Due South, Albany

There are plenty of fine eateries in Albany but one that has brought us back a few times is Due South right on the Albany Port. It’s an amazing building with perfect views overlooking the estuary.

Both times we’ve been happy with the food, my particular favourite was the beef short ribs which was delicious, beautifully cooked and perfectly married with red cabbage and pine nuts.

We were also impressed with the “Taste of the Great Southern” plate that came with a choice of cured meats made by the in house butcher and available for choice viewing in a glass display near the open kitchen! Mouth watering for aged meat fans, which we are.

The kids (us too) devoured the Pork Scratchings (they thought were pigtails) and were more than satisfied with the amazing house cut chips with rosemary, lime salt and aioli!

The menu is vast and tasty and there was no set time of when food can be ordered which worked well for us as both times we came around mid afternoon. I have heard it can get busy and a bit noisy come evening time (they often have live entertainment too), so maybe an early dinner with younger kids may be the smartest option. We definitely want to come back for breakfast which they serve from 6am to 11:30am with a childrens breakfast option available too.

Due South makes everything in house and supports local farmers by incorporating produce into as many of their meals as they can.

The service was fantastic and we didn’t wait long for our food which was fresh, flavoursome and plentiful. From what I could see there was no kids station set up nor anything offered or suggested to keep the kids entertained, however the staff were happy to tend to them and at no point did we feel out of place. It was actually refreshing to go somewhere that didn’t have kids running amok in an inbuilt playground for once (though we worship all establishments that provide such a wonderful service to our little culinary nutters!!).

There were widescreens playing footy which thrilled my son (and husband), trumped only by a lovely walk on the jetty while we waited for our food. The kids were thoroughly entertained by the “crab tank” near the entrance though we didn’t have the heart to tell them of his inevitable fate.

There were plenty of highchairs available, though I’m not sure if they had nappy changing facilities, I’d be surprised if they didn’t as the building seemed impressively equipped for everyone’s needs!

It is a huge establishment with an awesome bar, formal dining and both indoor and an outdoor sections. The architecture and open space layout makes for a pleasurable dining experience and of course the views of the Princess Royal Harbour are amazing. There is also a great bottle shop attached (if you’re so inclined) that specialise in local wines and craft brewers.