Building on the success of their Indian-Italian fusion restaurant, Zafferano Ristorante in Fitchburg, Kalyani Venkatraman and her brother Akash plan to open a new restaurant, Eloura, at 10 W. Mifflin St. on the Capitol Square.
“Eloura” is an Australian Aboriginal word that Venkatraman said “represents light, warmth, and a beautiful place. When we were naming the restaurant, we wanted something that felt inviting and radiant — a space where people come together to enjoy thoughtful food and good energy.”
The restaurant will serve Mediterranean food with East Asian influences. Pending approval of the liquor license, Venkatraman hopes to open around Valentine’s Day.
Eloura is set to open at 10 W. Mifflin St. on the Capital Square pending approval of its liquor license. The most recent tenant was SASS.
RUTHIE HAUGE
“It’s going to be one-of-a-kind,” Venkatraman said. “I haven’t really seen any Mediterranean restaurants with a touch of East Asian twist and with a coffee bar.”
She sees combining the two cuisines — melding bright, vibrant flavors with soulful, umami touches. The spot will have two distinct spaces: on one side, a coffee shop serving drinks with unique flavors (they’re still in R&D on what drinks will look like, Venkatraman said) and grab-and-go options. The other side will have a sit-down restaurant and bar serving lunch and dinner.
Zafferano’s executive chef, Miguel Mora, will oversee the menu, and Eloura will have its own kitchen staff. On the planned menu could be a pesto-falafel pasta, Korean fried wings with harissa, and eggplant with miso and tahini.
“We brought this idea to our chef, and he’s like, ‘I’ll kill it. … (these cuisines) work really well together.’ And that’s really all we needed to hear,” Venkatraman said.
A diner enjoys the butter chicken pizza, one of the most popular dishes at Zafferano Ristorante.
ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ
Zafferano’s is more focused on fine dining, with patrons primarily there for dinner and events (Venkatraman mentioned they hosted several weddings over New Year’s Eve). Eluora will be more tailored to students and working professionals.
“I’m excited about how different the food is going to be from Zafferano’s,” Venkatraman said.
Venkatraman jumped on the space after a showing from their realtor. “It’s prime real estate, and we didn’t feel like we wanted to let that place go. It just simply spoke to us.”
Other restaurants have occupied the space, starting with Field Table in 2016, followed by Merci and SASS.
Zafferano’s opened in February 2025. Venkatraman said the restaurant is regularly “packed” and that many customers are regulars. She credits part of the success to people intrigued by the pairing of Italian and Indian dishes, such as butter chicken pizza and masala eggplant parmesan.
What keeps people coming back, she said, is the quality of the food. She hopes to replicate that combination at Eloura.
“I think Mediterranean food with an East Asian twist is such a unique concept that people will want to come and give it a shot at least once,” she said. “And the hope is, once they come in and try it, they enjoy it so much that they keep coming back.”
Ashley Rodriguez is the Madison culture reporter for the Cap Times. Ashley covers entertainment, cultural events, public art, restaurants, unique local businesses, neighborhoods and trends, among other features. Email story ideas and tips to adrodriguez@captimes.com.
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Dining and Cooking