We Heart New Cafés: Meet Bluestone Lane in NYC

Barista Magazine loves cafes ”it’s kind of what we’re all about. So when we hear about a new cafe opening, we’re stoked! We want to help that new cafe owner tell the world about their specialty coffee adventure! And Barista Magazine’s blog is the perfect place to do it: we have room for anyone and everyone! We invite all new cafe owners (heck, even existing cafe owners who just want to remind the coffee community how great their cafe is!) to send some information about your cafe, as well as photos (they can even be pics you shoot with your phone) to sarah@baristamagazine.com. Seriously, let us help you spread the word about how awesome you are!

So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to Bluestone Lane, which just opened last month at 805 3rd Ave. Atrium in New York City.

Tight branding, yes, but also a really terrific concept: great coffee (Sightglass and rotating guests) on terrific equipment (La Marzocco) with awesome food options: Balthazar, Bondi Bikkies, Sans Bakery and the Downtown Cookie Company.

“Owned and operated by Australians living in Manhattan, the coffee shop is inspired by Melbourne’s ubiquitous café culture and hopes to change people’s perception of coffee: placing emphasis on the coffee producer and the process of serving a premium coffee product and less on solving a need for caffeine,” says spokesperson Marisa Amador Bluestone Lane features Sightglass Coffee, as well as a rotating cast of guest roasters. (Currently Novo, out of Denver, is on tap.)

Truly the bar harkens to the best cafes we visited in Melbourne.

One thing Ken and I learned on our amazing trip to Melbourne a few weeks ago is that a) the rumors about the outstanding coffee and top-quality service are true, and b) avacado smash is pretty much the best breakfast ever and can be found in loads of cafes. But here in the States, it’s not so well known (though our friends at Bartavelle Coffee in Berkeley do a great version, too), and pretty hard to find. Which is why we’re so stoked to learn that Bluestone Lane, Melbourne as it is, offers the avocado smash!

Sometimes called avocado toast or avocado mash, but most often (in my limited experience, mind you) called avocado smash, it's most often served on some kind of whole grain bread, and is simply perfectly ripe avocados smashed with various incredients -- lime juice, maybe some feta -- and served with or without eggs on top. OH MY GOD IT'S SO DELICIOUS! — Sometimes called avocado toast or avocado mash, but most often (in my limited experience, mind you) called avocado smash, it’s most often served on some kind of whole grain bread, and is simply perfectly ripe avocados smashed with various incredients — lime juice, maybe some feta — and served with or without eggs on top. OH MY GOD IT’S SO DELICIOUS!

Bluestone Lane will be opening its second location soon, at 30 Broad Street in the Financial District.