Shopping and Dining Community in Old Phuket Town
Vela Phuket Old Town is a new three-floor shopping and dining community on the corner of Yaowarat Road and Phang Nga Road, in the heart of Phuket Town. The building blends the old Sino-Portuguese shophouse style with a clean modern design, and the brand uses an hourglass as its symbol, as ‘Vela’ means ‘Time’ in Thai.
Inside, there is a Starbucks, a long row of small shops, a Spanish tapas restaurant, a live music bar and a small hidden Japanese omakase counter. It sits on one of the busiest junctions in the old town, so it is very easy to find. I stopped here for lunch on the Pintxo terrace, and the view over the old town rooftops alone made the visit worth it.
More Than a Big Starbucks
Vela is easy to spot, but for the wrong reason. The green Starbucks logo sits right on the street corner at eye level, so most people walking past think the whole building is one giant Starbucks. The truth is the opposite. Starbucks is one of the smallest units in the building. The rest of Vela is a proper little community mall, much bigger and more surprising than it looks from the road. The black metal entrance with the big VELA sign and two glowing hourglass lamps is the real way in.
First Floor: Coffee, Shops and Souvenirs
The first floor is where most of the shopping happens. Next to Starbucks, you walk into an open hall lined with small shops and kiosks. There is a pearl and jewellery shop, a Thai natural skincare brand, leather bags, swimwear, clothing and a Tiger Muay Thai shop. There is also a pharmacy, a money exchange counter and a corner with claw machines and cold drinks for kids.
My favourite spot down here is a strange little curiosity shop. It is packed with taxidermy animals on the walls, framed butterflies under glass domes, and tiny Phuket island scenes built inside old metal tins. It feels more like a small museum than a shop. There is also an ice cream and gelato counter called Meltory if you need to cool down in the afternoon heat.
Pintxo: Tapas on the Terrace
Pintxo is the largest restaurant in the building and the main reason I came. It sits on the second floor with an open terrace that looks straight down over Yaowarat Road and Phang Nga Road. Sitting up there with a drink and watching the old town traffic go by is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours.
The food is Spanish tapas, and it is run by chef Sébastien Segurola. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he also runs Cava Bien Marché, the French restaurant on Dibuk Road just a few streets away. Sébastien comes from Saint-Jean-de-Luz in the Basque part of France, so the menu here makes sense. “Pintxo” is the Basque word for tapas, the small plates you find in bars in San Sebastián. I had the fish on a soft potato purée, and it was excellent. Simple, fresh and full of flavour.
Bebop Live Music Bar
Right next to Pintxo on the same floor is Bebop, a live music bar. It leans towards jazz and a relaxed evening mood, with a wide mix of music through the week. It is a good place to move to after dinner if you want a drink and some live music without leaving the building.
Bastosai: A Hidden Omakase Counter
Tucked away at the back of the second floor is Bastosai, a small Japanese omakase counter that is easy to miss. It has only a handful of seats around the chef. The ingredients are flown in from Japan, and the sushi rice is made with a special vinegar fermented from sake lees for over 200 days. It is a quiet, high-end surprise to find inside a shopping building, and you will want to book ahead as the seats are limited.
Third Floor and Rooftop
The third floor is still filling up. The plan is for more Phuket fashion and craft brands, plus another bar and a rooftop space. When the rooftop opens, it should give one of the better views over the old town, so it is worth keeping an eye on.
A Hidden Link to the Shrine of Serene Light
Here is a fun surprise. Hidden at the back of the building is Meltory, a small ice cream shop tucked in a corner, and it opens straight onto the Shrine of Serene Light. The shrine is a beautiful old Chinese temple just off Phang Nga Road, easy to miss between the shophouses. Now you can walk through from the shrine and come out at the ice cream counter, which makes a nice treat on a hot day. Read more
Why Visit
Vela is a handy stop when you are walking around Phuket Town. You can shop for souvenirs, escape the midday heat with a coffee or an ice cream, have a proper lunch with a view at Pintxo, and come back in the evening for music at Bebop. For a building that most people mistake for a Starbucks, there is a lot more going on inside than you would expect.
VELA Phuket Info
Location: Phuket Town – corner of Yaowarat Road and Phang Nga Road
Address: 20, 24 Yaowarad Rd, Tambon Talat Yai, Mueang, Phuket 83000
Hours: 10 am – 10 pm
Phone: 096 395 9669
Website: www.vela-phuket.com
VELA Phuket Map
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