani hotel, and gourmet experiences. aminess.com
- Poslovni dnevnik and Makarska Danas – information about the takeover of the Khalani hotel and the positioning of Aminess in Makarska. poslovni.hr, makarskadanas.hr
- Gault&Millau Croatia and Večernji list – data on the selection of Hrvoje Zirojević as Chef of the Year 2019. gaultmillau.com, vecernji.hr
- Taste the Mediterranean and gastro.24sata – biographical information about Hrvoje Zirojević and his culinary style. tastethemediterranean.eu, gastro.24sata.hr
- Istra24, Hedonist magazin, Turizmoteka and others – descriptions of the Aminess Gourmet Lab and Aminess Wine & Gourmet Nights programs. istra24.hr, hedonist-magazin.com, turizmoteka.hr
- Official pages of 7 Seas Restaurant & Bar and specialized gastro portals – information about the 7 Seas concept and collaboration with Matija Bogdan. restaurant-7seas.com, storiescroatia.com, teklic.hr
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