How to be the favourite child on Mother’s Day in Brisbane

Do you want to the favourite child? Celebrate Mother’s Day 2022 in Brisbane with fun, laughter, love and lots of good eating with a lovely meal or Brisbane Mother’s Day High Tea on Sunday May 8. Choose from a wide selection of Mother’s Day events to find the perfect occasion for your family. 

How to celebrate Mother’s Day 2022 in Brisbane

So you really want to be the favourite child?  Make a memorable Mother’s Day for your family and sit back and watch the others fall into second place!  Here are the tips to make the day special.

• Be organised and plan ahead. This is not a day to leave things to chance.
• Round up all members of the family so Mum will feel the love.  If they can’t be there in person, plan an online party for Mum using Zoom or Facetime.  These virtual party tips will help make that happen.
• Plan a gathering that suits both Mum and the family dynamic, so everyone has a good day.
• Presents are welcome, but it’s the thought that counts here.

Mother’s Day in my childhood was all about creating homemade cards and baking exotic treats as Mother’s Day gifts for my Mum.  Serving her breakfast in bed was always the highlight.  She applauded my early cooking attempts with what we called frog in a hole (egg in fried bread). My own children were equally creative, and I have a shoebox stuffed full of their efforts over the years.  The cards mark their growing years with dubious writing and spelling and are incredibly precious, especially the one that said I was getting a kitten!

Whatever the present, for me, Mother’s Day is all about the memories, and that’s what you should focus on to create the perfect Mother’s Day celebration. It’s all about making Mum feel special on Mother’s Day, and there are as many ways to do that as there are mothers. My daughter and I often celebrate Mother’s Day with my Mother on the Sunshine Coast.

Where to go for Mother’s Day 2022 in Brisbane

Treat Mamma to an Italian lunch

Treat your Mamma to a fun, long lunch that will delight any matriarch who loves their food and vino. At Vici Italian in Southbank, the menu starts with antipasto with a hot and cold selection of cured meats, cheese, pickles, fruits, olives, tomatoes & arancini. It is served with grissini and warm crusty bread for the table.  For mains, choose from slow-cooked beef ragu, tomato sugo, rigatoni, fresh herbs and parmesan or pan-roasted salmon fillet, green pea and lemon risotto, mascarpone & ricotta salata. Molto Bene! Be the favourite child, and make sure you sort Mother’s Day early as bookings are essential at Vici Italian. The two-course lunch includes a three-hour wine package for $89 per person.

Fine dining for Mum

For foodie Mums, linger over a decadent long Mother’s Day Lunch at Emporium’s fine dining Signature Restaurant. A $150 four-course menu of Fraser Island Crab, Hervey Bay Scallop, Borrowdale Pork Loin and Honey Bavarois with Hazelnut Cremeux and Nougat Sponge awaits. Add Bollinger Rose to complete the meal for $199 pp. Choose the two-hour package at either 12 pm or 3 pm. Bookings and further information can be found at Emporium Hotels.

Riverside cocktails and a six-course Thai banquet

Mother’s Day at Naga Thai at Riverside includes a six-course banquet of their delicious Thai food.  It’s available from noon and costs $79 per person—bookings at Naga Thai.

Celebrate Spanish Style

In Spain, mothers are the head of the household, spoiled and cherished! So give your mother that special feeling at Ole Restaurant in Southbank with a long liquid lunch. Enjoy a Tables de Ibericos to start, including a selection of Jamon Serrano “mountain ham”, Jamon Iberico acorn-fed Iberian ham, Manchego cheese, goat cheese, marinated olives, guindillas, pickles, fresh and dried fruits, croquettas, tomato, garlic, olive oil and crusty bread for the table.  Next, for mains, feast on a Grilled Chicken Breast with roasted peppers, puré de patatas and mojo verde or our Pan Roasted Salmon Fillet with grilled broccolini, puré de patatas and mojo picón. All this, paired with glasses upon glasses of vino to your heart’s delight for three whole hours. If you didn’t know what to plan for your Mum, now you do! With this epic Sunday session, you’ll definitely be in Mum’s good books for a while but book quickly, as this event will sell out fast. The two-course lunch includes a three-hour wine package for $89 per person. Lunch bookings start from 11.30 am. Book at Ole Restaurant.

Lunch with a Brisbane River view

Spoil Mum with Persone’s specially curated three-course Mother’s Day Lunch Menu with Italian delights including Sydney Rock Oysters, Salmon Crudo, and Prawn Rigatoni from 11:30 am for $55 per child and $99 per adult.

