Compliments of Megan Elliott
Culture Cheat Sheet
Hi Friends,
Treating the mom (or moms) in your life to brunch is a Mother’s Day tradition, but it’s all too easy to go wrong with this important meal. Whether it’s long wait times, overcooked eggs, watered-down mimosas, or overpriced buffets, what should be a treat for mom can easily turn into a less-than-pleasant experience. To avoid a brunch disaster (and keep a smile on the face of mom and the rest of the family), you need to choose the right restaurant, which is where OpenTable’s list of the 100 best brunch restaurants comes in.
The website put together its list after analyzing more than 5 million restaurant reviews submitted between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016. The result is a diverse array of eateries ranging from a casual beachside spot in a California state park (The Beachcomber Café), Creole cuisine served in a glamorous New Orleans setting (Brennan’s), or fine dining in a historic lodge (Majestic Yosemite Hotel). We’ve narrowed down the list even further to highlight seven standout spots for a memorable Mother’s Day brunch. Our featured spot is #1. BRUNCH (Chicago, Illinois).
The name says it all. Breakfast and brunch items are the specialty at this spot in the River North neighborhood, which sources most of its produce, meat, and cheese from the Midwest. On the menu, you’ll find chicken and waffle bites, brunch nachos, red velvet pancakes, and other variations on classic breakfast dishes. Best off all, it’s budget friendly, with plenty of items available for under $10. That means more dollars to spend on specialty drinks, like the Beermosa (Wittekerke wit beer with a side of fresh-squeezed orange juice) or the Cherry Sunrise (sparkling cherry wine, Champagne, and OJ).
2. Founding Farmers (Various Locations)
DC-area mini-chain Founding Farmers doesn’t just serve farm-to-table food. The restaurant is actually owned by 40,000 different farmers, all members of the North Dakota Farmers Union. For brunch, try a sausage, mushroom, and spinach scramble or maple-cured ham and eggs. Whatever you do, be sure to treat your mom to a plate of beignets served with raspberry, chocolate, and caramel sauces. Locations in Washington, D.C.; Montgomery County, Maryland; and Tysons, Virginia (a brunch buffet is available on weekends at the Tysons location).
3. Queen Mary (Long Beach, California)
Treating your mom to a cruise may not be in the budget this year, but she can still dine in style when you reserve a table at the Sunday Champagne brunch on the Queen Mary. The luxurious ocean liner, which sailed from the 1930s through the 1960s, is now a hotel and permanently docked in Long Beach Harbor. The brunch buffet features 50 dishes from around the world, and diners can sample everything from sushi to scrambled eggs, plus made-to-order omelettes, fresh-shucked oysters, and a make-your-own sundae bar.
4. Salty’s on Alki Beach (Seattle, Washington)
Seafood-loving moms will enjoy the Sunday brunch at Salty’s on Alki Beach in Seattle, where you can sample Dungeness crab, seafood chowder, Puget Sound clams and mussels, oysters on the half shell, and smoked salmon mousse at the buffet. There’s also a pasta station, made-to-order eggs, and a yogurt and oatmeal bar. Kids (and kids at heart) won’t be able to get enough of the chocolate and caramel fountains. OpenTable diners also named Salty’s Portland, Oregon, location as another best-bet for brunch.
5. Poor Calvin’s (Atlanta, Georgia)
Moms who are bored by the ho-hum omelettes and deadly dull pancakes you’ll find at many breakfast spots will appreciate the more innovative menu at Poor Calvin’s, an Atlanta restaurant that fuses Thai cuisine with traditional Southern fare. For brunch, that means a seafood omelette made with calamari, shrimp, lobster, crab meat, cheese, vegetables, and Japanese mayo; lobster fried rice; or fried chicken served with a sweet potato waffle. Small bites include lobster mac and cheese, fried calamari, and a crab cake with curry mustard. Wash it all down with a tikki rum punch or mango frozen margarita.
6. Cheever’s Café (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Southwestern-inspired comfort food is on the brunch menu at this Oklahoma City bistro. Start with the roasted chicken and pepper jack strudel and a homemade cinnamon roll, then try the chicken-fried steak with jalapeño cream gravy, French toast bread pudding, or roasted chicken enchiladas. While she eats, Mom can sip on a Cheever’s bloody Mary garnished with pickled okra, celery, and jalapeño.
7. The Beehive (Boston, Massachusetts)
The special Mother’s Day brunch menu at this funky Middle Eastern- and Eastern European-influenced Boston restaurant features items like lamb moussaka, blueberry rhubarb coffee cake, eggs shakshuka, Caesar salad with chickpea croutons, and candied garlic spare ribs. You can also enjoy live music while you dine; the restaurant was voted one of the 100 best jazz clubs in world by Downbeat magazine.
Happy Mother's Day!
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Live well,
Yvonne
