Cheap eats guide to Tampere
As readers of this blog will know by now, food is always a really important factor when enjoying a destination and hence features prominently in my blog. Food is one area where I’ve seen some big changes in Tampere. Since I visited 12 years ago, a quiet food revolution has been sweeping across Finland. This is reflected in Tampere’s wide and varied culinary scene. Plus, the good news is there are lot of great value places to eat in Tampere-here are my top recommendations. ( Plus, checkout my earlier guide to things to do in Tampere on a budget )
1. Zeytuun
Address: Tuomiokirkonkatu 21, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Located in the centre of town. Vegetarian friendly, they have a number of delicious dishes including great salads, a filling delicious meze platter (cracking baba ganoush and falafels, from €18.90 ) plus freshly squeezed juices. Service was friendly and the food served promptly.
2. Tammelantori Market
Tampere also has a couple of excellent food markets. My first stop on the trip was revisiting an old favourite, Tammelantori Market where at Tapola Tammelantori we sampled the delicious local blood sausage: Mustamakkara ( Price €2.50- €4) ,accompanied by some lingonberry jam and washed down with some cold milk. After eating this for breakfast you honestly won’t need to eat till dinner.
3. Ohana’s
Another fabulous place for foodies is Tampere’s Kauppahalli Indoor Market where we had the pleasure of eating Ohana’s. Their burgers are fabulous, greasy and so tasty. (Starting from €12.50) The accompany parmesan flavoured fries are a thing of pure joy. Yup. Forget your diet when you come to Tampere.
4. Pizzeria Ravintola Bianco
Address: Otavalankatu 9, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Ravintola Bianco is in the heart of Tampere on Otavalankatu, just a few hundred meters from the train station. Here you can find good Italian food, pizzas, fresh pasta and salads, good portion size at good prices ( Pizza starts from €13.90 while their pastas start from €16.90 ) plus they have a good selection of drinks, so you can pair your meal with a good wine or something refreshing.
5. Gastropub Tuulensuu
Address: Hämeenpuisto 23, 33210 Tampere, Finland
Other foodie delights not to be missed include sampling the widest selection of Belgian beers in Finland at the Gastropub Tuulensuu. With over 150 varieties of Belgian beer available, you are spoilt for choice plus they have a long list of imported beers from Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary. Food here is on the expensive side but the frogs legs are excellent and I did sample their excellent potato wedges here (double fried, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside).
6. Tallipihan Kahvila
Address: Kuninkaankatu 4, 33210 Tampere, Finland
If you have a sweet tooth, do visit Tallipihan Kahvila in the very pretty market of Tallipiha. Like something out of a Hans Christian Anderson Fairytale , this cafe is very twee. The strawberry cheesecake is amazing here.
7. Paakari
Address: Ruutanantie 3, Kangasala
Located about 25 minutes from Tampere, this atmospheric French-style country restaurant located in an old postmaster’s house has a great value lunch menu that might be one of the best deals in the region.
The food here is good bistro style cooking with a big focus on seafood. They also have a patisserie with offers great coffee, cakes and proper salmon sandwiches.
Paakari’s lunch might be the best deal in Pirkanmaa—three courses for under €20, served at your table. In summer, grab a spot on the terrace.
8. Ravintola Borneo
Address: Itsenäisyydenkatu 15, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Not strictly a cheap eat but if you love Malaysian food, then the all you can eat buffet at Ravintola Borneo is €29.99 and is loved by locals.
9. Pyynikki Coffee Shop & Observation Tower
Also, an old favourite and not to be missed are the munkki cinnamon doughnuts at the Pyynikin Munkkikahvila. Work off the calories later by climbing the 130 steps to the top of the Pyynikki Park and Observation Tower from where you get a fantastic panoramic view of the city.
If this hasn’t satisfied your sweet tooth, another ‘free eat’, if you are visiting Tampere in the late summer, is go foraging for wild berries in a nearby forest. Nothing is more Finnish than going for a ramble in the forest and picking wild berries. Then maybe making some jam or vodka! Pyynikki forest where the tower and the doughnut cafe is situated is a good place to forage for wild berries in the summer.