Three Blue Ducks

Celebrate this Mother’s Day with a brunch to remember at Three Blue Ducks in W Brisbane, George Street Brisbane. With gorgeous views overlooking the Brisbane River, the team will be serving up an extra special four-course meal complete with a glass of sparkling wine served on arrival, live acoustic music, and a complimentary gift for Mums.  There are sittings at 12 pm and 4 pm. $150pp for adults, $120pp for vegan option and $45pp for children.

Parisian Mother’s Day

Head to Bisou Bisou in Fortitude Valley for a Parisian inspired breakfast.  Enjoy a starter, main breakfast and an item from the roving pastry trolly, plus a beverage on arrival for $50 for adults and $25 for children.

Riverside Feast

Blackbird Bar & Dining has a Mother’s Day three-course feasting menu with live entertainment. It’s $85 for adults and $35 for children.

Yum cha lunch

At Donna Chang, in George Street, CBD, the modern Chinese menu curated by Head Chef Lyndon Tyers offers a Mother’s Day Yum Cha lunch menu priced at $85 for adults and $35 for children.

Festa Della Mamma!

In Boundary Street, West End, Ciao Papi invites you to spoil Mamma and Nonna with a delicious three-course share style lunch.  It starts with antipasti and continues with seafood pasta and roast lamb. There is tiramisu with a twist for dessert and a bambino menu for children.  Adults $79, Children $20 with seatings at 11.30 am and 2.15 pm. Book at Ciao Papi.

Exotic and colourful Mother’s Day spread

If Mum has a palate for the exotic then she’s in luck because ZA ZA TA has a deliciously, colourful spread for Mother’s Day.  Executive Chef Michael Jackson will be curating a traditional ‘Soufra’ style lunch, featuring stunning vegetarian mezze from noon. Designed to share amongst loved ones, the Soufra Mother’s Day Menu will be served as three courses, with all dishes arriving at once – the perfect offering for family groups that love to graze.

Entrée dishes include warm olives in orange and anise and 48-hour fermented stone baked za’atar flatbread to be dipped in baba ganoush with zucchini, pistachio and green olive.  Casa motta burrata with autumn orange and local honey along with crunchy autumn vegetables, macadamia toum and leek ash will round out the hefty entrees in preparation for the main courses. The table will also be graced with halloumi doughnuts with pomegranate and chili jam, coal cooked sweet corn with koji butter and aleppo pepper, pan-fried majadra rice with smoked butter and barberries and finally, shish barak pumpkin dumplings with burnt butter, cultured yoghurt, and sage. Finish off the event with desserts of pistachio and orange blossom baklava and mahalabi pudding with rose and pomegranate sorbet.

The exotic Soufra lunch is $95 per person.  As a special gift for Mum, she’ll enjoy a special Bar Kazba Spritz and receive a complimentary ZA ZA TA Chilli Jam Jar to take home. Book at ZA ZA TA

Mother’s Day brunch

Billykart at West End has brought back their legendary Mother’s Day Brunch from 8am.  There are brunch and lunch options available all day along with cocktail specials.  Book at Billykart.

Have a Mother’s Day high tea

Pretty little pastries, the good china, ribbon sandwiches, and pouring tea from a teapot are the things I love about high tea.  Mother’s Day is the perfect time to indulge your mother with a high tea treat. The ritual of serving and eating high tea is also something that we can enjoy as a family and show our children and grandchildren that it’s nice to be fancy every now and again.

Here’s where you’ll find the best Mother’s Day 2022 high teas.

The Inchcolm by Ovolo

You will be the favourite child when you tell Mum to frock up in her Sunday best and head to The Inchcolm to indulge in all the trimmings of a royal High Tea setting from noon. For only $69 per person, treat mum to a three-tier platter of savoury and sweet pastries, sandwiches and petit fours, complete with free-flowing San Remo coffee and an assortment of teas. Do you want to make it a very fancy occasion? Upgrade to two hours of Taittinger Champagne for only $30 more.  Adorning your High Tea platter will be scrumptious bites such as confit duck liver pithivier and chicken brioche rolls and traditional tea sandwiches with a twist; corned beef, piccalilli finger sandwiches as well as egg salad gribiche and cress finger sandwiches. Sweet treats will include freshly baked lemonade scones served with seasonal jam and creme fraiche, madeleines, macarons, and chocolate almond cake. Could there be any better treat for the special matriarch in your life? If you really want to spoil Mum, book one of The Inchy’s 50 luxurious suites for a weekend-long staycay. Step into The Inchcolm and be swept away by its old world-charm for Mother’s Day with a High Tea booking.

The Lab, Ryan’s on The Park & The Courtyard, Treasury Brisbane

Treat your Mum to a heavenly Chandon High Tea and create memories that will last forever this Mother’s Day. What better way to celebrate mum than with an unforgettable afternoon in the decadent surroundings of the Treasury Heritage Hotel. Enjoy sweet and savoury delights paired with La Maison Du Thé French hand-crafted teas and Chandon.
The Mother’s Day Chandon High Tea is available from 1 pm – 4.30 pm. Cost – Adult $99pp, child from $35pp.

