1/2 Acre Coffee Lounge Cafe

1/2 Acre Coffee Lounge Cafe on Hawkins Street is Howlong's cafe-nursery combo, a rustic spot selling coffee, local produce and plants, with a vine-covered outdoor seating area called The Vines where dogs are welcome. It trades 7am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday and 8am to 3pm on weekends, closed Mondays.

The dog setup

Dogs settle in the outdoor seating to the right of the entrance, under the vines. Indoors is for people and produce only, so keep your dog with you outside. Staff are used to four-legged visitors and water is generally available in the leafy outdoor area, though bringing your own bowl is the safe bet. Keep dogs on-lead and close, since this is a working nursery with plants and stock on display.

The scones and the setting

The kitchen is known for its egg and bacon rolls, scones and cakes in a relaxed, quirky setting, with the odd local singer dropping in for a session. It doubles as a produce store, so expect to browse local honey, soap and garlic while your coffee brews - part of why it has drawn a strong local following.

Getting there and parking

The address is 52 Hawkins Street, the main road through Howlong. Parking is on-street and access is flat and easy.

Close by with the dogs

Federation Council runs two Howlong off-leash areas a short drive away: the fenced south-west corner of Lowe Square on Hawkins Street, and a semi-open section of Howlong Memorial Park, both with water taps and bag dispensers. The Murray River banks suit a longer on-lead walk. If you are passing through the district, The Fox & Brew in Jindera is the next dog-friendly stop on the route toward Albury.

More spots around the Murray are on the Howlong destination page, and the full list sits in the NSW cafes index.