The Perennial

The Perennial is the neighbourhood brunch cafe in Kooringal's shopping strip at Shop 1, 203 Lake Albert Road, and it has become the local standby for a proper coffee with the dog lying under the outdoor tables. Seating for dog owners is the street-level alfresco area out front; the indoor room stays humans-only. Staff run a welcoming ship, and the cafe leans hard into local produce, which shows up in everything from the juices to the brunch plates.

The dog setup

Bring your dog on a lead and aim for the footpath-side tables along Lake Albert Road. Water bowls are usually brought out when asked rather than pre-stocked, so mention it when you order. The tables sit close to the car park and passing foot traffic, so a settled dog works best here.

The menu

Coffee is the headline: the house espresso is ST. ALi Orthodox, a Melbourne-roasted blend with notes of apple jam, fudge and chocolate, and almond, soy and oat milk are all on hand for a small extra. The all-day brunch menu covers a bacon and egg roll, corn fritters, eggs benny and hotcakes, with a superfood salad and french toast filling out the top of the list. Smoothies and locally sourced juices cover the non-coffee side. Hours are 6:30am to 2pm on weekdays and 7am to 1pm Saturday, with the cafe closed Sundays, so the dog-friendly window is mornings and early lunch.

Getting there and parking

Kooringal is about 5 to 10 minutes' drive from central Wagga Wagga. Free street parking runs along Lake Albert Road and the surrounding residential streets, and the Kooringal Mall car park next door covers the busier periods. The alfresco tables are reachable straight off the footpath, so no stairs or tight doorways to negotiate with a lead.

Close by with the dogs

For an off-lead run before breakfast, Lake Albert Dog Park is a few minutes south, and Narrung Street Fenced Dog Park sits closer to the city side. If you are building a cafe circuit, The Brew Wagga in Turvey Park is worth the detour for its grassed dog-friendly courtyard.

More options are listed on the New South Wales dog friendly cafes guide and the Wagga Wagga destination page.

Max: I get the footpath table, the humans get the corn fritters, and everyone leaves happy. Saturdays fill fast, so we arrive at opening.