The best restaurants for Mother's Day in Melbourne

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.

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.

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 hotel. The sumptuous three-course menu features sweet and savoury creations and free-flowing Love tea and Code Black barista coffee. It runs the whole weekend, accompanied by a live jazz band and mum gets to take home a beautiful gift courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton. 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.

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.