In September 2017, Bokeria Restaurant has proved it has the discretion and class to serve A-List Celebrities.
Croatia has seen its fair share of celebrities visiting this summer and Split, in particular, has been Hollywood central lately, with the filming of “DJ Ibiza” series on Žnjan beach by Danny Moder – husband of Julia Roberts, and Mamma Mia 2 currently in filming on Vis island.
And, it seems that the A-list celebrities all have one thing in common while visiting Split – Bokeria Restaurant.
The second celebrities hit the shore of any destination there is a media frenzy, privacy and a chance to truly enjoy a destination is typically off the table but it seems that may not be the case for Split; Bokeria Restaurant has proved it has the quality, service and above all – discretion to serve such clientele.
You would think this would be a given but not so in Croatia, remember the backlash when Gariful Restaurant on Hvar instantly posted the bill from Demi Moore dining in their restaurant, complete with what she ate, spent, tipped AND credit card details. Seriously, this is a major face-palm moment. Then there was the owner of a property who leaked word to the media that Lionel Messi was coming to stay. It was immediately denied, quite possibly it was true but actions like this can have the exact opposite effect people were hoping for – good PR and media attention. Instead, they end up driving people in the opposite direction, did Gariful ever recover from this faux pas? I have no idea.
This is why it is impressive to see that celebrities have been able to dine in Split without word getting out the second they leave or even sharing any detailed information. Being in media, it would obviously be better if I was tipped earlier but kudos to the Bokeria team for keeping the news quiet for as long as possible.
However, now that the news is out, I got in touch with owner Luka Bokavšek to ask about his recent guests and his answers explain everything.
“In the past few days, we have had the honour of hosting some notable Hollywood actors (and actress) such as Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia and Rupert Grint (better known as Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter).
Rupert Grint with Bokeria Manager Mladen and waiter
Julia came in on a busy Friday afternoon with no reservation, so we barely managed to find a table for her and her family. She was obviously happy with the food and service because she made a reservation for the following Sunday night. I believe we did a good job keeping it discreet so her privacy wasn’t invaded in any way – possibly another reason she came back.
Julia Roberts with "the boys" - kind enough to take a photo with the team
Andy Garcia was more relaxed and open for conversation, he came in with his daughter and agents. They loved the food and brought some of our wine to take away with them!”
Ever the gentleman, Luka only spoke highly about the guests, not revealing any intimate details and seemed truly humbled that they chose Bokeria – twice in Julia Robert’s case.
I would love to think that this is the direction Split is moving in general, proving that it can stand confidently on the world stage and present itself in the best light for this sort of clientele. With more quality establishments opening and restaurateurs like Bokavšek leading the way, I think Split will only continue to grow in reputation and I am excited to watch the progress.
