A Florida dessert chain known for dipping frozen bananas in chocolate and rolling them in toppings has set up shop in Nashville's Hillsboro Village, giving the neighborhood a new spot for ice cream bars, cheesecake and key lime pie. Nigel's Bananas, which also offers gluten-free and dairy-free options, now sits at 1818 21st Avenue South.
The shop is run as a mother-daughter venture, with Renae Currey and her daughter Lauren Dennis bringing the concept to Nashville and Dennis managing day-to-day operations, according to What Now Nashville. That outlet had earlier reported that Nigel's already had two locations before planning the Nashville spot as its first expansion outside Florida, targeting a May 1 opening in a 1,000-square-foot space. A grand-opening listing on ma.to places the Hillsboro Village shop's opening in September 2026, so the exact timeline remains unclear. The doors are now open, giving dessert fans another local option.
At the core of the menu is the dipping process itself: staff coat frozen bananas, ice cream bars, cheesecake slices and key lime pie in dairy-free chocolate before rolling them in a rotating lineup of toppings, according to Nigel's Bananas. The topping combinations stretch from peanut butter and jelly to a sparkly Galaxy Crunch. During one visit, orders came quickly. There is even a photobooth on site, positioning the stop as something of a built-in hangout for special occasions with friends.
Student Reviewers Weigh In on the Menu
A review from The Vanderbilt Hustler put several of the shop's signature desserts to the test. It described a $9 Beach Bum frozen banana, topped with toasted coconut flakes and caramel drizzle, as well as a Cookies & Cream frozen banana finished with Oreo and marshmallow toppings.
The review also described a Beach Bum cheesecake coated in chocolate, coconut flakes and caramel. It also covered a Party Time ice cream bar loaded with Reese's Pieces, peanuts, Oreo chunks, pretzels and Biscoff drizzle.
More Expansion Could Be on the Way
Nigel's Bananas had two locations total at the time of What Now Nashville's reporting, with a couple more planned back in Florida. Currey and Dennis have said they hope to keep expanding into additional Nashville neighborhoods beyond Hillsboro Village, the outlet noted, suggesting this location may not be the last word on the brand's arrival in Music City.
