Long Island restaurants gear up for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is considered one of the busiest times for restaurants, and on Long Island, restaurants are gearing up to create experiences for their guests to celebrate the special women in their lives.

“For Mother’s Day, we wanted to offer our guests a chance to embark on a unique journey through Spanish flavors and traditions,” said Tara Poulakis, owner of Hamptons Bay-based The Hampton Maid and its restaurant R.Aire, which is run by chef Alex Bujoreanu.

“Partnering with Bagordi Wines allows us to introduce our diners to exquisite wines from a 14th generation family-owned winery in the Rioja region” of northern Spain, she added.

Known for its “organic tempranillo and garnacha wines,” Bagordi Wines are “produced from ancient grapevines dating back to 1723,” Poulakis said. “Guests will have the opportunity to savor undiscovered gems expertly paired with our Spanish-inspired menu, and to meet the winemaker, Luis Manuel. It's a celebration of heritage, innovation and the joy of sharing great food and wine with loved ones."

Mother’s Day was the biggest dining day of 2023, with the day prior registering as the second biggest, according to data from OpenTable, the reservation-booking platform. This time of year, there are a lot of occasions to celebrate, including college graduations, and that can bump the festivities across the weekend, from brunch to dinner.

This year, 62% of the 1,501 respondents surveyed by OpenTable in March, 62% said they are planning to spend this Mother’s Day at a restaurant, bar or caf. The respondents anticipated spending more than $75 per person. As many as 31% are considering dining out multiple times for Mother’s Day, and 40% will be dining out for lunch or brunch.

In East Meadow, Tom Gloster, the chef at The Union, is adding Mother’s Day specials to the restaurant’s regular brunch menu. They include carrot cake pancakes with cream cheese icing, brioche French toast, steak and eggs, deviled eggs and artisanal sandwiches, along with specialty cocktails and more.

“This is the most important meal of the year. Let us take the pressure off and we'll make Mother's Day special,” Elias Trahanas, co-founder of Trahanas Hospitality Group, which owns and operates The Union, said in a news release about Mother’s Day. “Focus on spending time with mom, and we'll focus on feeding her.”

And all weekend long, True Food Kitchen at Roosevelt Field in Garden City is offering a sharable “Mother’s Day treat tower” that includes strawberry crumble bites, yogurt parfaits and lemon and blueberry ricotta muffins for brunch.

Meanwhile, over in Sag Harbor, The Bell & Anchor is offering special brunch and dinner menus. Brunch items include lobster Benedict as well as duck hash, while dinner selections include bouillabaisse, pan-roasted Scottish salmon and other items. The full a la carte menu for both brunch and dinner will also be available.

For those seeking “the ultimate brunch experience,” Northport-based Del Vino Vineyards is featured on Open Table’s “Top 100 Brunch Restaurants in America” for 2024. The list is based on an analysis of more than 14 million diner reviews and metrics, including diner ratings and the percentage of restaurant reviews diners tagged as "brunch." Del Vino is currently sold out for Mother’s Day, but for those set on experiencing brunch there, reservations can be made 60 days in advance, according to its website.

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