Dining at SOUTH on albany is an absolute delight and an experience not to be missed if visiting Berry. Hosts John and Sonia are a formidable team; John being master of the kitchen and Sonia delivering a wonderful welcoming energy, and thorough knowledge of local food and wine, to the front of house.

The restaurant currently offers a weekly set menu, designed to showcase the very best of local and regional produce. The delicious food is perfectly complemented by a fantastic wine and drinks list, and exceptional service.

SOUTH on albany is open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, with lunch just in two Sundays per month. It is not surprising that the restaurant is very popular, so you will need to book well ahead via their website.

Image courtesy of the Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

Queen St Eatery is a French-inspired bar and restaurant boasting a fresh, contemporary South Coast twist. The delicious seasonal menu incorporates reimagined french bistro classics, seafood and divine deserts, complemented by a carefully curated drinks selection. The stunning interior of the petit dining space, delivers a sophisticated yet laid-back coastal vibe, a touch of the French Riviera right here in Berry.

You’ll find Queen St Eatery just a 3 minute drive or a picturesque 15 minute stroll from the Homestead along Berry’s historic main street. As this venue is very popular, we encourage you to book ahead via their website to guarantee a table.

Image courtesy of Queen St Eatery

IV Coffee is our first choice for coffee on-the-go in Berry. Owner Nick has kept the offering simple, focusing on fantastic coffee with a select range of sweet treats and fast, friendly service. It’s very hard to walk past this primarily takeaway coffee bar without being enticed in by the aroma of freshly ground coffee.

You’ll find IV Coffee in the heart of Berry’s Queen St, next door to Berry Pharmacy. Open 6am – 2pm everyday, including public holidays.

If you love a touch of humour with your coffee, check out IV Coffee on Instagram (see our website link) to see the latest antics by Nick and his team.

Image courtesy of IV Coffee

Immerse yourself in the delightfully aromatic world of tea and the beautiful surroundings of The Berry Tea Shop.

Operating as both a retail store and cafe, there is an extensive range of hand-blended loose-leaf teas to explore, including the locally inspired ‘Berry Blend’ and ‘Deluxe South Coast Breakfast’ teas, as well as a beautifully curated selection of teapots, cups and saucers and other teaware available for purchase. It’s a great spot to pick up gifts for family or friends… or treat yourself. Once your shopping is done, unwind with a freshly brewed pot of your favourite tea and a slice of the most delicious house-made cake, or freshly baked scones with jam and cream.

Created by husband and wife team, Cliff and Paulina in 2010, The Berry Tea Shop, has proved to be an essential destination for any lover of tea. We are very pleased to be able to offer a range of teas from The Berry Tea Shop for our accommodation guests.

The Berry Tea Shop is found at Shop 1/66 Albert Street, Berry with access via the Albert Street car park, opposite Broughton Court. In late winter and early spring, you will find it under the beautiful pink blooms of Berry’s magnificent magnolia tree.

Image courtesy of The Berry Tea Shop

Berry really does deliver the best of both worlds – a picturesque rural village surrounded by rolling green hills and a stunning escarpment backdrop, and all just minutes away from the beautiful beaches of the NSW South Coast.

The magnificent Seven Mile Beach, stretching from Gerroa in the north to Shoalhaven Heads is just 10 minutes drive from the Homestead. The closest access point to the beach is at Berry’s Beach via Seven Mile Beach National Park, this is the midway point along Seven Mile Beach. Alternatively, you can head to Gerroa at the northern end, or Shoalhaven Heads at the southern end. Both of these locations have surf patrol operating during the summer months, for your personal safety. Gerroa and Shoalhaven Heads also have adjacent rivers providing additional opportunities for stand-up-paddleboarding or kayaking.

If you’re keen to explore further afield, why not head south to the famous white sands of Jervis Bay, or beyond. Visit Shoalhaven have developed a guide to all 100 beaches in the Shoalhaven and have set a challenge to see how many you can visit. Information and a downloadable pdf can be found on their 100 Beach Challenge website.

To help you maximise your relaxing beach experience, and minimise the size of your suitcase, we provide each of our guest rooms with beach chairs, beach towels and beach umbrellas for you to use, free of charge, during your stay.

Image courtesy of the Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

Berry is renowned for its independent, boutique shops offering beautiful homewares, clothing and accessories, gifts, flowers, books, art, antiques and speciality foods.

