A father-and-son team is looking to bring the aura of France to Nashville. Arnaud Conbawuer and his son Mathis hope to open Olala Cafe this spring at 818 Palmer Place in the Gulch, Arnaud told What Now Nashville.
Arnaud is running the business side of the restaurant, while Mathis is handling the culinary side. Mathis trained at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (National School of Pastry) in France, founded in 1984 by renowned chef Alain Ducasse. Since then, Mathis has honed his craft at macaron hotspot Pierre Hermé as well as at Mandarin Oriental and Miami’s MILA restaurant, which was ranked as the highest-grossing independent restaurant in 2025.
Now, Mathis is looking to open his own restaurant and decided to open up in Nashville.
“He picked Nashville because he loved the music, the city and the people here,” Arnaud said. “We are aiming to bring here in Nashville the best croissant in town.”
When Olala opens, expect to see French cuisine and bakery items, with a special emphasis on croissants. They will be prepared on site from scratch, offering savory croissants and pain au chocolat.
The 4,000-square-foot space will feature a main dining room, a private room and a terrace. They are shipping in furniture from France with the goal of creating an authentic atmosphere reminiscent of France.
“Inside the cafe, you’ll find typical French decoration with French antiques and decor,” Arnaud said.
The team is targeting an April opening.
