Book a Restaurant for Mother’s Day 2024

Updated 11 months ago

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Every mum is different, so there's no ideal restaurant to celebrate Mother’s Day. That said, there are a few traits worth seeking out when it comes time to reserve a table.

Where possible, the restaurant should be on the quieter end of the spectrum. And service should be attentive and considerate – because no one's ever felt special waiting for their next drink. A classic cuisine such as French is often a safe bet and a touch of sophistication goes a long way.

We've assembled our list with all this in mind. Stick to the top dozen restaurants if you're keen to splash out and really make your mum's day. Look further down if your family is more relaxed when it comes to celebrating Mother's Day.

  • Add an Aesop gift pack; a bouquet of flowers; or a Nomad sweets box to your Mother’s Day booking at Jacqui Challinor’s Mediterranean stunner. The goodies will be on your table when you arrive.

  • The waterside Italian fave is putting on a family-style brekkie on mum’s day. Bookings available from 8am. $70 per adult, $39 for kids under 12

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  • Rockpool is usually closed on Sundays. But it’s firing up the grill just for mum this year, with the full à la carte menu available in a rare Sunday service.

  • Go for a three-course set menu at the celebrity chef’s restaurant at AGNSW, including a glass of rosé for mum. Highlights include taramasalata with crisps; market fish with Andean sunset potatoes and salsa verde; and chocolate torte. $120 per person

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  • The Sunday roast has recently returned at this legendary Sydney pub. You can also treat mum to a line-up of the pub’s favourite French dishes. There are plenty of options for the kids, too, plus live jazz in the front bar.

  • If you need to pull out all the stops this year, Josh Niland’s Mother’s Day menu is for you. The “fin-to-scale” pioneer’s relaxed fine diner serving up fermented rice blinis with trout roe and tarama; a maron bouillabaisse pie; and more. 180 per person

  • Spoil mum with a Ducks’ brekkie or this three-course set menu for lunch or dinner. Mums booked in for lunch and dinner get a tin of prosecco to take home, courtesy of winemaker and Duck’s beverage director, Mem Hemmings. $85 per person.

  • Parramatta Park’s lush Med-inspired eatery is all about communal dining. Build your own brekkie plate with focaccia, sujuk, smoked labneh and more. Or grab fancy pantry items for a picnic in the park.

  • Book in for a New York-style brunch by one of the city’s best chefs at Crown’s elemental diner. There’ll be champagne trolleys roving about, ready to pour mum’s fizz tableside. $99 per person

  • We reckon mum will fancy the four-course feast (and the ocean views) at Matt Moran’s seafood institution. Expect market-fresh sashimi, grilled barramundi, swimmer crab linguine and an apple tarte tatin. $89 per adult, $30 for kids under 12

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  • This charming Sydney pub puts on a lovely Sunday roast and has plenty of space in the dining room for a decent-sized group. Just make sure you book ahead to avoid disappointment.

  • Sake's northern beaches outpost takes advantage of its wharfside position with a huge terrace overlooking the bay. Eat your nigiri and robata-grilled snacks out here with Japanese spirits by the glass, carafe or tasting flight.

  • More than 10 dishes star on the Mother’s Day lunch menu at Promenade. The highlights? A seafood platter; fried potatoes topped with crème fraiche and caviar; and torched meringue with honey ice-cream. This luxe spot also has a private dining room with ocean views. $149 per adult and $70 for kids under 12

  • Mum gets a glass of prosecco on arrival when you book the banquet at Newtown’s Euro-inspired bar and diner. This one includes three courses, and there’s a kids menu available. $75 per person

  • This outstanding Malaysian restaurant is all about family. Book yours in for a Malaysian feast in the homey dining room, styled after chef-owner Junda Khoo’s grandmother’s home in Penang.

  • When you book the set menu at this elegant wine bar, mum gets a signature Jane candle, on the house. The full a la carte menu is also on offer, including those excellent lamb dumplings. Book the beautiful red marble table if you can. $85 per person.

  • Caviar, champagne, tanks of live lobsters – there’s a certain swagger to this high-end restaurant in a relaxed waterside locale.

  • There’s something happening at each of the Pavilion’s three beautiful restaurants on Mother’s Day. Our pick is brekkie in the bistro, overlooking Balmoral Beach. $65 per adult, $25 for kids

  • One of Sydney’s best Italian restaurants is putting on a five-course feast for Mum. Only available at lunch, this one has special occasion vibes written all over it. $180 per adult, $70 for kids

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  • This “rickety-chic” institution has been winning over mums with its ever-changing seasonal menu since 1993. It’s packed with ultra-fresh produce from the restaurant’s own farm in the Blue Mountains.

  • Neil Perry named his Double Bay diner after his mum, and it’s a no-brainer if you’re looking for an elegant option in the eastern suburbs.

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