Houston’s walkable garden district, the iconic Rice Village, hosts a tapestry of oak-lined streets bustling with local boutiques and national brands, community experiences from farmers’ markets to live music, and buzzy bars and restaurants, including laidback Melbourne-inspired café, Bluestone Lane.

Life in a big city can feel lonely sometimes. That’s what Melbourne-born Nick Stone realized when he moved to the Big Apple to pursue a career in finance over a decade ago. He missed the relaxed Aussie way of life—one centered around community, mateship, and a properly made flat white. That’s when the idea for Bluestone Lane was born.

The concept was simple: bring the more personal, Australian coffee culture to the fast-paced streets of New York City, emphasizing top-notch espresso drinks, nutritious foods, and a welcoming atmosphere.

“Melbourne coffee culture is really about being a facilitator of human connection, that the establishment and the proprietors are pillars of the community, that you bring people together to provide a daily ritual, a daily escape, and that was missing. When I moved to New York, I felt like a lot of places were impersonal. Their focus was on convenience, on transactions…so we set out to make a difference.” – Nick Stone, Founder of Bluestone Lane

With no hospitality experience, Stone spent hours studying coffee shop culture before launching Bluestone Lane in 2013—a side hustle while still in investment banking. His instincts were spot on: city folk seemed to crave human connection just as much as they craved their caffeine fix.

The concept took off, and eventually, he and his brother, Andrew Stone—now Bluestone Lane’s Chief Marketing Officer—quit their corporate jobs on the same day to go all in. Today, the family-owned Aussie café has exploded to 65 locations across major U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and, since 2022, Houston.

“I just thought, there's such an opportunity here to build something that reaches more communities, more people. We settled on Houston because it's massive and it's got a really robust culinary scene. Some of the best restaurants in America are there,” says Stone.

The Heights location, bathed in coastal blues and bright, airy decor, was soon followed by Bluestone Lane’s stunning Rice Village outpost, a breezy, sunlit café on the corner of Kelvin and Amherst.

“It’s a beautiful area, and the fact that Rice Village continues to invest in improving amenities and its retail mix is a huge win. We’ve got about 30 seats outside with umbrellas—it’s a fantastic people-watching spot,” Stone says. “But more than anything, we’re just grateful that we’ve been embraced by the community.”

Visitors can expect a true taste of Melbourne from morning to night, starting with a proper flat white, crafted “the right way” with expertly textured microfoam. There’s also the Magic, a strong, velvety cortado-style drink; the Oat Draught, a chilled, nitro-infused iced flat white with a silky texture and delicious beer-like foam head; and for sweet tooths, the Aussie Iced Latte, complete with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Bluestone Lane also offers fresh, nutrient-packed options true to Australia’s health-conscious culture, with brekkies, wraps, salads, and sandwiches, too. Think herby Avocado Smash toasts with sheep's milk feta and heirloom tomatoes; Gluten-free Banana Bread with roasted pecans, fresh berries, and locally sourced honey; or the Stone Fruit Salad with burrata, prosciutto, and a spicy-sweet honey cayenne vinaigrette.

“We have a whole variety of food options, which differentiates us from pretty much any other coffee brand,” Stone says. “We don't have anything processed, and we don't have any food that comes in packaging from a commissary. Everything is made fresh to order every day.”

Stone’s wife, Alexandra, helps consult on the food offerings. With a biomedical science degree and background in nutrition, she's been a key partner in both menu design and innovation.

“Alexandra has had a lot of influence over the whole business, and certainly on the menu,” he says. “We're very, very conscious of the types of things that our core customers want to eat, and having that sort of healthier angle is critical to us.”

Want to order like a Bluestone insider? Stone’s usual is an Oat Piccolo (as soon as he sits down), followed by the Chili Soft Scramble with avocado—and then another Oat Piccolo. Nick’s brother and CMO, Andrew Stone, goes for a Magic with whole milk, Avocado Smash with poached eggs, and a Protein PB Smoothie. But then there’s the “cheeky” secret menu, with unique bites like the shakshuka-style Green Baked Eggs with chimichurri and pesto, best enjoyed with a drizzle of house-made chili sauce. “We find that Houstonians love ordering things with a lot of hot sauce,” Stone jokes.

In the coming weeks, Bluestone is introducing a menu refresh for summer, offering seasonal treats like brighter salads, matcha pancakes, and jaffles (think of them like a more nutrient-forward, Australian-style Hot Pocket).

But beyond the stellar food and coffee, Stone says Bluestone Lane is about something much deeper: a sense of belonging.

“We’re not a laptop kind of brand, where people sit alone working for hours. We’re a community brand. We’re about conversation, about making people feel good. More than anything, we want to be an antidote to the loneliness epidemic—to bring people together. We’re not just a coffee company. We’re a human connection company.” – Nick Stone, Founder of Bluestone Lane

Bluestone Lane Rice Village is open 7:30am to 8pm Monday through Saturday and 7:30am to 6pm  Sunday. Street parking is available in Rice Village, along with free parking in the Rice Village Garage for up to two hours. Visit bluestonelane.com to find a location near you.

Bluestone Lane Rice Village
2414 University Boulevard
718-374-6858

Bluestone Lane The Woodlands
1900 Lake Woodlands Drive
718-374-6858

Bluestone Lane Houston Heights
115 West 19th Street
718-374-6858

Bluestone Lane Post Oak Plaza
1707 Post Oak Boulevard
718-374-6858