Restaurant “Vinogradi” (Aga's hill, Grocka)

Restaurant "Vinogradi" in Grocka, a protocol place of Belgrade and Yugoslavia


Restaurant “Vinogradi” on Aga’s hill, situated just above Gročanska čaršija, as part of Hotel Metropol’s objects, has always been a gathering place of artistic elite as well as international delegations in former Yugoslavia, attracting many visitors with its extraordinary view. Long list of its guests starts with former Yugoslav President Tito, accompanied by many European state officials, Ambassadors, Non-Aligned countries presidents, famous actors and actresses like Sophia Loren, writers, artists etc. which shows great appreciation of ‘Vinogradi’ restaurant.

Tito made official visits to this restaurant seventeen times. Of course, he brought his guests and foreign delegations to Grocka. In addition to famous world actors, politicians such as Henry Kissinger, statesmen and heads of state of the European Union, the guests of the restaurant were also delegations and leaders of the Non-Aligned Countries. Ahmed Sukarno, the president of the Republic of Indonesia, made an official visit to Yugoslavia in June 1963, and Tito hosted him with a rich program that included a trip to Grocka, where they arrived on the ship named "Krajina". Oral histories also remember a memory about some kind of “unofficial Non-Aligned Conference” happened at this restaurant, after official and First Conference of Non-Aligned Movement, which was organized in 1961 in Belgrade.

Official visit of Ahmed Sukarno and Josip Broz Tito in ‘Vinogradi’, photo from The Museum of Yugoslavia

Its unique interior was a setting for shooting many popular series and films with the most prominent domestic actors. The view which makes this restaurant so popular starts with the vineyards after which it got its name, continues with the flow of the river Danube and the two islands on it, then hills and rooftops of houses in Grocka, and scratches in the distance all the way to town Pančevo, mountain Fruška Gora and to the other side to Smederevo fortress, the vineyards of Vršac reaching even the Carpathian mountains in Romania. Neil Armstrong’s comment about this place was: “This view is more beautiful than the view from the Moon!”

A story told by: Zorica Atić, general menager at Cultural centre Grocka

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