The best restaurants for Mother's Day in Melbourne

How about something a bit more fun and interactive for Mother's Day? Free to Feed are running an Eritrean cooking class, with your host and mother of four Aziza teaches you how to make share-style food that's full of warmth, love and lots of flavour. Book a spot at Aziza’s Eritrean cooking experience and you get to bring your mum (or someone you love) along for free. Find out more about what you'll be preparing and make a booking here.

Shane Delia's lively Middle Eastern restaurant in the CBD is a great choice for foodie mums this year. There'll be a specially curated Mother’s Day four-course menu, alongside worldly wine pairings available to complement. Dishes feature artichoke, flat bread, whipped hummus with spiced chicken, macadamia and fried rosemary; Wagyu sirloin; and dark chocolate and pomegranate meringue. This special menu is available from noon on May 11 and costs $150 per head (only $100 for kids under 12 years old). Make a booking at the website.

Fitzroy fave Poodle is a stylish bar and bistro offering a $90 set menu for lunch and dinner this Mother’s Day. Start with snacks like spanner crab profiterole with cod roe and bottarga and pickled mussels with saffron rouille before moving onto baked barramundi with samphire beurre blanc and zucchini with preserved lemon and pancetta. Dessert? A spiced soft mousse with persimmon preserve and sable. Make a booking here.

Keen to really wow mum this Mother's Day? Look no further than the Royce Hotel. This designer boutique hotel is offering a bougie high tea experience led by celebrated executive chef Pawan Dutta. You can expect a glass of sparkling on arrival, boutique teas and coffees, and a decadent spread of sweet and savoury goodies. We're talking lobster rolls, cucumber and egg sandwiches, macarons and, of course, scones served with jam and cream. It's served in the glamorous Showroom Bar, which is inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood. Find out more here.

Aside from a gorgeous rooftop pool and one of the city's best brekky buffets (IYKYK), Le Meridien Melbourne also has one of the greatest Mother's Day offers going around. Mums don't eat for half-price at the hotel's gorgeous subterranean restaurant – no, they eat for free. It's an indulgent main on the house this May 11, where she can sit back, relax and celebrate her day without worry about the check. Bookings are essential so secure your spot here.

You can't go wrong with French cuisine for any special occasion, and cosy Smith St Bistrot is among the places in Melbourne that do it best. The special Mother's Day menu this year will run you $120 per head and includes the bistro's characteristic spins on revered French classics. You'll woo mum with oysters, king dory fish, poule au pot, and finally, a chocolate sabayon tart for dessert. Head to the website to book a table now before they fill up.

How about a Mother's Day celebration with a view? On Saturday 10 May, CBD rooftop bar Fleet will be hosting their laidback high tea with a spread of savoury snacks, sweet treats and tea.  On Sunday 11 May, there's alternatively a four-course sharing menu of seasonal produce and a free glass of bubbles. Make a booking for either occasion here. 

Pure South focuses on all things Tasmanian, including King Island Beef, St Helens oysters, Bass Strait scallops, seafood and quality dairy products. This May 11, the luxurious Southbak restaurant will be putting on a stunning Mother's Day lunch with three courses, warm and welcoming service and relaxing views of the Yarra river. For more details and to book a table, visit the website.

It's not often that an eatery adjoining some kind of recreational landmark like a surf park or tourist attraction is any good, but Three Blue Ducks is an exception. On a Time Out team day out trialling the super fun Urbnsurf wave pool, we had lunch at this joint and let's just say, dang that burger was good. This year for Mother's Day, you can opt for a dish off of the a la carte (there'll be specials galore), a set Feed Me menu for just $59 a head or the famous Sunday Roast. Head to the website and make a booking here.

Want to know what life is like for the upper crust? Treat your mother to a super luxe sky-high afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne. Located in the elegant Lobby Lounge on level 80, the sumptuous three-course menu features a glass of Moët NV Brut Champagne on arrival, sweet and savoury creations, and free-flowing Love tea and Code Black barista coffee. It runs the whole weekend and mum even gets to take home a beautiful gift. Get the pricing and booking details here. 

