The Best Restaurants in Sydney to Take Your Mum This Mother's Day (or Any Day)

If you're looking for ways to spoil the leading lady in your life (either mum or mother figure), we're here to help. Let's face it, your local pizza joint doesn't quite cut it (unless it's Bella Brutta) and the decibels at your favourite hole-in-the-wall ramen shop might be a little too high to allow for a meaningful chat. This is your chance to deliver something memorable and earn brownie points on the side.

Take your mum out this year on Mother's Day for an exceptional dinner, a long boozy brunch, or a morning coffee at some of our city's best and parent-friendly eateries and drinking establishments. You've got enough selection anxiety on your hands with presents, so we've picked out our favourite mum-worthy spots. These are the best Mother's Day restaurants, bars and cafes in Sydney.

THE GROUNDS OF ALEXANDRIA, ALEXANDRIA

After all those late nights you thrust upon your parents, the least you can do is rise a little early to avoid the lines at The Grounds of Alexandria. The cafe's buttermilk pancakes ($23) will rival mum's finest offerings and a Grounds coffee will probably beat anything you were thinking of brewing at home.

For lunch at The Grounds leafy oasis The Potting Shed, nothing says "thank you for tolerating me for an extended period" quite like freshly shucked oysters ($6), creamy mussels in mariniere sauce ($20–32.50) and Moreton Bay bug tortellini ($38).

NOUR, SURRY HILLS

Want to take Mum to a buzzing Surry Hills space with contemporary Middle Eastern cuisine you can really unpack in your lunch chat? Nour's pastel-heavy, airy interior is enough to fool diners into thinking they'll get by-the-numbers dining experience — but they'd be sorely mistaken. The lineup here mixes tried and true classics with bold experimentations — pairing glazed lamb shoulder with smoked mussels on a falafel crumpet, for example.

On Mother's Day, the restaurant is serving a special set menu for $119 per person. Alongside the aforementioned lamb and mussels, there will be chicken bits shawarma, shish barak with lamb sujuk, woodfired eggplant, almond-crumbed cauliflower and a caramelised chocolate parfait for dessert. You both deserve that kind of feast on a Sunday.

MISC, PARRAMATTA

Out west, spoil mum to an unforgettable Mediterranian spread within the heart of Parramatta Park at the expansive and sleek venue Misc. The impressive 300-seat venue is the workings of Executive Chef Sebastian Geray, Menu Collaborator Joel Bennetts and Restaurateur Jad Nehmetallah (the last of whom you may recognise from Gogglebox).

Swing by in the morning for Stitch coffee and Misc's takes on cafe favourites like zucchini, kefalograviera and pea fritters ($6 each) or a mushroom toastie with gruyere, caramelised onion and pickles ($15). Later in the day, the menu is designed to be shared, with plenty of freshly sliced charcuterie, dips and buttery wood-fired bread ($8) available alongside beef tartare ($24), king prawns ($36) and roasted half chicken with toum and sumac onions ($42).

FRED'S, PADDINGTON

Want to treat your mum to a wholesome sitting of farm-to-table goodness and great service? Head to Fred's in Paddington. The 60-seater dining room is slick, cosy and properly grown-up. The setting emulates the warmth at the heart of a charming country homestead — oversized kitchen islands and freestanding Tuscan grills do away with a traditional restaurant set-up.

If you want to start light and flavoursome, kick off your meal with a salad topped with roasted duck or beef tenderloin ($26–34). From there you can pair potato rostis ($22) with grilled coral trout ($65), or for the truly indulgent experience order the rock lobster topped with Champagne butter ($125). Afterwards, pop down into basement bar Charlie Parker's for a cocktail.

Kitti Gould

CONTINENTAL DELI, NEWTOWN OR CBD

If there's one place where it's acceptable to eat food from a tin, it's here. And, don't worry, mum will definitely approve — this is a far cry from the tinned spaghetti of your childhood. At Continental, you'll be sipping martinis and manhattans from tins and elite tinned fish from Olasagasti anchovies to Cambados clams.

