Hot New Coffee Shop Opens Near SMU and Fort Worth is Next — Inside Stella Nova’s Texas Expansion

Oklahoma-based Stella Nova coffee is a recent upstart. Owners John Kennedy and Kelli Lay just opened their first coffee shop in 2018, situated nearby the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman.

It was a hit, and three more Stella Novas opened in rapid succession, all in and around the Oklahoma City area. The last of these just opened in June in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Now, the brand is pushing into Texas. And the first Texas Stella Nova will be within walking distance of SMU, near the Law Library corner of campus.

Stella Nova will add another much needed hang-out, and a splash of caffeine, to Snider Plaza, when it opens this Tuesday, January 21. It will be located at 6604 Snider Plaza, just across from the shopping center’s mainstay, Kuby’s Sausage House, which has held court there since 1961.

“It’s a warm and welcoming space with plenty of art to enjoy,” Stella Nova director of marketing Aspen Weber says.

Like with all their coffee shops, Kennedy and Lay will be featuring a different local coffee roaster each month, and with this being the first Dallas location of Stella Nova, that means local to Dallas. The house beans will continue to be sourced from the Oklahoma City area.

Stella Nova will serve a local selection of fresh scones, breads and breakfast tacos for the morning crowd, with salads, sandwiches and wraps available for lunch. Snack boxes with dips, nuts and fruits add grab-and-go convenience.

For the tea drinkers among us, Stella Nova offers its popular Chai Latte and its close cousin ― the Dirty Chai which adds a shot of espresso. This coffee haven serves a Matcha Latte and a drink dubbed London Fog as well ― a blend of Earl Grey tea with frothed milk, which can be flavored with lavender or vanilla.

“We are excited to be moving into the Dallas area,” Weber says. “We know Dallas is booming and has great people.” Stella Nova has an eye on Fort Worth as well, Weber notes.

Stella Nova is actively looking for a Fort Worth location that fits and plans to expand to Cowtown next.