Matto: Pies + Pints to open Feb. 2

Matto: Pies + Pints, a new concept from the team behind Vele, Curate and Soleil Café, is scheduled to open Thursday, Feb. 2.

“The word ‘matto’ is Italian for insane, crazy,” said Nickey Sperry, who along with her husband, Dan Sperry, and executive chef Justin Richardson make up the parent company, Three Gen Hospitality Group. “We often joke that we have to be insane to open another place, but here we are.”

Matto is slated to open at 2936 S. Sixth St., the location that previously housed Rosati’s Pizza. The Chicago-style deep dish pizza chain closed its Springfield location in March 2022.

Sperry said, “We’ve always had an interest in pizza; we sell flatbreads at Curate. But this will be a very different style of restaurant coming from us, a very eclectic, fun atmosphere. This will not be the typical pizza place you would think about.”

She said Matto will offer 12-inch and 16-inch thin-crust pizzas, along with build-your-own options. In addition to pizza, the menu includes chicken wings served naked with a choice of eight different sauces, Wild Flowers (breaded cauliflower in your choice of wing sauce), homemade breaded mozzarella wedges and Kobe meatballs.

“Great pizza, great wings and great beer – those are our three main focal points,” Sperry said. “We’ll have 10 different taps with a rotating list of regional craft beers.”

Hours of operation will be 4-11 p.m. on Monday, Thursday and Friday, then 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. “Initially we will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but seven-day-a-week operations and lunch service are in our future, just not sure when,” she said.

The restaurant will offer dine-in and carryout service. “As we see how demand is, we hope to offer delivery service in the future,” said Sperry.

Got something to say?

Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!

Comments (0)
Add a Comment