Mother’s Day brunch in D.C. is something to look forward to each spring, but when it comes to celebrating the moms in your life, Washington DC offers so many more things to do than just a morning at a restaurant.
Check out all of the Mother’s Day spa treatments at DC hotels, tours you can take mom on to show off the nation’s capital, the best afternoon teas in DC, pre-made picnic baskets, wine tasting, lunch, dinner, cocktails and wine bars to celebrate the women in your life all weekend.
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Mother’s Day Brunch Near Me in DC
Let’s kick things off with brunch in DC on Mother’s Day, since that is what most kids know to do for the mom (aunts, grandmoms, etc.) in their lives.
1789 Restaurant
Enjoy a three-course, prix-fix menu all day at 1789 Restaurant. Start with a Burrata and melon salad, order truffle arancini for the table and indulge in a pan-seared Scottish salmon before digging into a lemon meringue tart for dessert. And that’s just a tiny sample of what you could get!
Belga Cafe
Brunch and dinner are on the menu this Mother’s Day at Belga Cafe. Dine on Belga’s regular brunch menu filled with cocktails, sparkling wine, and decadent Belguim hot chocolate with Irish cream.
Try one of their original Doffels (fluffier than a waffle and better than a donut), quiche, steak frites and so many more decadent and unique options you may have to pop in for brunch more than once.
Blue Duck Tavern
Reservations are a must at Blue Duck Tavern on any given weekend, but on Mother’s Day they are necessary if you even want to get in the door.
The Mother’s Day brunch menu is offering a three-course menu that mom can build with all of her favorite things, like the “Blue Duck Tavern Benedict.”
Commissary
Sit down for brunch or grab a “Breakfast in Bed” Mother’s Day box to save yourself the headache of trying to make mom the perfect meal.
Boxes include things like blueberry bread, French toast and frittatas, giving a little something for everyone in the family to enjoy over a hot cup of Joe.
Donahue
Every single mom who walks in the door is getting a free glass of champagne at this cocktail bar, to go along with 12 dishes on the menu that will keep the whole family full.
Dishes can get a little fancy, with things like pea foam, so be mindful if you are bringing picky eaters. Kids over 21 treating mom for the day will have a lot more fun than toddlers.
Farmers Fishers Bakers
You could grab “Mother’s Day to Go” from Farmers Fishers Bakers and serve mom in bed, but then she would probably end up doing the dishes. Instead, bring mom to the restaurant for eggs Benedict, bananas foster French toast, Breakfast Jambalaya, cinnamon rolls and a round of mimosas.
The Hamilton
Grab your favorite mama and get ready for a whole lot of fun at “Brunch & A Movie” at The Hamilton. You’ll be able to order off of the full food and drink menu, while you watch Mamma Mia with your gal pals, moms, aunts and grandma.
Immigrant Food
Chef Mile Montezuma is whipping up something just for moms called the “Empowered Croque Madame.” Vegetarians beware, this classic French sandwich comes with an added twist–pastrami and mushrooms.
If you can’t stay, or you want a gift to go after your brunch, pick up the Asylum Works “Gift of Goodness”, a reusable tin filled with alfajores. Proceeds support asylum seekers and connect them with employment services, social workers, lawyers and other services they may need.
Lincoln – DC
Come for the sticky buns (yes please!) and stay for the three-course menu with lobster, steak and fish galore.
The Line Hotel- Openaire
Enjoy a Mother’s Day brunch filled with family-style starters and choice of entree, like huevos rancheros and cornflake crusted French toast. This is a two-course, prix fix menu so dig into all of the extra goodies that come with your meal, and bring friends and family to share.
Pisco Y Nazca
Book a seat for Mother’s Day brunch at Pisco Y Nazca, one of our favorite Peruvian restaurants in Washington, D.C. Cocktails are a must, so make sure you check the menu to see what is offered this spring.
Special alfajores will be offered, and moms get a $20 gift card to use at their next happy hour in DC with the girls.
Rasika West End
Get comfortable as you dig into the three-course, prix fixe menu at Rasika West End. Appetizers include dishes like Anda Bhurjee Vol-au-Vent and Palak Chaat (one of our favorite dishes), and entrees like Halibut Kerala Curry and Lamb Biryan.
Don’t worry, it all ends with a sampling of sweet desserts like Masala chai cheesecake, strawberry rasmalai and saffron bread butter pudding.
The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner
Enjoy a prix-fix, family-style brunch with mom this year just outside of Washington DC, as you dig into a seafood platter, tomahawk steak and plenty of other goodies from the chefs at Entyse Bistro.
Tabard Inn
We never need an excuse to pop into Tabard Inn, especially when we are craving donuts. Book a table well in advance, as the locals and visitors all know about this place. Ask to sit in the back, which is filled with light throughout the morning.
Again, order the donuts to start, and then dig into breakfast favorites like omelets, pancakes and French toast.
Teddy & The Bully Bar
Chopped Champion Demetrio Zavala has designed a four-course Mother’s Day menu that will be served throughout the day (until the dinner menu starts).
Dig into eggs, French toast, and more staples you just can’t live without at brunch.
The Pig – EatWell DC
Special brunch entrees and cocktails, like She’s A Queen, will be offered during brunch, or you can pop in for dinner for a tender plate of Pernil Pork (my favorite!!!)
Zaytinya
If you have ever been to Zaytinya for dinner, or even happy hour, you know that José Andrés’s Mediterranean restaurant is the best spot to grab a ton of shared plates, let the kids sample a few new flavors, and enjoy a seasonal cocktail or glass of wine out on their patio.
