Kissakahvila Purnauskis: Tampere, Finland

Contact Information

Address:  Aaltosenkatu 31-33, 33500 Tampere

Phone:  +358 45 6012366

Hours:  Tue-Sat 12:00-19:00; Closed Sun/Mon 

Entrance Fee: €5 per person + cost of food/drink

Ratings

Website / Social Media

Website: purnauskis.fi

Facebook:  @kissakahvilapurnauskis

Instagram: 

Twitter:  @purnauskis

Cat vs Cafe (50/50)

Top Ten in the World:  Review of Kissakahvila Purnauskis

I like sleek and modern, but there is something about an old-fashioned tearoom that I LOVE.

The delicate cups, the elegance, the ceremony, it all makes me feel like such a lady, and in the middle of Tampere, Finland, an area known for its rugged beauty, such a place exists.

I had an inkling it would be special when we visited its sister café in Helsinki, Helkatti.  The brochure showed a pretty room featuring a luxe purple carpet, set off by vintage furnishings and twinkle lights.  It looked magical, but was it all just clever marketing?

Nope.

Kissakhavila Purnausis is the real deal.   

After a scenic 1.5 hour train ride through the Finnish forest and a pleasant walk around town, we showed up shortly after the cafe's noon opening and were immediately impressed.

The space is incredible!  Light, bright and airy with tall ceilings, it also manages to feel cozy with high quality wood furnishings and lovely vintage decor.  The famed purple carpet and great music selection (old-fashioned standards by Etta James and Ray Charles) create a sophisticated atmosphere to offset any sense of granny-style twee.  It just felt satisfying to sit in there.

Then, I met the cats.

If I was impressed with the physical environment, then the cats really blew me away.  Carefully chosen for their diverse personalities, these kitties take the cat cafe concept to the next level.  Social, curious and full of energy, these seven felines took turns making me smile.  Viru, the fluffy tabby, enjoys head scratches while sitting next to you on the red settee.  Snowball is an inquisitive white kitten that wants to know what you are drinking.  Piki-Nelli, a black ball of floof likes to sit on the table and stare at you.  Then, lazing nearby there's the creamsicle colored ginger with the best name ever:  Baron von Cream.  Rounding out the crew are Lumipallo (fluffy white), Hugo (big gray) and Micu (small gray).  Rare for a first visit, I really felt like I got to know them.  

The high marks continued with our lunch.  Tearing my attention away from the cats momentarily, I studied the menu, finding it difficult to choose (it all sounded so good), but ultimately selected the tasting menu with a goat cheese/chili jam on toasted brown bread starter, a hearty carrot soup topped with creme fraiche for my main and finally Tiger cake (a traditional Finnish chocolate and vanilla bundt topped with almond crunch and chocolate syrup) for dessert served with a great cup of coffee.  Outstanding!

Finally, if you will indulge me further gushing, I can't say enough about the staff.  From our warm greeting at the door, to showing us which toy Piki-Nelli finds irresistible (hint:  throw the feather toy on the ledge over the door) to making sure we had enough coffee, these friendly folks demonstrated tremendous care for both their kitty and human charges.

One of the best cat cafes in the world, Kissakahvila Purnauskis has earned a perfect, and fully deserved 5/5 paw rating.

Date Visited:  10/11/17