Mother's Day Dining Guide 2016

Mother's Day is a serious matter. Not only for the obvious fact that it’s important to show your mom how much you care for her and appreciate her, but it’s pretty much the Super Bowl of brunch. As the biggest brunch holiday of the year, it's pivotal you get Mother's Day right. Fortunately, you can't walk one block without hitting a Mother's Day brunch menu in Chicago. But since the task of finding that sweet spot can be massively overwhelming in Chicago, we’ve curated a roundup of some surefire hits. 

 

Nana
Nana

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When it comes to celebrating Mother’s Day, what better place to do so than Nana, a restaurant run by a family and named for the matriarch? On May 8, the Bridgeport staple will feature seasonal specials and holiday fare like the “Mom’s Benedict” made with griddled cornbread, beef brisket, poached egg, and chipotle hollandaise; lemon poppyseed pancakes with rhubarb jam; and dulce de leche stuffed French toast made with coffee cake in lieu of bread. 

 

In other matriarchal, heartwarming news, chef Luca Corazzina will be joined in the kitchen by his own mom on Mother’s Day at 312 Chicago. From 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., they’ll work together to create their generations-old family recipe for lasagna vegetariana con pesto. All moms who dine at the restaurant during brunch will receive a free slice of the scratch-made pasta, which also features basil pesto, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and tomato basil sauce. 

 

This Mother’s Day, eschew the traditional brunch buffet spread for something a little more lavish. Mom deserves it, right? III Forks Prime Steakhouse is serving a special three-course menu all day long, from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. in honor of mothers everywhere. Courtesy of chef Cedric Harden, the menu begins with first course choices of the III Forks house salad or a steakhouse wedge salad. For entrees, choose from pan-seared red snapper, coffee- and coriander-rubbed tenderloin, and fire-roasted red pepper chicken. Last, there’s Texas pecan cake and chocolate mousse for dessert selections. The cost for the prix fixe is $48 per person, and III Forks also has a special kids’ version for $18. 

 

There are two ways to toast to mom at Devon Seafood Grill, where May 8 starts with a special Mother’s Day brunch and ends with a three-course prix fixe dinner menu after 4:00 p.m. The brunch buffet includes made-to-order omelettes, prime rib carving station, a chilled seafood display, sweet potato corn hash, seasonal fruit, salmon, chicken wings, lobster mac & cheese, and much more. Don’t forget the sweets selections like panna cotta, chocolate truffle cake, key lime tarts, cookies, mini carrot cakes, and others. Come dinnertime, the restaurant shifts to a special prix fixe format. First course options are baby greens salad, Caesar salad, Maine lobster bisque, and strawberry-pistachio salad, followed by entrees like a center-cut filet, seared scallops, maple-roasted salmon, crab cakes, or a surf & turf combo of 6 oz. filet and lobster tail. For dessert, there’s vanilla bean crème brûlée, lava cake, berries and cream, or apple croustade. The cost for the buffet is $38 for adults, $17 for children four to 12, and free for those younger than four. Dinner is $45 per person.

 

If your mom likes doughnuts, she’ll love free doughnuts even more. On Mother’s Day, all Kanela Breakfast Club locations will be doling out complimentary loukamades (Greek doughnuts) to moms. They’re made with lemon honey syrup and toasted walnuts and they’re incredible. 

 

 

Perfect for families, River Roast is offering a special brunch package for four on Mother’s Day. Wrangle the brood and make a day of it, because sharing is caring. And it’s especially meaningful when the shared plates include dishes like whole roasted chicken, biscuits and gravy, peas, and hot apple crisp. The cost for the four-person brunch package is $140. 

 

Everyone knows Geja’s Cafe is a longstanding hot spot for Valentine’s Day, engagements, and general romantic dining. But the Lincoln Park stalwart is equally cozy and appropriate for a family outing. On Mother’s Day, the fondue-focused establishment will be treating moms to complimentary five-minute massages and a glass of bubbly. 

 

Tortoise Club makes for a perfectly opulent, Americana-style experience for Mother’s Day brunch. The River North gem is featuring a special brunch on May 8, and the beautiful mid-century club-inspired space is a wonderful backdrop for optimal holiday enjoyment and relaxation. The menu includes a tower of shrimp and oysters, a carving station with bone-in ham and prime rib, a waffle bar, and desserts. Brunch is $65 per adult and $25 for kids. It’s available from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. 

- Matt Kirouac

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