Sydney Eat Street: Best places to eat on Mother’s Day
From fine dining at home, seafood by the waterside to the most delicious of treats, this is how you spoil mum on Mother’s Day.
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Family memories are made around the table, but don’t be tied to the kitchen for Mother’s Day, try some gourmet takeaway or choose to head out for a fine meal.
Hearts Of Cupid
Nothing says I love you like a broken heart. If you don’t believe it, just ask Kelly McKeown and her sister Nora. The pair put aside their established catering business and began making 3-D chocolate hearts, chock-full of fillings such as Nutella, peanut butter, caramel, and any other lollies you can imagine. As the shell is rather fragile until filled, they started with a palm-sized range, but as their confidence and skill grew, so too did their hearts.
Now their largest takes two hands to hold, and to break. They’ve toyed with other shapes but Kelly says that their originals are still the most popular, particularly now that their customers can choose between 18 different fillings and different colours. Tell mum you care with a box of six hearts in her favourite colour, or go the pun route, such as a “heart of gold” or “young at heart”.
The Tropic
There is a casual elegance to The Tropic, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that is part of the Manly Wharf Hotel’s renovation. Executive chef Francois Poulard’s menu is seafood-driven, perfectly suited to the harbour-front location. For starters, alongside fresh oysters, more-ish wood-fired bread dips into hummus but could rightfully pair with anything.
Top contenders include a crispy fish sandwich, cold seafood platter or lobster frites. For Mother’s Day, mums will be greeted with a free glass of champagne and a flower. Treat your mum to the indulgent seafood platter and you will be the favourite child for life.
The Fold
Mother’s Day isn’t just another day in the kitchen for Travin De Hoedt and his family, who run The Fold. Sri Lankan Inspired restaurant in Dulwich Hill.
“High tea is very popular in Sri Lanka, same with its tea,” says Travin.
“And my mum loves drinking tea. Every Saturday or Sunday we’d go, and we would always go to high tea on Mother’s Day. It makes sense for us to do high tea because as Sri Lankans, it’s close to our heart.”
The high tea menu starts with a Lankan Mojito on arrival, followed by four cold savoury bites including a chilli crab bun, five hot savoury items including tamarind and chilli chicken sliders. There are also plenty of sweets, including the childhood favourite Lankan ribbon cake, raspberry and rose tart, Sri Lankan love cake, tea-soaked scones with strawberry and rhubarb jam.
There are two Mother’s Day seatings at this New Canterbury Rd favourite, from 11am-1.30pm and 2pm-4.30pm.
But be quick, as reservations, like the cafe and patisserie’s pastries, sell out fast.
– thefoldcafeandpatisserie.com.au
SRG Home
SRG Home Dining, Sydney Restaurant Group’s answer to takeaway and “almost ready meals” are curated by executive chef Davide Rebeccato and reflect decades of his experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, five-star hotels and Aqua Dining. For Mother’s Day choose from a dinner of mini buns with spanner crab, buckwheat blini and a choice of vitello tonnato, fresh lobster spaghetti, lamb shoulder with salsa verde, thyme and lemongrass jus.
Finish with wild berry and dark chocolate bavarois and more. Most meals are pre-cooked and just need heating. Pre-order by May 6.
– sydneyrestaurantgroup.com.au/srg-home-dining
Ventuno
This Italian restaurant fronts the bustling Walsh Bay boardwalk with a stellar harbour view. A relatively recent refresh has kept the original essence of the establishment with a lighter earth-toned palate to the decor. In the kitchen, Chef Adam Spencer has applied a more tempered touch to the menu with a focus on market-fresh ingredients as evidenced by the special three-course set menu available for lunch on Mother’s Day: a choice between burrata, cured kingfish, or duck and foie gras liver parfait for the entree.
Mains are a choice between hand-rolled gnocchi with pumpkin puree, snapper fillet or glazed porchetta. Save room for dessert as there’s no going past the chocolate and salted caramel tart with caramelised fig ice cream. ($125 per adult, $55 per child). Bill Drakopoulos, the Director of the hospitality group that acquired Ventuno says: “After almost two years of restrictions for us all, it’s time once again to cerebrate and spoil mum!”.
Devon & Tokyo Lamington
Two of Sydney’s truly innovative culinary brands Devon and Tokyo Lamington are pairing up over Mother’s Day weekend to bring what they call, “a matcha-made in heaven”. Together, they’ve created a picnic box with items inspired by one another’s’ menus.
On the sweet side, there are the Dai Dai (an Asian bitter orange) meringue, and Strawberry & Matcha Lamingtons, and for the savoury selection Zach has taken the flavours of two Devon classics, and created the King Salmon Mentaiko, and Bacon & Egg Onigiri (Japanese rice balls). This collaborative creation will cost you $28, but only available May 7 & 8 at Devon Barangaroo, Devon North Sydney, and Tokyo Lamington (Newtown).
Champainting
Over two hours, have fun painting, sipping BYO bubbles (or whatever else you’d like to bring) and walk away with matching paintings to cherish forever. While there are sessions at different Sydney-wide locations throughout the year, the ‘Paint Your Mum’ session on Saturday, May 7 at the Crows Nest studio is perfectly poignant ($60pp).
Black Star Pastry
Everything that comes out of Black Star Pastry’s kitchen is a delight but this Mother’s Day, Group Head Pastry Chef, Arnaud Vodounou, has something particularly lovely in store – a roulade-inspired cake made with three layers, starting with a vanilla and matcha sponge, followed by a light and refreshing floral compote, and an osmanthus and elderflower cream, rolled and finished with fresh and vegan cream flowers. Pre-order for pick-up Friday, May 6 – Sunday, May 8 at all Sydney locations ($60).
BLACK Bar & Grill
Premium seafood including Sydney rock oysters, marron, Moreton Bay bugs, and more are on offer this Mother’s Day but before, the moment is lost, toast to mum with a glass of Moët & Chandon sparkling wine included with your meal.
— The Star, 80 Pyrmont St, Pyrmont; star.com.au
Pumphouse Sydney
Known for its eclectic dining scene, Darling Square’s latest culinary destination is the newly refurbished Pumphouse Sydney which has swapped out its pub grub menu for an elevated modern Australia menu featuring locally-sourced dishes. Revisit this revived Sydney institution on Mother’s Day for a three-course meal that includes two-hours of bottomless AIX French rosé ($120 per adult, $36 per child)
Harbour View Hotel
Few things are as stunning as a view over Sydney Harbour and the iconic Harbour Bridge. Order the three-course meal at the Harbour View Hotel in The Rocks and mum will receive a glass of Pol Roger Champagne on arrival before everyone is served shared entrees, a choice of three mains, and Crème Caramel with poached rhubarb and strawberries for dessert. ($90pp)
G & Tea
By day it’s all about the 25 different types of tea but at night, the “G” takes centre stage as the light go down and it becomes a glamorous bar specialising in gin-based cocktails. Come in the afternoon for their decadent High Tea then transition into the evening with their signature G & Tea Martini – botanica gin, noily prat and lishan tea.
— The Star, 80 Pyrmont St, star.com.au
Woollahra Hotel
Head East then upstairs at the Woollahra Hotel for a family-sized Mother’s Day feast. Mum gets a complimentary glass of rosé as well ($49pp)
Winter warmers to celebrate the season
Everyone is happy to see the sun peeking through the clouds, but winter’s not all bad. Bid farewell to the colder days with one last hurrah of warming fare.
Sniffing out Sydney’s best truffle desserts
Save the best for last. As truffle season comes to a close, be sure to indulge in some sweet treats featuring the annual earthy gem.