Book a Restaurant for Mother’s Day 2025
Every mum is different, so there’s no single ideal restaurant to celebrate Mother’s Day. That said, there are some traits worth seeking for your favourite matriarch ahead of Sunday May 11. The restaurant should be on the quieter side. And service should be attentive and considerate – because no mum’s ever felt special waiting for their next Mimosa. We’ve curated these top spots with all of this in mind, so you don’t get caught out ringing every local pub for a table on Mother’s Day eve.
Restaurant
France-Soir
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.
Restaurant
Gaea
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.
Restaurant
Bacash
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 ($130pp, $55 per child).
Restaurant
Gimlet at Cavendish House
Andrew McConnell’s flair is all over this grand bar and diner, from the service to the comforting European fare. It’s named after the classic cocktail, and the calibre of drinks speaks to that. Book a spot with mum at the marble bar, Gimlet in hand.
Restaurant
Yugen Dining
Rough-hewn stone walls, high ceilings and golden accents set the mood at this subterranean Japanese diner. Book a table for Sunday, when you’ll take the glass lift underground for à la carte dishes and inventive cocktails, plus a flower posy and tea gift for Mum.
Restaurant
Bistro Thierry
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.
Restaurant
Kisume
Treat your favourite matriarch to a chef’s tasting at one of Melbourne’s top Japanese restaurants. Plus, there's a complimentary glass of Whispering Angel rosé on arrival.
Restaurant
Bar Romanee
Book a couple of seats at this swish bar, decked out in emerald marble and plush velvet, for a three-course Mother’s Day lunch ($120pp).
Restaurant
Little Black Pig & Sons
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.
Restaurant
Matteo's
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, featuring show-stoppers like butter-poached southern rock lobster tail.
Restaurant
Omnia
Treat mum at this European-style bistro, set on the ground floor of the Capitol Grand building. The elegant, produce-driven menu spans goat's curd agnolotti to Wagyu bavette and panna cotta for dessert.
Restaurant
Lagoon Dining
Settle into a Chinese-inspired feed with charcoal-roasted chair siu, sweet potato noodles and Malay cake served with vanilla bean custard at its Mother’s Day lunch ($70pp).
Restaurant
Longrain
Longrain has been a contemporary Thai stalwart for almost two decades. Head here for a Mother’s Day banquet ($99pp) and try faves like stir-fried tiger prawns, banana leaf-wrapped ocean trout with red curry, and more.
Restaurant
Maha Restaurant
The Middle Eastern diner is putting on a vibrant Sunday feast ($150pp) with dishes like its well-loved whipped hummus, lamb makanek and dark chocolate and pomegranate delice.
Restaurant
Taverna
Honour mum and yiayia with generous plates of fava; feta and figs; woodfired chicken, ekmek kataifi and more ($70pp).
Restaurant
Ruyi
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.
Restaurant
Hopper Joint
Head to Jason Jones and Brahman Perera’s Sri Lankan diner for Amma’s Feast at lunch. Feel the love of home-style cooking with a traditional hopper set and other smaller dishes.
Restaurant
Frederic
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 smoked trout rillette, roasted pumpkin, rose and berries souffle and more ($110pp).
Restaurant
Yakimono
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.
Restaurant
Smith St Bistrot
The dining room at this swish bistro recalls 1930s Paris. For maman, it’s serving a special lunch menu ($120pp) full of playful spins on Gallic staples (and an Aesop gift to finish).
Restaurant
Di Palma's
This family-run restaurant has served comforting Italian favourites since ’88. All mums are welcome to its special three-course lunch ($119pp, $49 per child) and à la carte dinner. By day, there’ll be classics like veal scallopine and chicken saltimbocca.
Restaurant
Stokehouse
Spoil the matriarch in your life with a seafood feast ($195) featuring lobster cake with caviar; coral trout with pipis; and more – all with stunning ocean views.
Restaurant
Akaiito
This central omakase bar is pulling out all the stops for Melbourne mums. Book its with a seven-course ($248pp) degustation.
Restaurant
Poodle Bar & Bistro
This Gertrude Street favourite blends Euro charm with a touch of kitsch Aussie-Italian suburban. Settle into a set menu ($90pp) featuring spanner crab profiteroles, baked barramundi and spiced soft mousse for dessert.
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