Bistro Eloisa is, by its very location, an alternative to the chain restaurants on Hämeenkatu. It sits a couple of blocks from the city centre, in the Pantti building. Eloisa’s Sali, tucked into the ground floor of this Jugend-style property, is small and dim. The accent colour is wine red, and a loud neon sign on the wall promises ‘food drinks disco vibes’. This isn’t a traditional bistro with wood panelling, velvet booths and brass rails. It’s a rough-around-the-edges brutal bistro for a new era, where scuffs and knocks are part of the charm. The dining room is furnished with recycled pieces, and dishes arrive on mismatched granny-style plates.
Eloisa’s face, soul and heart is sommelier Ville Koho, who learned his craft in Copenhagen at the restaurants of the renowned René Redzepi. The place has an un-Finnishly bold, even cheeky confidence. For example, there are no sweet desserts on the menu, because they’re simply not Eloisa’s thing. You can finish with cheese instead, served in a gloriously oozy state. There are also no real starters or mains. Some dishes are hot, others cold, and the portions are at Italian primi piatti level: small mains. Finns are used to getting fish or steak with potatoes, but Eloisa breaks that rule too. The protein usually comes with a generous helping of sauce – sås – and the sauces are so good you’ll want to ask for a spoon to scrape them up. Eloisa also challenges local wine habits. Instead of sweet Chilean reds, it specialises in natural wines. These are made using traditional, low-intervention methods, and you might catch aromas like yeast or caraway.
Alongside food and drink, you get the disco vibes promised by that neon sign. Instead of generic Spotify jazz, the soundtrack is disco, house and new wave from the 1970s to the 1990s. Tampere has lost many of its indie bars in recent years, but Eloisa fills the gap. It’s a paradise for both gourmets and music nerds.
Atmosphere: The vibe is just as lively as the name suggests. People don’t whisper here – they laugh and have fun. The music is loud enough that after a couple of glasses of natu, you might find yourself taking a few dance steps.
Food: The menu features snacks and small mains. A four-course menu with bread costs 49 euros, and for an extra 8 euros you can add a Caesar salad. Lacto-ovo vegetarian dining is always possible, but vegans should give advance notice.
Drink: The restaurant specialises in natural wines, but if naturals aren’t your thing, there are classic small-producer wines, beers, ciders and craft soft drinks. You’ll also find classic cocktails including the Dirty Martini, Negroni and Bloody Mary. Eloisa is an excellent cocktail bar if you’ve hit your limit with Aperol Spritz.
Time Out tip: Bistro Eloisa has one of the most charming terraces in town. This shady terrace is hidden in the Pantti building’s courtyard, and not even all Tampere locals know about it.