The inside is gorgeous, but outside is where we like to congregate when we bring the kids, and Mother’s Day brunch at Zaytinya is no different.
Order the three-course brunch menu, and savor every bite as the kids talk nonstop around you.
Mother’s Day Lunch and Dinner Options
Sometimes mom just needs to be celebrated multiple times in one day, or maybe she just wants to sleep in.
A Mother’s Day lunch or dinner is the perfect way to still show mom you care, even if you can’t be there with a mimosa to hand her before she has even brushed her teeth in the morning.
Bresca
Bresca is offering a Mother’s day menu from lunch through early dinner. Book a table in the dining room or greenhouse to guarantee your spot.
Bistrot Lepic & Wine Bar
Moms won’t have to worry about bringing their kids to this four-course meal since their kids have their own menu that they will rave about while mom is pampered with a grown-up menu.
Dishes include salad, calamari, gazpacho, grilled duck, beef stew, Maryland crab, a cheese course, and of course, dessert.
Jônt
Got three-hours and just under $300 per person to spare this Mother’s day? The 16-course menu at Jônt will fill you up for the week, and give you delectable tastes throughout your meal.
Mom sure won’t forget this one anytime soon.
La Vie
Grab a table with a view at the Wharf to enjoy the four-course Chef’s special menu for Mother’s Day. The cocktail menu is always on point for spring, so start off with a refreshing sip before you dive into the menu.
Limitless brunch is the way to go, with sweet and savory options, discounts for kids and a cotton candy baked Alaska you just have to see to believe.
RPM Italian – DC
If mom loves Italian, get her a reservation ASAP for lunch or dinner so she can order herself a great bottle of wine, pasta and more.
You could order takeaway, but why bother when you can sit down for fresh out of the kitchen Prime Beef Meatballs, Mama DePandi’s Bucatini with pomodoro and Genovese basil or Spicy King Crab with squid ink spaghetti?
Xiquet by Danny Lledó
If you have ever wanted to sample Xiquet by Danny Lledo, now is your chance. The chef is offering a five-course tasting menu for dinner on Mother’s Day that you won’t want to miss.
Picnics via Mother’s Day in a Box
If mom loves to be outside, pick up some takeout to make your DC waterfall hike or day in the park extra special.
Several restaurants have take out boxes and brunch baskets for you to grab without having to deal with the crowds.
Do order ahead of time to make sure you get your box and it is ready for your outing.
Call Your Mother
Who better to create a Mother’s Day Brunch Box than Call Your Mother? This epic breakfast box is filled with bagels, plain cream cheese, herb cream cheese, house-made berry jam, smoked salmon, chocolate babka muffins, mini berry pop tarts, orange juice, prosecco and even a card for mom.
All you have to do is grab some plates, napkins and plastic wine glasses and you are good to go.
Please remember that you can not drink alcohol in public in Washington, D.C. Enjoy your mimosas at home.
Colada Shop
If mom already loves the coffee and hot chocolate at Colada, then she will love the Mother’s Day package.
Let her have the first bite of guava pastelitos, empanadas (meat and vegetarian options available), croquetas (vegetarian option available), coconut oat and quinoa pudding with pineapple compote, and a bottle of Cava with fresh juice.
Hamilton Hotel
For about three weeks in May, the Hamilton Hotel is helping families celebrate mom with a “Mother’s Day Basket” package. You can book a hotel stay with basket OR buy the basket on its own if you are local and want to sleep in your own bed.
However, moms always deserve a staycation, so maybe get mom the hotel room for the nght to get some solid sleep and then meet up for a picnic wiith your basket the next day.
The “Mother’s Day Basket” offering includes:
- Bottle of champagne
- Carafe of fresh squeezed orange juice
- Chocolate-covered strawberries
- Brown butter chocolate chip cookies
- Chef’s choice preserves + jams
- House made cultured butter
- Formaggio
- Warm croissants
- Rosemary taralli
- Focaccia
- Bouquet of lilies and/or roses
Georgetown Cupcake
Anyone who knows moms, knows that we have a bit of a sweettooth. Starting on the first day in May, Georgetown Cupcake is offering a dozen cupcakes sold in a pink heart-shaped box just for mom.
Yes, it’s confusing because she may think it’s a belated Valentine’s Day, but who deserves more love than the moms in your life? OK, maybe dad, but he’ll have his day in June.
La Famosa
If you haven’t been to La Famosa for delectable Puerto Rican food, then you haven’t started to enjoy the year quite yet. Stop making excuses and pick up a pastry box filled with sweet cheese quesitos, guava pastelillos, shortbread-style mantecaditos and coconut macaroons.
You must pre-order your box, which can be picked up two days before Mother’s Day (and the day before too).
Old Ebbitt Grill
While we love happy hour at Old Ebbitt Grill, a Mother’s Day is pretty high up there. Old Ebbitt Grill, along with its sister restaurants Clyde’s and The Hamilton, are all offering a “Mother’s Day at Home” box filled with goodies to create a little Mother’s Day celebration wherever you feel like it.
- STARTERS: Soup, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with Cocktail Sauce, Coffee Cake, Market Salad, Caesar Salad
- ENTREES: Glazed Spiral Ham $44/$88, Roast Sea Bass $50/$100, Baked Crab Cakes $72/$144, Roast Beef Tenderloin $72/$144, Surf & Turf $80/$160 – Filet & