Eloura — a new fusion restaurant blending Mediterranean cuisine with East Asian influence — is opening March 3 on Capitol Square at 10 W. Mifflin St. The restaurant comes from the owners of another popular fusion spot in town: Indian-Italian restaurant Zafferano Ristorante.
Kalyani Venkatraman — who co-owns Eloura and Zafferano Ristorante with her brother, Akash — says the new restaurant is best described as a “Mediterranean experience” with East Asian touches.
The Venkatraman siblings are well-versed in the restaurant business. Kalyani Venkatraman says their parents own restaurants and hotels in India, and the siblings have always been passionate about the hospitality business. They opened Zafferano Ristorante just over a year ago with their cousin at 2969 Cahill Main, Fitchburg. The Indian-Italian fusion restaurant offers dishes like a butter chicken pizza.
The brother-sister duo looks forward to operating a new restaurant in a coveted downtown location.
“My brother and I walked in, and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, like this is instant love,’” Venkatraman says. “The space itself was so inviting and beautiful. We just couldn’t pass.”
She says that at first, they didn’t know what kind of restaurant they wanted to create in the space. Eventually they landed on Mediterranean food — which they recognize as being healthy, enjoyable and plentiful in options — and a variety of East Asian cuisines.
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Eloura coffee shop will serve a baklava latte.
Lamb kebab bao is available on the dining room menu.
Eloura’s spanakopita spring rolls
Eloura coffee shop will serve a baklava latte.
Lamb kebab bao is available on the dining room menu.
Eloura’s spanakopita spring rolls
Eloura will have its own kitchen team separate from the minds behind Zafferano’s menu. Another key difference in the siblings’ venture with Eloura is the restaurant’s sections: a coffee shop, a bar, a dining hall and an events space.
The coffee shop will serve its own menu of “quick bites, coffees and teas” from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Venkatraman says offerings will highlight “Mediterranean- and East Asian-forward coffees,” plus signature drinks like a baklava coffee.
The main dining room will be open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., serving lunch and dinner. The menu will combine cuisines into “exciting” new dishes, including a lamb kebab bao and Mediterranean miso udon.
“Fusion is our forte, so we’re sticking to that,” Venkatraman says.
Reservations are now available for the grand opening on OpenTable.
Maddy Scharrer is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.
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Dining and Cooking