Pincho Disco from the Kickon Group is an ode to new-age Latin American eats, extravagant cocktails and live entertainment. Expect a journey of flavours hailing from across the entire content – from Colombia, Peru and Chile to Mexico, Argentina and Brazil – in signature dishes thoughtfully prepared by head chef Diego Cardenas and his team. This Mother's Day, the restaurant is offering a gorgeous tasting menu – with plant-based and kids' menu options available, too. Get more details and make a booking here.

Dedicated high tea house Mary Eats Cake is excited to announce their 2025 Mother's Day package will be available for the entire month of May. From Thursday 1 May to Saturday 31 May, both the Brunswick and Montrose venues will be offering luxurious high tea experiences. Get all the information you need here.

Keen to escape the city and whisk mum away somewhere a bit more picturesque this Mother's Day? Out in West Gippsland (just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne), Brandy Creek Estate isn't just the perfect day to treat mum to a luxurious Turkish steam bath and spa treatment. The onsite restaurant is also throwing a beautiful May 11 lunch. Think cajun chicken with saffron parsnip purée and a yoghurt-drizzled haloumi salad, slow-braised beef short ribs and tiramisu cake with Brandy Creek liqueur-mixed berries. Make a booking here.

If mum doesn't go anywhere without her pooch, we have the Mother's Day dining offering for you. From 2pm until 5pm at College Lawn Hotel this May 11, there'll be live tunes and $45 bottles of prosecco to celebrate our mums, as well as a chance to win a spa weekend. Go here for all the details.

The Langham's Melba Restaurant is not your regular hotel restaurant. For the main event, you can choose from a variety of stations including a South East Asian wok section, a traditional roast carvery, Indian curry and tandoori stall and fresh Italian pasta corner with a chef that will cook the day's specials to order. This Mother's Day, mums and their kids are invited to enjoy all of the above – plus an enticing array of fresh seafood and a dessert station to finish the lunch on a sweet note. Each mum will also receive a thoughtful gift to take home. Visit the website for all the details.

This Mod-Asian diner in Seddon is offering a special Feed Me menu this Mother's Day at just $90 per person. Feast on standout dishes such as kingfish sashimi with nahm jim, coconut, chilli and lime and twice-cooked crispy fried duck. There'll also be a special kids’ menu for children aged 12 and under, so you can bring along all generations to join in the celebration! Book a table here. 

How about a three-course Sicilian menu? Kew favourite Mister Biancho is honouring mums with shared stuzzichini for the table, your (and mum's) choice of main, sides and dessert, Italian-style. Think fried oysters with caper cream, arancini, authentic polpette, veal cutlets and risotto. The special menu is available for both lunch and dinner, and there's a kids' menu available, too. Reserve a spot for your family via this link.

This beautiful CBD hotel is bringing back its much-loved Mother’s Day high tea on Saturday, May 11, this year: Mum, Me & High Tea. Guests will enjoy a high tea stand featuring delicate ribbon sandwiches, freshly baked buttermilk and raisin scones with Beerenberg jams and crème Chantilly, and an assortment of handcrafted desserts by Dorsett Melbourne’s pastry chef. You’ll also get an unlimited supply of warm savouries, from tarts and empanadas to bao buns. Adults will receive a glass of sparkling wine on arrival, with free-flowing tea and coffee available for the whole sitting. Secure your spot here. 

CBD pasta haven Marameo will be offering a very special à la carte Sunday lunch, complete with all its signature dishes. For the adults, think creamy buffalo mozzarella accompanied by balancing cavolo nero, grapes and walnuts, the legendary ten-cheese lasagne layered with rich béchamel and wild mushrooms, and a raspberry-white chocolate tiramisu spiked with Frengelico. Got any young tykes in tow? A chicken cotoletta with chips and a trusty spag bol are sure to be a hit.  Get more details here.

If anything Paris is just the ticket to make the mother figure in your life swoon, then you can't go wrong with a magnifique four-course lunch at Luke Mangan's new Melbourne restaurant Bistrot Bisou. This year, mum will be treated to a glass of NV Veuve Ambal Blancs de Blancs Brut on arrival, before being served all her French favourites – steak tartare, vol au vent, steak frites, apple tartin with calvados and vanilla ice cream, plus more. You've also got the option for more indulgences, with extras like French cheese and freshly shucked oysters available to add on. For more details and to make a booking, visit the website. 

