Memphis favorite Zio Matto Gelato, known for its small‑batch, Italian‑style flavors, is bringing its scoops to downtown Nashville with a new window inside the historic Arcade. The move marks the brand’s first direct retail foothold in the heart of Music City and makes official what’s already been happening behind the scenes: Zio Matto has quietly been supplying gelato to Nashville markets and shops for a while now. It is another example of Mid‑South food businesses stretching past city limits and testing new territory.
The planned Arcade location was reported on May 27 by the Memphis Business Journal, which noted that Zio Matto is set to take over a unit inside the downtown passage. Separate local coverage has pointed to the Arcade outpost as the company’s next retail step and grouped the gelateria among a wave of Memphis food operations eyeing Nashville, with the Daily Memphian listing it alongside similar Mid‑South expansions.
Back home, Zio Matto already runs a scooping counter at Central Station in Memphis and supplies gelato to several Nashville shops and farmers' markets, according to the business’s own site. Zio Matto highlights those Nashville partners while describing its small‑batch recipes and Italian techniques. Earlier coverage of the Memphis launch has focused on founders Matteo Servente and Ryan Watt and the concept’s roots in Turin‑style gelato, with the Memphis Flyer profiling the original Central Station counter.
About the Arcade
The Arcade is a covered, century‑old shopping passage in downtown Nashville that mixes eateries, galleries, and steady daytime traffic from nearby offices and tourists. Listed at 65 Arcade Alley, it has long been part of the city’s Fifth Avenue arts corridor and a staple of downtown foot traffic. The Nashville Historical Foundation documents the building’s history and its role as a downtown hub.
Why this matters
Setting up a direct counter in the Arcade puts Zio Matto in front of a very different crowd than its Memphis station and market partners: office workers on their lunch break, gallery hoppers, and tourists threading through downtown on walking tours. For a dessert concept that can thrive on impulse buys and seasonal tourism, that kind of built‑in foot traffic can be especially valuable. The move also fits a broader pattern of regional food brands using Nashville as a growth market, a trend the Daily Memphian has noted with similar Mid‑South expansions.
The initial coverage of the Arcade deal did not include a firm opening date for the Nashville window, but it did flag the expansion and outline what is planned for the space. For more details on the owners’ background and how the new location fits into their strategy, the Memphis Business Journal has additional context and commentary.
