Thirty-seven years of passion for hospitality and tourism, more than 2.5 million satisfied guests and a strong family tradition brought Branka and Dragan Vuletić numerous awards and accolades for Zlatnik, one of Serbia’s recognisable hospitality brands.
Hotel Zlatnik, which carried five stars for decades, is today opening a new chapter in its story and its doors to new guests — those who wish to live there as they would at home, while enjoying the comfort and attention for which Zlatnik has long been known.
According to the Vuletić family, the time has come for Zlatnik to become a home for a new generation of guests — a home for later life.
“Hotel Zlatnik has always been our home, and now we want it to become a cherished home for others as well — for those who wish to spend their carefree later years here and enjoy, with all their senses, the surroundings, aromas, flavours and little details that make life richer and more beautiful.”
The Vuletić Family
“Zlatnik has enriched our lives and continues to do so. We truly believe that for every new resident, life at Dom Zlatnik will be what a gold coin traditionally represents in Serbian culture — a precious gift marking important moments, events and periods in life,” the Vuletić family explain.
Restaurant Zlatnik
It all began on a hot August day, 25 August 1984, when the young married couple, the Vuletićs, embarked on something completely new to them — hospitality.
They became restaurant owners.
At the time, the Serbian term kafana was more commonly used, but Zlatnik was no ordinary kafana. It was a first-class hospitality venue where people came to eat well, drink, socialise and celebrate.
The restaurant had previously been opened by the respected Zemun resident Branko Pešić, after whom a neighbouring street in Zemun was also named.
Zlatnik was the first restaurant opened in a private house in Zemun’s Gornji Grad neighbourhood, and its opening was remembered for a large and joyful celebration.
The elegant restaurant, set within a house in Zemun, soon became a well-known meeting place for both local and international guests, while Branka and Dragan became hosts whose guest book filled with praise written in many languages from around the world.
“I opened the restaurant because I was dissatisfied with the service in other restaurants — cold soup, warm beer, unfriendly waiters. I wanted to create a restaurant where every day would feel like a family celebration.”
Dragan Vuletić
We welcomed guests in the way my mother once welcomed people into her home. Food and traditional preserves were always prepared in a home-style way. For more than 30 years, we sourced our meat from a family that was among the first to receive HACCP certification.
Many ingredients were sourced from the areas around Ivanjica and Čačak, and I never found it difficult to go there myself to inspect the farm, the livestock and even meet the woman preparing the cheese and kajmak for us.
Quality, hygiene, expertise and the relationship with guests were the principles on which Zlatnik built its reputation.
Guests Chose Exactly What They Wanted Prepared
From the very beginning, Zlatnik also stood apart through its distinctive style of service.
“At first, we did not have a traditional menu. The waiter would bring a selection of fresh meat on a platter, and guests would choose what they wanted prepared. At the time this was highly unusual, but also very exclusive.”
Branka Vuletić
As guests’ habits changed, the restaurant’s offer evolved as well.
During the 1990s, guests began asking for lighter food and what were considered healthier meals, so in 1996 a fish restaurant was also opened.
Chef Pino came all the way from Italy and created a menu featuring sea bass, sea bream, prawns, lobster and Italian pasta dishes.
Awards, Accolades and Famous Guests
Very soon after opening, Zlatnik began receiving awards and accolades.
These included the “Golden Seal of Belgrade”, awards from the Tourist Associations of Serbia and Belgrade, “Winner of Belgrade”, “Ambassador of Good Service” and the “Golden Forks”.
His many years in hospitality also earned Dragan Vuletić the status of distinguished citizen of Zemun.
Over the years, many well-known figures from Serbia and abroad enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere of Restaurant Zlatnik.
Among them were Johnny Depp, Jim Jarmusch, Missoni, Swarovski, the Gipsy Kings, Slavica and Bernie Ecclestone, as well as many other guests from public, cultural and business life.
All those years, awards, encounters and memories became part of Zlatnik’s history.
Today, that history continues in a different form, but with the same idea that guided the Vuletić family from the very beginning — to offer each guest, and now each resident, the kind of care and attention that makes them feel welcome and at home.