There's also a long lineup of cured and smoked meaty delights (un-canned) to pick from, too. If you (and mum) are looking for something heartier, however, skip the downstairs bar in Newtown and head to the bistro upstairs — or grab a seat in the restaurant at the CBD outpost — where you can enjoy the likes of steak tartare ($30); broccolini, charred capsicum and goats curd salad ($25); or pork and piquillo smoked sausage ($44).

ACRE EATERY, ARTARMON

Acre's sprawling lower North Shore restaurant, bakery and urban farm is a top spot for a big family lunch. The stunning 400-seat eatery is overflowing with greenery, and serves up an assortment of baked goods, brekky favourites and top-notch cuppas for the early risers.

Head over later in the day and you'll find the expansive venue hosting a special Mother's Day brunch for $69 per person. The celebratory spread includes a packed brunch sharing board with two hours of free-flowing wine, prosecco and tap beer. You can also bring the kids along for an additional $15 per little one.

THE GREENS, NORTH SYDNEY

Challenge Mum to a spot of lawn bowls. What was once a daggy bowlo has been transformed into a buzzy garden bar with million-dollar Sydney skyline views. Inside The Greens, floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow sunlight to stream into a plant-filled brasserie, which is fitted out with curved booths and long communal tables.

If it's a sunny day, head outside to the rustic garden, where you'll find a plenitude of daybeds and picnic settings adjacent to the lawns — and order a cocktail jug (a carafe of Pimm's perhaps) to share on the day of celebration. On Mother's Day, the hilltop venue is offering a complimentary glass of champagne and a cupcake station for all of the mums to enjoy, plus free games of bowls and live music throughout the day.

THE NEWPORT, NEWPORT

Before we start, expect The Newport to be busy on Mother's Day. That doesn't mean you should avoid it — there's plenty of room, just make sure to book early. Run by hospitality powerhouse Merivale, The Newport has a strong focus on food and live entertainment. But don't expect a single service counter or a straightforward menu at this renovated pub.

Instead, you'll feel a bit like you're walking through a permanent food festival with all of the different dining options on offer. We'd gun for one of Vinnie's (Merivale pizza guru Vincenzo Biondini) pizzas. But there's also a kiosk and seafood market, a cafe menu and, if you'd prefer something a touch fancier, head inside and treat your mum for a meal at the 1930s-style bistro Bert's.

Cole Bennetts

RESTAURANT HUBERT, CBD

If your mum has exceptionally fancy taste or you're looking to really spoil her, fine-diner Restaurant Hubert's dim candle lighting, jazz soundtrack and superb French cuisine are a home run. Head down the staircase into the underground restaurant where you can treat yourself to a spread of XO escargot ($33), spanner crab espelette ($37) or your choice from the restaurant's next-level steak menu.

Despite the elegant menu, the staff and super down to earth and ready to guide you through your extravagant meal. If mum has a bit of a sweet tooth, make sure to leave room for a serving of creme caramel for dessert ($24).

For Mother's Day this year, Hubert is hosting one of its popular Magnums and Movies sessions that pairs classic flicks with a French feast, but the screening of Mamma Mia is currently fully booked out.

MANLY WHARF BAR, MANLY

Following extensive renovations, Manly's Wharf Bar reopened at the end of 2021 with a new look and a flavour-packed menu. If mum is located in Sydney's north and getting her across The Spit is a tough sell, this waterfront spot is a crowd-pleaser.

The bar's Mother's Day lunch is available for $59 per person, kicking off with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine for all the mothers. Swap the usual Mother's Day bouquets for stuffed zucchini flowers and lobster salad as your appetiser, followed but a spread of bread and dips, salmon and sorrel sauce, crumbed lamb cutler, salad, mash and a pavlova for dessert.

CARBON, BONDI

Want to impress mum without blowing your budget? Head to Bondi's Mexican favourite Carbon where you can nab the Mother's Day set menu for $65 per person. The spread features a glass of Veuve Clicquot to kick things off, before you're served a starting lineup of guacamole, market fish and hibiscus ceviche, roasted scallops and corn ribs.

For your main, you can take your pick from grilled octopus or lamb shoulder, both of which come equipped with vibrant sides and a hefty serve of confit potatoes. If you're more of a city dweller, Carbon's sibling venue Sonora is offering a similar deal in Potts Point.