Against the surrounding apartments and neighborhood streets, Vela Park Food Works is hard to miss. Its bright blue exterior rises along Second Avenue like a beacon, but the bigger surprise waits on the other side. The building opens onto an expansive patio and wide-open lawn where kids can play, dogs are welcome, and visitors can settle in with food from six local kitchens.
Inside, diners can choose among wood-fired pizza and Italian dishes, fried chicken, seafood, Cuban and Mexican fare, North Carolina-style barbecue, and desserts, along with drinks from a full-service bar. The bar sits between the indoor dining space and outdoor gathering areas, making it easy for guests to move between the kitchens, patio, and lawn.
But the idea, founder Robert Montwaid says, was never simply to house a collection of restaurants. “Our goal is to create a place that brings people together every day — where great food, open spaces and authentic experiences strengthen the fabric of the community.”
That idea was part of what attracted Southern Belle Chicken Co. chef Joey Ward to the project. “It’s designed to be a neighborhood gathering place — independent local kitchens, a bar, outdoor space, families, dogs, live music and people actually hanging out together,” Ward says. “That really fits the kind of restaurant I wanted Chicken Co. to be. I’ve spent a lot of my career creating special-occasion dining experiences, and I love doing that, but I also wanted to create something that could become part of somebody’s everyday life.”
Situated just a smidge south of the Decatur city limits, near Drew Charter School and East Lake Golf Club, Vela Park draws from East Lake, Decatur, Kirkwood, and surrounding neighborhoods. Montwaid says those communities helped make the location appealing. “People here support local businesses, and they want places where they can actually spend time together,” he says.
Executive Chef Minelly Amador Díaz, who operates La Tropical and MiMi Taquería at Vela Park, sees that mix of communities as part of the appeal. She says she was drawn to the way a food hall can bring different cultures, flavors, and people together, particularly in an area that appreciates independent restaurants and diverse food.
“Decatur has a strong appreciation for independent restaurants and diverse food, so it felt like the right community for La Tropical and MiMi Taquería to grow and build lasting relationships with our guests,” she says. “It also gives us a chance to share the kind of food and hospitality my Grandma Maria taught me to value.”
That emphasis on spending time, not just grabbing dinner, shapes much of Vela Park. On a recent afternoon, a visitor sat outside reading with a drink while children played nearby as their parents ate. Others drifted between the kitchens, bar, and patio, settling in rather than simply picking up a meal and leaving. The indoor-outdoor layout gives groups room to spread out, whether they’re gathering around a table or watching children play on the lawn.
On busier evenings, families might spread out on the lawn while friends meet for drinks or catch a game on the big screens. Weekly programming brings trivia, live music, games, and other events to the property.
Flora D’Italia chef Matthew Rainey was similarly drawn to Vela Park’s sense of community and energy. He says being there allows him to be “part of something bigger than just my own kitchen.”
Fall may be when that vision really comes into focus. Montwaid says cooler evenings will bring more live music, football on the big screens, seasonal food and drinks, and other community events.
Ultimately, though, the idea behind all of it is simple. “We want people to stay awhile,” Montwaid says.
velaparkfoodworks.com
1881 2nd Ave., Decatur
“We want people to stay awhile.” Robert Montwaid