The Albany, Thames Ditton - Date Night Review....

Next up in my series of Date Night reviews is The Albany in Thames Ditton. Now, this pub has been one that we have frequented on and off over the years but the last few times we went we had found that the service and quality of the food had gone downhill somewhat so I was keen to put the new renovations, menus and drinks through their paces.

"The Albany is a premium pub, bar, and restaurant with its very own courtyard and garden, centrally located in the heart of the picturesque town of Thames Ditton.

The perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the capital, The Albany is a stylish riverside pub, located just outside Thames Ditton.

Just a stone's throw from the infamous grounds of Hampton Court Palace, this premium pub, bar, and restaurant is the ultimate place to refresh and refuel after a tough week in the office or a busy day exploring the city.

Dedicated to providing the ultimate dining experience, step inside The Albany and you will find stylish interiors, a unique dining space, a chic bar area, and an attractive outdoor space that’s ideal for a spot of al fresco dining during the summer months."

We dined on Saturday 6th April and went with my sister and brother in law. Upon arrival the bar was buzzing with current house type music being played. First up to be scrutinised was obviously the drinks menu!

I love a good cocktail, especially a Passionfruit Martini and it's normally really difficult to find a restaurant/pub that does them but to my delight this was on the menu along with a cotton candy floss Martini too which sounded amazing! The boys opted for cider and a beer and Vicky went for the classic peach Bellini. Cocktails were typically £8.50 a pop but it's worth noting that Monday - Friday from 12-7pm two of the same cocktails are just £10! They also have a brilliant gin cocktail menu and a vast selection of gins on offer too.

After a couple of drinks we headed to our table which was positioned near the window with views towards Hampton Court Palace.

The menu is HUGE. Both sides of the menu are packed full of food to tickle your taste buds. You'll struggle between a pizza and a burger, a sharing platter and a well cooked steak and the desserts are enough to make you pop your top jean button undone!

The price point I would say is edging towards the higher end for "pub food" but when the food arrived it certainly what I would have considered "pub food".

We opted for the Carne meat platter, baked Camembert and duck liver parfait for starter. The Carne platter came with pig cheek which I would have normally avoided like the plague but that was sensational and not how I thought it would be at all - think a more shredded ham hock consistency!

For the main event I opted for a ribeye steak (I have not had a steak for ages and really fancied it) - Tom went for the Dirty Burger which dripped and oozed naughtiness and definitely gave me food envy! Liam decided on the pork belly which we suspected he would and Vicky went for the spit roasted chicken because she's a sucker for garlic aioli!

LOOK at that cheese!!!

By the time we had finished our mains I genuinely didn't have room for a pudding but Liam opted for the Tiramisu which I was adamant I wouldn't like because I don't particularly like coffee but to be honest the coffee certainly wasn't overpowering but more a hint. It also came deconstructed which worked really well.

To drink throughout dinner I opted to stick on the Passionfruit Martinis, Tom stuck with cider and Vicky and Liam shared a bottle of blush rose.

The bill came to £64 per person which to be fair is certainly more than I would usually like to spend but given we don't get out that much we certainly made a dent in the bar and didn't hold back on what we wanted to eat.

In summary this place ticks a lot of boxes. They've got some seriously tempting food offers on and they haven't picked the lightweights from the menu to go on these menu as some places do. This would be the perfect place for a midweek meet with the girls for dinner and cocktails. Take a look at some of their offers below!

LOVE the two cocktails for £12!

We are moving to Thames Ditton over the summer for a few months and I am really looking forward to spending the summer here - their outdoor area is really lovely and overlooking the Thames is all cordoned off with trendy glass partitions and is safe for the kids.

Big thanks to the staff at The Albany for having us and we look forward to returning soon!

DISCLAIMER: We were invited down for dinner and drinks in exchange for an honest review - all the thoughts in this review are my own. If you'd like us to come down and try out your establishment as part of our Date Night section drop me an email at thissurreymummy@hotmail.com