Open since ’86, this is one of Melbourne’s pre-eminent restaurants – attracting Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger. Call ahead and reserve a table for classic French staples, from steak tartare to crème brûlée.

Get in early – Mo Zhou’s 16-seat degustation restaurant is opening especially for Mother’s Day. Expect an intense focus on local ingredients (think kangaroo tart or Murray cod with pine mushroom), and to eat from Zhou’s singular hand-made plates.

If your mum hates fishing holidays, take her to this Melbourne institution instead. It’s been serving exquisite seafood and attentive old-school service since 2000, which she can enjoy at its Mother’s Day lunch ($110pp, $55 per child).

A faithful clientele and owner Thierry Cornevin’s penchant for protein has kept this charming spot humming for over 20 years. Bring maman for French onion soup, escargots and a top contender for Melbourne’s top boeuf bourguignon.

Treat your favourite matriarch to a chef’s tasting ($145pp) at one of Melbourne’s top Japanese restaurants. Enjoy nigiri and maki at the New York-style sushi bar, or in the pumping izakaya-style basement.

Book a couple of seats at this swish bar, decked out in emerald marble and plush velvet, for Mother’s Day lunch ($120pp).

The menu changes by the week at this cosy, familial Italian diner. For Mother’s Day, mum shouldn’t miss its four-course menu ($99pp) featuring house-made pastas, slow-cooked pork belly and nonna’s tiramisu.

Regulars return to this neighbourhood restaurant for its beautiful dining room, old-school Italian hospitality and extensive wine list. On Sunday, push mum’s boat out with a three-course meal ($150pp), featuring show-stoppers like butter-poached southern rock lobster tail.

Treat mum at this European-style bistro, set on the ground floor of the Capitol Grand building. The elegant, produce-driven menu spans roasted lamb rump to dry-aged honey-roasted duck for two.

Celebrity chef Shane Delia’s opulent Maha diner offers remixed Middle Eastern classics. It’s putting on a vibrant Sunday feast with dishes like its well-loved whipped hummus, Wagyu kefta tagine and rich chocolate ganache.

Follow a city laneway to find this high-end spot serving contemporary Chinese. For mum, it’s putting on a show with group-friendly banquets from $75pp – which might include chilli wontons, kingfish ceviche and crème brûlée.

This slick all-day eatery is a family affair, run by the Reymond siblings. Bring your own (and mum) on Sunday for a feast featuring bouillabaisse, braised Wagyu brisket, raspberry souffle and more ($110pp).

Enter the cyberpunk facade to find Chris Lucas’s two-level Japanese diner. On Mother’s Day, the chefs will be whipping up karaage chicken, kingfish sashimi and more ($99pp). And there’s a glass of bubbles on arrival.

Grossi Florentino’s adjoining bar is dedicated to the craft of aging and preserving fine meats. Fine mums are also welcome for a special lunch of salumi, focaccia, herb-crusted scallops, meatballs in sugo, tiramisu and more ($75pp).

This family-run restaurant has served comforting Italian favourites since ’88. All mums are welcome to its special three-course lunch ($109pp, $49 per child) and à la carte dinner. By day, there’ll be classics like veal scallopine and chicken saltimbocca.

Staying true to its reputation for Japanese izakaya snacks, this south-side diner is offering a Mother’s Day menu ($95pp), with a glass of bubbly on arrival. Book a table to watch chefs flame up the grill with spicy standouts like chilli-crab fried rice and tuna temaki (sushi hand rolls).

If you have a maximalist mum, book lunch at this lively Latin American eatery, with set menus starting at $89pp. It’s a seafood feast fit for a queen with oysters, kingfish cannoli and snapper ceviche.

Fitzroy North’s warmest wine bar is serving an equally comforting Sunday roast for mum. Book its. three-course set menu ($65pp), which features hearty classics like porterhouse, Yorkshire pudding and fresh pasta and vanilla panna cotta.