If you've ever visited W Melbourne in the city, maybe for a cheeky knock-off drink at its hidden cocktail bar Curious, you'll already know the space is gorgeous. If you'd like to whisk mum away here this Mother's Day, try Lollo, the hotel's Italian restaurant. They're hosting a special 'Mumm’s The Word' lunch this year in partnership with Mumm Marlborough. Guests will be welcomed with a glass of Mumm sparkling before settling in for a generous shared menu, featuring tuna crudo and calamari fritto with saffron aioli to start, picanha skirt steak and Sicilian-style King George whiting. Dessert, of course, is a melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu. To reserve a table, head here.

Dripping in old-world charm and the glamour of a bygone era, this grand dame is really something special. So what better venue for treating the mother figure in your life to a special celebration high tea she'll remember? The multitiered afternoon tea platters at Hotel Windsor are pretty legendary, and bonus points – free-flowing drinks are included in the Mother's Day package! Check it out here and make a booking.

If mum's happy place is the beach, a family lunch at the award-winning Stokehouse restaurant with sweeping ocean views will be one she’ll remember. On Mother’s Day, the famed seafood restaurant is offering a banquet showcasing the best of the season. For $195 per person, wine and dine her with dishes like tuna belly bites, prawn cocktail, lobster cake with caviar, coral trout and Wagyu scotch fillet. The world-class meal concludes elegantly with a show-stopping rhubarb clafoutis dessert. Go here for more details and to make a reservation. (P.S. you can opt for a more casual affair downstairs at Stokehouse Pasta and Bar for just $110 a head – read more here). 

If you want to truly do something special for mum this year, treat her to Maison Bâtard’s signature take on modern French cuisine. The restaurant's exclusive Menu de la Maison starts with a complimentary glass of Whispering Angel rosé on arrival and features its châteaubriand au poivre and famous tableside chocolate mousse to finish. Find out more and make a booking at the website.

Is it too much to add another high tea to this guide? There's no such thing as too many high teas! Perhaps it's hard for your family to get into the city on Mother's Day or you're more comfortable lunching out east. The good news is that Hotel Chadstone is doing its very own version of a Mother’s Day high tea this year in the elevated and elegant surrounds of Altus Rooftop. The package includes a glass of Pommery Champagne,  savoury and sweet treats, live stations serving caviar and blinis, a liquid nitrogen ice cream station with lavish condiments and a selection of teas – plus a special gift for Mum. Since you're in the Chadstone precinct, why not make a day of it and go on a shopping spree afterwards, or even book an overnight stay? Head here for all the details.

This funky, vibrant restaurant in Windsor offers a new take on traditional Japanese food, plus cocktails, sake and whiskeys. This May 11, Mr Miyagi is offering an exclusive 5-course Mother's Day lunch menu from noon to 3:30pm. It'll also mark the debut of the restaurant's new dish Miso-Mundi: a Humpty Doo barramundi fillet dressed in burnt miso kombu butter, compressed nashi pear, yuzu and fresh ginger. How yum! Find out more and make a booking here.  

The George is offering two banquet menus this year for Mother's Day, accompanied by a live acoustic music performance. For $89 a head, enjoy delicious signature share plates like betel leaf with dragon fruit; green chicken curry with Dutch carrots, kipfler potatoes and Thai basil; and pork belly with Vietnamese slaw, caramel and black vinegar. For $109 a head, the feast takes it up a notch with tuna tartare; burrata with chilli jam; crispy barramundi in red curry sauce; and 300-gram angus scotch fillet. Each banquet ends with a vanilla and salted caramel semifreddo with hazelnut cocoa nibs and caramel mousse, and there optional add-ons available if you want to treat mum to even more food. Make a booking at the website.

Picture this: a complimentary glass of Whispering Angel rosé on arrival for you and mum, small Italian plates and antipasti classics, pizza and pasta galore – whether a carbonara or a capricciosa – plus dessert to end the arvo on a sweet note. Sound dreamy? Then make a booking at Baby in Richmond.