12 Restaurants for Mother’s Day Brunch in Philadelphia
The real gift you can give on Mother's Day? Making a plan so Mom doesn't have to.
Lobster Benedict from Nunzio in Collingswood. / Photograph courtesy of Nunzio
Consider this your first alert that Mother’s Day is coming up. This year, the holiday falls on May 12th, which means you have about two weeks to get your ducks in a row. It’s time to order flowers, make a reservation, and let your mother know that you’ve made a plan. Whether your mom’s style is caviar-topped brunch in Rittenhouse Square or cozy BYOB in South Philly, she’ll appreciate you making an effort.
Fiore Fine Foods, Kensington
If you do end up forgetting to make a reservation, go to Fiore Fine Foods for brunch, lunch, or both at the same time. They do some of our favorite breakfast sandwiches in the city, but you can also opt for handmade pastas or pastries, so there’s really something for everyone.
Takeout from Ba Le Bakery, Washington Avenue
It’s possible this Mother’s Day you’re celebrating a mother who isn’t your mother — perhaps a new mom in your life or someone with little kids who might not be able to get away for a restaurant meal. For that person, bring them a selection of takeout items from Ba Le Bakery. Grab a couple of banh mi and ice coffees for a day-of lunch, and stock them up on Hainanese chicken platters, a bag of fried spring rolls, and some summer rolls to keep everyone fed throughout the week.
Brunch buffet at Lacroix. / Photograph by Mike Prince
Brunch at Lacroix, Rittenhouse
If to you, Mother’s Day requires sundresses and raw seafood at brunch, Lacroix’s over-the-top brunch is where you should go. Priced at $192 per adult ($96 per kid under eight years old), brunch at Lacroix includes a bottomless raw bar, carving stations, a dessert room, and, of course, eggs to order.
Nunzio, Collingswood
If you’re looking for a good spot in the burbs, Nunzio in Collingswood is hosting an Italian-inspired brunch for Mother’s Day. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can tell your mom how sweet she is with stuffed brioche French toast, topped with Nutella, banana rum caramel and walnuts. And if she’s more into a savory brunch, you can go big with the lobster Benedict.
Dim Sum at Grand Palace, Chinatown
If your Mother’s Day plans include small children, consider dim sum at Grand Palace. The spacious dining room guarantees you’ll have plenty of space to spread out, and the immediate arrival of carts weighed down with har gow, siu mai, and char siu means that hungry children will be eating within minutes of sitting down. Plus, if your group wants to linger over fond memories, they won’t bother you.
Soft shell crab at River Twice. / Photograph by Mike Prince
Lunch at River Twice, East Passyunk
River Twice isn’t normally open for lunch, but they’re opening for a special lunchtime service on Mother’s Day. The menu, priced at $75 per person, gets you four courses, including tuna in ramp ponzu, ricotta and stinging nettle dumplings, wild halibut, and panna cotta with preserved apple. Add-ons (like the soft shell crab) will also be available if you want to treat your mom to something extra special.
Barnes Foundation tour and lunch, Logan Circle
When my mom comes to visit me in Philadelphia, she usually wants to go to an art museum, and the Barnes is one of her favorites. If she were going to be here for Mother’s Day, I’d take her to the Barnes for a tour, and then make a reservation at the museum’s restaurant afterwards. The Garden restaurant isn’t the best in Philadelphia, but the outdoor space is beautiful, and eating a seared tuna Niçoise salad while you ruminate on the chaos of the collection is an undeniably lovely experience.
Brunch at Cicala at the Divine Lorraine, Fairmount
Another spot that doesn’t normally do brunch, Cicala at the Divine Lorraine has one of the most comfortable dining rooms in the city, with spacious, cozy banquettes perfect for giant spreads of regional Italian dishes. Opt for a bowl of pasta carbonara, the ideal eggy breakfast pasta, and a Nutella-filled crepe for dessert.
Mi Madre menu at El Chingon. / Photograph by Mike Prince
Mi Madre Menu at El Chingon, East Passyunk
In case your mom isn’t available on Mother’s Day, El Chingon is offering a Mi Madre menu for the entire month of May. The menu features three dishes that chef and owner Carlos Aparicio learned from his mother: tamales de frijol (ayocote bean fried tamal, crema, queso fresco, and cilantro), fideos secos (angel hair pasta, tomato sauce, burrata, and epazote pesto), and costillas de cerdo (en salsa verde y verdolagas, baby backs, salsa verde, purslane, and tortillas). Money raised from the special menu will go toward the Moriviv Latin Cancer Support Group, which provides emotional support, health education, and recreational workshops to Latino cancer patients.
Bloomsday Cafe, Queen Village
If your mom’s ideal Sunday includes a little bit of an activity, take her to the Headhouse Farmer’s Market, one of the city’s most idyllic markets, to buy perfect spring peas and a bunch of asparagus, before heading across the street to Bloomsday Cafe for a coffee and a pastry overlooking the market.
Good King Tavern, Queen Village
Brunch can be kind of a whole scene, so sometimes it’s nice to eat off-peak. The Good King Tavern doesn’t serve brunch, but they do open at 3 p.m. on Sundays, which makes it the perfect backdrop for a wine-filled, (hopefully) sun-soaked afternoon of mussels, steak tartare, and duck liver mousse.
Tabachoy, Italian Market
If your mom is always complaining that you don’t take her anywhere cool, make a reservation at Tabachoy, bring a nice bottle of Riesling, and share with her the joy that is this Filipino BYOB. Get the caesar salad to start, plus some lumpia, and let your mom choose the entree (she can’t go wrong). Make sure to split the ube soft serve and the pandan cheesecake, even if she says she’s too full.
