This one has all the makings of a fan favorite. We’re thrilled to see this exciting new remodel from Nashville’s Matryoshka Coffee, recent winners of a Sprudge Design Award for outstanding menu design. Matryoshka first appeared on the site back in early 2023, back when they were a tiny 300-square-foot mini-bar doing big things with a small space. Well, that space has now tripled, with a significant expansion and many more opportunities for the cafe to express its signature maximalist explodey colorful style.
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
As told to Sprudge by Abbey Chiavario.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
We’re a colorful specialty coffee shop known for having great coffee, friendly and knowledgable baristas, and fun drinks in a fun environment. Our goal is to make everyone feel welcome, whether they’re new to coffee or a longtime professional.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Matryoshka used to be housed within 300 square feet, inside of a larger 960-square-foot building that we shared with local espresso tech company, Technico. They moved out to a new location in 2024, and so we expanded to occupy the entire space. We knocked down a wall, and replaced the bar with a larger one with more room for baristas to work, and the cafe capacity doubled. This has allowed us to be more efficient while offering the same fun, intimate experience as before just with a little more breathing room.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Our approach to coffee is that it should be fun. A few examples of how we do this is having drinks on our menu with sprinkles and glitter (Confetti Cuban), merch that is silly and nonsensical, and we operate out of an environment that is bright, airy, and incredibly colorful.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
For espresso, we have a two-group Slayer Steam LP and a Nuova Simonelli Mythos Clima Pro grinder. For our coffee program, we have a FETCO 1231 V+ with a custom shower head, and a BUNN G3 with SSP burrs inside. Honestly, the Bunn is the sleeper agent. It can grind fine enough to do single shots of espresso, and it does it pretty well pretty consistently.
How is your project considering sustainability?
All of our disposables are compostable and we compost with a local composting company. Aside from the usuals like reusable straws and BYO to-go cup discounts, we’re always thinking of new ways we could be more sustainable like other folks we look up to in the industry.
What’s your hopeful target opening date/month?
We just reopened on May 6th of 2025.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
Claro Studios in Nashville, TN for our cabinetry, and Red Rock Tileworks for our bar front tile. The owner (me lol) Abbey Chiavario designed the space, and designed and painted the mural in there.
Thank you!
<3
The 2025 Build-Outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Ceado, and Dona.
