We know we said that only grand gestures will do this Mother’s Day, but there is nothing grander than giving Mom the gift of your time. And because you’re such a good multi-
tasker, it just makes sense to spend that time breaking bread (or a tin of caviar) to celebrate Mom at these top NYC spots.
The Brunch: The Golden Swan
The Neighborhood: West Village
Let’s begin with the old reliable — The Golden Swan. This French restaurant is quintessential Mother’s Day in NYC. This year, they are offering three seating choices to open the opportunity to more families for a not-so-easy reservation. You can choose from the Wallace Bar Room, the Main Dining Room, or bar seating. The townhouse will be wafting with the smell of their famous pancakes, and you’ll watch your omelette be made tableside. The meal is three courses, and you can expect options like coconut-cured salmon, crab Benedict, and key lime tarts.
The Brunch: Cafe Carmellini
The Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
You’re looking for a spot with accolades, music, and a prix fixe that determines price instantly. Cafe Carmellini gives you some wiggle room with a champagne brunch during the first half of the day and a dinner for those of you who prefer an evening get-together. In 2025, Cafe Carmellini made North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list, so credentials are high. There is a two-course set menu and all the champagne and Osetra caviar you could ask for. The package is $95 per adult and $65 for children under twelve. The large dining room makes this option feel like a full-blown holiday.
The Brunch: The Ned
The Neighborhood: Flatiron
Mother’s Day at The Ned has the wow factor of walking through a five-star hotel to get to your meal. Make your way into the moody bar at Ned’s Club downstairs for the Feast. This is not a meal with slim pickings, as the name suggests. You’ll have a spread of roasts, a seafood bar, and custom omelettes—perfect for picky moms. If you add the drink package, an unlimited amount of mimosas and Bloody Marys will be at your disposal. Get mom tipsy and spill all the family secrets here—they’ll be expertly concealed by the sound of live music.
The Brunch: Cafe Mulberry
The Neighborhood: Nolita
The Mulberry Bar has had its moment. Around 2023, the celebrity-fueled cocktail lounge had a vacant storefront above, adding to its elusive quality. That is, until 2025 came to a close and Cafe Mulberry took root. Now, the building has a space for every moment: a bar for the later hours of the night, a cafe with new dinner seating that feels like an intimate European house party (the warm-hearted waitstaff walk around like the hosts of a party and are seriously friendly), and the just-opened back garden, which is your real ticket to a successful Mother’s Day plan. Sit underneath scalloped umbrellas at a charming marble countertop and have a frosé brunch while you watch your French toast set ablaze tableside. This is one of the most fashionable reservations you can lock down in NYC right now.
The Brunch: Raf’s
The Neighborhood: NoHo
What better way to spend Mother’s Day than at a bakery? At Raf’s, you can experience Italian and French baked goods to your heart’s content without the time constraint of the infamous morning rush, as it continues into the late afternoon. To make matters simpler (while still looking like you’ve tried, of course), a prix fixe brunch menu for $75 includes a pastry basket for the table with local delicacies like pistachio granola yogurt and the “French Mom-elette.” Dessert is where it’s at, with caramelized white chocolate budino and opera cakes to choose from. If there are young ones joining the celebration, Raf’s will also be adding a kids’ menu for the festivities with smaller portions and kid-friendly options—because the truth is, mom can’t relax until everyone else is taken care of.
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FAQs
Q: What are the brunch hours for Raf’s on Mother’s Day?
A: Brunch service will be available from 9 AM–3 PM. Reservations will be available on Resy.
Q: Where is The Ned located?
A: The Ned’s address is 1170 Broadway, NY, NY 10001.
Q: Can I bring my younger children to The Golden Swan?
A: Children are welcome at The Golden Swan. Kids ten and under have a prix fixe for $45, and they are unable to join bar seatings.