If interiors are your passion, you are spoilt for choice in Berry with a wide range of homewares and furniture stores each with their own distinct style. Some of our favourite spots for interiors inspiration and shopping are Few and Far, Amara Home, Moss Nest, The Bead Bar of Berry, Cabana Jo’s, The Picnic Shed and Haven and Space. We also highly recommend the botanical wonderland that is Shady Fig, with its beautiful array of fresh flowers, potted plants, homewares and gifts.

Our picturesque village is also a popular destination for clothing and accessories shopping. We always recommend a visit to Bliss and Co., a beautiful sleepwear, leisurewear and gift emporium in the heart of the village. This little pink shop on Berry’s main street, is packed with beautiful finds and the staff are a delight. Other favourite clothing and accessories stores are The Berry Barn, Regal on Queen, Moss Nest and Juniper Hearth. For quality mens apparel we recommend The Berry Barn and Archbury.

One of Berry’s hidden treasures is Wax Lyrical, a boutique bookstore with a selection of fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles beautifully curated by its owner Olivia. You’ll find Wax Lyrical, nestled within the heritage Wilson’s Stores building, behind Haven and Space. Another great find is the Flying Pig Gallery/Precinct Galleries on Alexandra Street, with a great collection of work by Australian artists and makers.

We can’t talk about shopping in Berry without mentioning speciality foods. Grab your basket and stock up on handmade chocolates and treats from The Berry Chocolatier and The Treat Factory, divine breads and pastries from Milkwood Bakery, hand-blended loose-leaf teas from The Berry Tea Shop, meats, cheeses preserves and more from Flavours Shoalhaven. Each Thursday afternoon Berry Farmers’ Market is held at the Berry Showground via Albany St, providing an opportunity to shop for fresh local produce, fruit & vegetables, seafood and more.

Last, but certainly not least after a big day of shopping you’ll want to pop by Justin Lill Wines (also known as Berry Bottleshop) to pick up your favourite beverages. Apart from the amazing selection of interesting wines, specialist craft beers and spirits from across the globe, it’s the knowledge of Justin and his team that really make this place a must-visit destination.

Image courtesy of the Berry Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

We want you to leave behind the stresses of everyday life and surrender to total relaxation on your visit to Berry. As such we offer mobile massage therapy here at the Homestead, on request.

For beauty treatments such as facials, waxing, or salon treatments massage we highly recommend Goodness Gracious Beauty and Seed Organic Facialist, both located in Berry village.

If you are heading to a special event during your stay, or visiting Berry as part of a Hen’s or Bridal party, the Blow Bar on Queen is the ultimate destination for hair styling, updos and makeup services, all done with cocktails in hand! They also offer cut and colour services on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays, if you are visiting mid-week.

We do recommend booking massage and beauty services well in advance, as they do book out quickly.

Berry is the ideal base from which to explore to the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands regions. Heritage villages, bushwalking, waterfalls, rural landscapes and coastal vistas can all found within easy driving distance of the Homestead.

Our top driving destinations are:

Kangaroo Valley

Kangaroo Valley is just a 1/2 hour drive to the west of Berry. Vibrant green pastures, natural bushland and dramatic escarpment views surround this picturesque heritage village. There’s plenty to explore in the village itself, with lovely shops, cafes, galleries and the Pioneer Village Museum. Our favourite places to grab a meal are The General Cafe and Hampden Deli. If you are keen to learn how to cook your own you might like to participate in a cooking class at Flavours of the Valley. Beyond the village there are plenty of opportunities to explore nature with bushwalks, waterfalls and even kayaking. The Kangaroo River is a significant feature of the town and is traversed by Hampden Bridge, a heritage-listed single span suspension bridge built in 1898. There are a number of arts and food events and festivals held in the Valley throughout the year. Head to the Visit Kangaroo Valley website for more information about things to do. You can reach Kangaroo Valley via Kangaroo Valley Road over Berry Mountain, or via Woodhill Mountain Road and Wattamolla. Please take care on these roads as there is often wildlife including wombats, wallabies, kangaroos and lyrebirds about, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons.

Fitzroy Falls

Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park can be found approximately 20 minutes drive west of Kangaroo Valley, and is one of our favourite places to stop on the way to the Southern Highlands. From the viewing platform at the Visitors Centre you can view the water plunging over 80m into the valley below. It is quite spectacular, especially after rainfall and is an easy walk from the car park, making it suitable for all levels of ability. Find out more about Fitzroy Falls.

The Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands region is approximately 40 minutes west of Kangaroo Valley, just over an hour from Berry. Bowral is the largest town in the Southern Highlands and is home to a fantastic array of cafes, restaurants, boutique shops, markets and events including the stunning Tulip Time Festival held each spring. The town is also well known as the childhood home of the cricketing great, Sir Donald Bradman and, as a result, the Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame has been established here. Surrounding the town of Bowral and further into the Southern Highlands, you’ll find wineries, breweries, farm shops, parklands, bushwalks and waterfalls as well as other historic villages including Berrima, Bundanoon, Burrawang, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Robertson and more. Some of our favourite things to do in the region are dine at Harry’s on Green Lane, shop antiques at Dirty Jane’s Antique Market, browse the beautiful plant selection and garden decor at The Potting Shed and The Orangery, and of course visit the wineries including Centennial Vineyard and Bendooley Estate. To find out more about the region head to the Visit Southern Highlands website.

Milton

Milton is approximately 1 hour south of Berry, and makes for a great day trip. The historic village of Milton features many 19th century buildings which today are home to bakeries, cafes, boutiques, galleries, antique stores and a theatre. Surrounded by lush farmland, it’s no surprise that Milton’s food and wine experiences are some of the best in the Shoalhaven region. Must-visit destinations include Milk Haus, Flour Water Salt, Small Town and of course Cupitt’s Estate. Here you can taste wines at the cellar door, tour the microbrewery, test the delicious cheeses from the on-site fromagerie and dine in the stunning restaurant. Cupitt’s also hold regular Sunday sessions with live music in the outdoor area, so you can take a picnic or purchase wood fired pizza and drinks from the bar and relax in the grounds overlooking the vineyard.

Image courtesy of Shoalhaven Tourism

There are plenty of opportunities for kayaking in the Shoalhaven region. Local to Berry, Broughton Creek provides the perfect kayaking destination. The nearest access point is adjacent to the bridge on Wharf Road/Coolangatta Road. Crooked River which meets Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa is another popular local kayaking location, as is the Shoalhaven River at Shoalhaven Heads.

Further afield, the Kangaroo River in Kangaroo Valley offers fantastic kayaking through ravines and natural bushland. If you need to hire a kayak, head to Kangaroo Valley Kayaks or Kangaroo Valley Safaris. Further south, Jervis Bay provides an amazing location for kayaking with a range of coastal rivers, creeks and a multitude of beaches. If you are lucky, you might even see the resident dolphins in the Bay. Kayaks can be hired from Jervis Bay Kayaks and Paddlesports or Sea Kayak Jervis Bay at Huskisson.

To find out more about kayaking in the Shoalhaven, head to the Visit Shoalhaven website. There is even a downloadable guide to kayak launch points throughout our region.

Image courtesy of Shoalhaven Tourism

Explore the stunning natural landscape of the Berry region on horseback with an expertly guided trail ride. Kimberly Park Stud, just 5 minutes north of Berry, offers Mini Ride Lessons suitable for all ages and abilities. The lessons include a fully supervised guided trail ride along the beautiful, serene banks of Broughton Creek within their own private property. Regal Riding School, located 10 minutes east of Berry in Shoalhaven Heads, also offer a beautiful bushland trail ride experience for beginners, while proven experienced riders may also enjoy a beach ride along the magnificent Seven Mile Beach. Both of these riding schools are extremely experienced and very popular. Bookings are essential, contact Regal Riding School for more information.

Image courtesy of Shoalhaven Tourism

Berry, and the broader Shoalhaven region, is home to a number of award-winning wineries and cellar doors. Each of the wineries provide unique tasting and cellar door experiences and, most importantly, each has their own signature drop. It’s well worth trying to visit several during your stay with us.

Within 15 minutes drive of the Homestead you will find Crooked River Wines, Coolangatta Estate, Mountain Ridge Wines, Silos Estate, and Two Figs Winery. Coolangatta Estate is the oldest and most awarded winery in the region, built on the original site of David Berry’s Shoalhaven headquarters at the foot of Coolangatta Mountain. The property still features several of the original convict buildings that have been carefully restored, as well as several other heritage buildings built during the 19th century. The site is very interesting in both a historic and current context.

Bookings for tastings and onsite restaurants will be essential, so get in touch with your chosen destinations well ahead of time. If you’d like to explore a number of wineries, considering booking a Wine Tour with one of the local providers.

Beyond the immediate Berry region, there are several additional wineries well worth a visit. We recommend heading to Cambewarra Estate, a 1/2 hour drive south west of Berry, Yarrawa Estate in Kangaroo Valley, or Cupitt’s Estate near Milton, 1 hour from Berry.

Find out more about the Shoalhaven Wine Coast via the Visit Shoalhaven website.

Image courtesy of Shoalhaven Tourism