Zagreb’s Museum of Broken Relationships, dedicated to mementoes of lost loves, has opened a swanky new bistro in the Upper Town. The world-famous exhibition is now laying on lunch and dinner – sweet relief, perhaps, to many of its visitors who might need a sit down after experiencing the museum's bittersweet journey through human emotions. And, if you’re recently heartbroken, you can cheer yourself up with delectable dishes prepared by one of Croatia’s most famous chefs Tvrtko Šakota.
The former Rougemarin and Xató chef has styled the menu around traditional, seasonal Croatian food – using only local ingredients available from the nearby market. Known for its eccentric brilliance, you can expect a Broken Relationships spin on the traditional bistro format. The new bistro is located around the corner, just a few tear-filled steps from the museum, on Katarinski trg 3. The bistro's pastel-themed interior can accommodate 28 diners while its terrace can hold a further 40.
The Museum of Broken Relationships started in 2006 as an exhibition of artefacts documenting failed relationships, donated by the public and curated by Zagreb-based artists (and former lovers), Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić. The exhibition visited Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Macedonia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. It found a permanent home in Zagreb's Upper Town in 2010, becoming the city's first privately owned museum. It has since become one of the most successful, receiving over 100,000 visitors a year, with its own franchise in Los Angeles.
