How to plan a Mother’s Day brunch

Serving a brunch menu can be easier than you think. We share the ultimate guide to getting it right for Mother's Day, from the food to the drinks

A brunch menu for Mother’s Day is a savvy way to attract customers to your venue while keeping control over service. You can choose the extent and simplicity of the menu and add little touches to celebrate the occasion – plus, a brunch is generally just one course, keeping serving a breeze and covers coming through the door. Customers can relax over perfectly poached eggs or a glass of something without breaking the bank.

Family shares

Price the menu to make it affordable for families and cost-effective for you. Consider a fixed menu, or give the Instagram craze of grazing boards a go. Choose interesting, great-value items such as continental cold meats, a selection of cheeses, fruit and fresh breads such as ciabatta, baguettes or sliced brioche.

Make sure you…

However, before you start cracking any eggs, the success of your menu rests on a few key aspects: your menu should have something for everyone, including the kids; remember that it’s mum’s day, so don’t forget a welcome drink but give her an option (not all mums like fizz, after all) – a special cocktail, a gin and tonic or mocktail are all good options; and think about teaming up with a local florist to offer a small bunch of flowers for mums to take home. Customers will remember details like this.

Let's eat

Getting an appropriate mix of dishes for brunch is key – it’s good to have both sweet and savoury, and for an event such as Mother’s Day, sharing boards or dishes can provide good value for you and your customers…

Pancakes

Think American, crepes and whatever creative sweet or savoury toppings suit your menu. Ham and garlic mushrooms or banana and whipped cream, anyone?

Go value: A family pancake grazing board can provide high margins. Try a tiered option of 2-4 pancakes per person or by number of toppings.

Go fancy: Thick buttermilk pancakes served with an orange liqueur cream and orange zest or fresh berries, maple syrup and quality back bacon.

Smashed avocado on toast

The Australian favourite can be simple or jazzed up, sometimes served with chilli, feta, lemon or poached eggs, and it’s an easy vegan option if you avoid the eggs.

Go value: Simple smashed avocado with salt, pepper and chilli flakes on sourdough. While sourdough feels premium, it’s a relatively inexpensive bread option.

Go fancy: Make it loaded avocado on toast and top with fresh chillies, crumbled feta or smoked salmon, seeds, a splash of olive oil and black pepper.

Shakshuka

A Middle Eastern dish, also referred to as baked eggs. The eggs are cooked in a tomatoey, sometimes fiery sauce, with paprika. Find our recipe for shakshuka.

Go value: Baked eggs for 2-4 people using a basic tomato recipe that customers can customise by paying extra for items such as bacon, chorizo, halloumi or potatoes.

Go fancy: Make with nduja (spicy sausage paste) or a good-quality chorizo, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a dollop of yogurt. Served with toasted sourdough and fresh herbs.

Brunch stack

Different elements that might feature in a traditional full English breakfast are presented in a stack.

Go value: Offer a vegetarian option with potato waffles or hash browns, tomatoes, field mushrooms and poached eggs. For vegans simply exclude the eggs.

Go fancy: Use more premium ingredients such as potato rosti, black pudding, back bacon, smoked salmon, spinach, or avocado. Serve with a pot of homemade beans.

Drink up

Even if you’re going for a bottomless brunch menu, ensuring you have a variety of drinks on offer can be a game-changer, inspiring every bruncher.

The pitcher

For non- or mindful drinkers (as well as the kids, of course), a non-alcoholic pitcher is ideal. Use Cawston Press Sparkling Orange as the base and add chopped fruit, a handful of fresh mint and plenty of ice. Easy to make but feels like a treat for your guests.

The fizz

A Mimosa: prosecco topped with fresh orange juice is simple and inexpensive (and quick to make!).

Cup of coffee with poached eggs on toast

The hot drinks

Unlimited tea and coffee feels like a strong offering for your brunchers and isn’t expensive to provide.

The beer

Don’t forget to give a beer pairing – a light lager will work well with brunch.

The cocktail

Bloody Mary is a good option. You could also offer a Virgin Mary for the non-drinkers.

Brunch: the definitions

Brunch: Merging breakfast and lunch, brunch is normally served from 10am until noon. Offer savoury and sweet options.
Bottomless brunch: Normally this is a window of 90 minutes to two hours, giving guests the opportunity to have brunch with limitless drinks – often prosecco, Mimosas or Bloody Marys.
All-you-can-eat brunch: For a fixed price and time, guests can enjoy unlimited food.
All-day brunch: A full menu takeover where brunch is served all day (along with other dishes).
Themed brunch: Bingo brunch, DJ brunch and drag brunch are all popular themes that add an interesting twist.