It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that Chops Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in Split. I frequent it more than any other eatery in the city and it’s the first that comes to mind when someone asks, “Where should we go for food?” They were the first to specialize in steak in a city where locals prefer lamb on the spit or veal ‘under peka’ and tourists search for fresh seafood from the Adriatic, but they’ve succeeded in satisfying both with their diverse (and delicious!) steak and seafood offer. I have nothing but good things to say, but one thing I never thought I’d be saying is that besides being a fabulous spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner it’s also the perfect place for a wedding! Although no stranger to hosting celebrations or events for large groups, until this year weddings were still uncharted territory for the innovative establishment. That is until someone made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.
After getting engaged in Split last May, Londoners Tracy and James celebrated their relationship milestone moments later at Chops Grill where they were treated to champagne for the special occasion. They spent almost every night of their trip there and became fast friends with the owners and Split hospitality power couple Jasmina Garbin and Igor Kruscic. On their last night in Croatia, they knew they wanted to come back and not just for another visit, but for their special day and with their closest family and friends at their favorite restaurant in Split so they asked if it was possible. Always up for a challenge and not about to disappoint their new friends Chops Grill happily accepted and Jasmina added destination wedding planner to her long list of special talents and skills aiding with the organization of the event from photographer to daily excursions. The London based couple returned to Split once more to finalize details and everything else was arranged via email before the big day this May.
The restaurant proved to be an ideal venue for small to medium size weddings. The head table seated the bride and groom along with their parents under the gazebo, which faces the main restaurant hall that sat the remaining 50 guests. High bar tables were placed at the entrance of the restaurant for the cocktail hour while the dance floor, cake table, bar with bartender, DJ with AV equipment and lighting were all set up at the back of the restaurant. Dancing lasted until 23:30 when those not too partied out strolled next door to their sister bar Paradiso where the upstairs private section, which fits 30-40 people, was set up for the after party. The extensive food menu left no tastes unturned and included various appetizers, a choice of meat or seafood entrees with several options of sides, as well as two types of salads and three types of sauces. They offered 4 choices of desserts along with the wedding cheesecake and on top of that an after hour snack of cheeses.
Aside from picking the perfect venue, one of the most stressful factors in planning a wedding is weather, but even more so if the venue chosen isn’t fully enclosed. But not so with Chops, as the new upgrade of the movable glass walls this year allows them to operate in all types of weather and transform the restaurant in just minutes from completely open, including a retractable roof, to fully enclosed. That means anxious brides need not frantically check the forecast or have a plan B in place as Chops can adapt at a moments notice for Split’s sporadic summer storms or for the winter “bura” winds.
Tracy and James were extremely satisfied and their parents were equally impressed even saying several times that they want their other children’s weddings hosted by Chops. In their own words…“Last dinner in Split at our favourite restaurant with the most welcoming friendly staff, they helped make our wedding so special and amazing, we will be eternally grateful!!”…“Absolutely fantastic restaurant. Chops Grill recently hosted our sons wedding reception. The food was amazing and the staff could not do enough for us. Would highly recommend it. Thank you Jasmina and everyone concerned. Your hospitality and attention to detail was just perfect!”
So if you’re looking for a location in Split for a small to medium size wedding, destination or not, or any other type of event I would definitely recommend you check out Chops Grill. You can contact Jasmina directly with any questions or inquiries at [email protected] or via their Facebook page.
