Cowboy's Coffee

Cowboy's Coffee is a roadside coffee kiosk on Arrawarra Road at Arrawarra Headland, the small coastal settlement just north of Woolgoolga. It is run by a local character known as the Cowboy, and it is set up for exactly one thing: a quick, friendly stop where the dog gets a fuss before you get your coffee. Walkers and surfers passing through with a pup on the lead make it a regular habit.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the covered roadside tables and just inside, lead in hand. Seating is casual and open-air, so it is easy for a dog to settle under the cover while you order. Water bowls are set out for thirsty pups, and there is a jar of dog treats on the counter for anyone who asks.

Coffee and the counter

The menu is short and built for the takeaway run: espresso coffee, hot chocolate, chai and cold chilled drinks, plus toasted jaffles and sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls and chunky brownies. The homemade sausage rolls and jaffles come up repeatedly in what locals say about the place, and reviewers consistently mention the chat at the counter as much as the food. This is a small operator doing one strip of the coast well, not a big-menu cafe.

Getting there and hours

The kiosk sits at 44 Arrawarra Road, directly off Arrawarra Beach Road, with free parking in a nearby lot plus on the street, so there is no circling for a spot. Hours are 6am to 12pm Monday, Thursday and Friday, and 6am to 2pm Saturday and Sunday. It is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so check the day before you detour off the highway.

Close by with the dogs

Arrawarra Beach and the headland are both a short walk away for stretching legs on the lead before or after coffee. If you are making a trip of it, Suncoast Motel is in the same strip of the headland for an overnight base, and working your way south brings you to Riviera Cafe and The Drop Stop Cafe in Woolgoolga, or the Moonee Beach Hotel further down the coast road.

Pepsi: ask nicely at the counter and there is a treat waiting, no begging required.

Go for a mid-morning coffee before the headland walk gets busy, and browse more dog friendly cafes in NSW or the Arrawarra Headland guide to plan the rest of the run.