Pink High Tea

Say thanks for all the hard work Mum does year-round. Treat the maternal figure in your life to a fabulous Dare to be Pink High Tea at W Brisbane’s  Living Room Bar with delicious sweet and savoury treats and a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne! From Friday, May 6  to Sunday, May 8, from 11 am to 3 pm. Cost $125 per person. Book at Living Room.

Emporium High Tea

Emporium Hotels’ Mother’s Day High Tea features favourites such as freshly baked scones with raspberry and rose jam, passionfruit curd and Devonshire cream, caramelised pear tart, mango and yuzu macaron, asparagus and goat cheese quiche and delicately flavoured sandwiches filled with delights such as cucumber and cream cheese or smoked salmon and savoury whipped cream and truffle chicken as well as a bottomless variety of tea and coffee for $60 pp. Book here.

Belle Epoque High Tea

Take your Mother’s Day High Tea in the fabulously French-themed Belle Epoque venue or the cosmopolitan Piano Bar, where there will also be a live pianist for the day to serenade Mum. Settings are two hours long and start at 11 am, with the final session at 4.30 pm. Upgrade your High Tea by making it a Champagne High Tea with some Mumm bubbles for $125. Book here.

Iris Rooftop High Tea

Take mum to the Mediterranean on Mother’s Day with a sky-high morning tea atop Hotel X in Fortitude Valley.  Iris Rooftop has bottomless mimosas, sandwiches and savoury items, and macarons.  It’s $79 for adults and $35 for children.

Hilton Brisbane High Tea Buffet

In the Queen Street Mall, Hilton Brisbane has a Mother’s Day Buffet with a glass of sparkling on arrival and sandwiches, pastries and sweet treats.  You’ll love the classic croquembouche tower. The cost is $85 for adults and $45 for children under 12.

Dandelion & Driftwood Boxed High Tea To Go

Have you missed out on snagging a booking for Mother’s Day?  Never fear, order a Dandelion & Driftwood Boxed High Tea to Go. Last orders Thursday, May 5, 4 pm.

Celebrate Mother’s Day 2022 at home but let someone else do the work

Are you planning a Mother’s Day 2022 celebration at home?  Do you want to make catering really easy? Providoor is a new premium delivery service that brings chef-prepared meals to your door so that you can enjoy restaurant-quality meals at home. They have partnered with some of Brisbane’s best restaurants so that you can treat mum; enjoy Naim’s Mother’s Day Shakshuka Brunch, indulge in La Costa’s Mother’s Day Seafood Lunch, or surprise her with Southside’s famed dumplings with their Mother’s Day Family Feast. Providoor Queensland delivers to Brisbane, Noosa, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Mermaid Beach, Coolangatta, Broadbeach and Toowoomba.

Give Mama something to look forward to!

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants and cafes.  If you want to avoid the crowds, why not give Mum an experience instead?

• Take Mum on a GoBoat river ride from Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct with Mum and the family on an eco-friendly, electric-powered picnic GoBoat. Pack some food and drinks or grab some fresh pastries and coffee from MICA BRASSERIE located just next door.
• Book a joint cooking class at Lumiere.  Chef Shannon Kellam has devised a diverse selection of classes from favourite Sunday lunch selections to sourdough starter classes.
• How about a sky-high balloon ride over the Gold Coast Hinterland or the rural landscape surrounding Ipswich.  You will be surprised by how peaceful yet exhilarating a balloon ride can be.
• If Mum prefers keeping her feet firmly on the ground, how about a ride on the Mary Valley Rattler?  It leaves from Gympie for a nostalgic train trip that is a great experience for all the family.
• Treat Mum and the family to the latest exhibition from Museum of Brisbane, Making Place: 100 Views of Brisbane, where you’ll see a beautiful salon hung exhibition of artworks dating back to the 1820s. Artists include Judy Watson, William Bustard, Vida Lahey, Margaret Olley, Stephen Nothling, Margaret Cilento, Paul Davies, and Mia Boe.

Make Mother’s Day 2022 a picnic

Take mum on a picnic for her birthday.  I’ve got some top picnic styling tips and Brisbane picnic destinations but my best tip to ensure everyone gets to celebrate Mother’s Day is to lash out on a picnic box.

From my family to yours

These are some of my favourite family photos with my parents as a baby and my son, and much loved and missed dog, Tucker. Do take the opportunity on Mother’s Day to take a few photos.  While it might not seem important on the day, the memories they provide looking back are priceless. Here’s how to take family photos without tears.