What defines the lifestyle of a tropical Riviera? The sea and the sun, yachts and convertibles, night parties and – of course – Sunday brunches.
For a London hotel, brunch may be a practical F&B solution; for a Phuket venue, it is an art form in its own right. Every Sunday, the island’s finest addresses compete to showcase the very best Phuket has to offer.

A Phuket brunch is more than a late breakfast that blends into lunch – it’s the ultimate way of enjoing your tropical Sunday.

While some venues serve brunch year-round, the true season begins in October, when beach clubs and resorts unveil their new Sunday rituals. On 5 October, Carpe Diem Beach Club introduced its own – La Dolce Vita.

“This is not just brunch. This is La Dolce Vita – the good life, redefined,” the club declared. And indeed, La Dolce Vita is one more step toward the perfect Sunday as Phuket imagines it.

First, Carpe Diem has abandoned the idea of fixed hours. Sunday at the club now means the whole Sunday – from noon until late. In practice, no one ever left strictly at 3pm or 4pm anyway, but now Carpe Diem has erased the line between “brunch” and “after-brunch” altogether.

Second, the new brunch bears the unmistakable imprint of its chef. Chef Álvaro Ramos Palancarejo is present in person, cooking live for guests – Spanish-style scallops, lobster paella, arroz negro – you name it. Often reserved to indoors dining, the open-kitchen theatre turned out to be perfectly in tune with the leisurely rhythm of Carpe Diem’s brunch.

Third, La Dolce Vita revives the golden age of Phuket’s brunch scene, when people came as much for live saxophone and sunset DJ beats as for Mediterranean cuisine. With brunch now stretching through the entire day, the musical program stands on equal footing with the gastronomic one – adding even more appeal to reserving a sofa for two or four, where part of the amount paid instantly converts into food and beverage credit after brunch.

What to try at La Dolce Vita in Carpe Diem

• Fresh seafood on ice – live lobsters, Fine de Claire oysters, and more.
• European cheeses – Grana Padano, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, plus milder options for those just discovering the world of cheese.
• Charcuterie – a longtime favorite among Phuket residents, who often find jamón, Milano salami, chorizo, and Prosciutto di Parma rarer on the island than lobster.
• Chef’s surprises – authentic Spanish dishes served straight from the maestro’s station. Watch the show, then savor the result.
• Japanese corner – another steady crowd-pleaser. Ultra-fresh sushi and sashimi, made moments before, light and clean.
• Pizza, pasta, salads, grill – the timeless brunch essentials. After all, we came to try the best of everything, didn’t we?

Ultimately, the most appealing aspect of Carpe Diem’s new brunch is the venue’s desire to follow the wishes of the patrons. La Dolce Vita is exactly what we – the guests – used to craft at other brunches manually. Unhurried, open-ended, abundant in choice, and shaped by the personalities of chefs and musicians – it makes you want to return again and again.

Details, prices, sofa and daybed reservations
Photos from the first brunch of the season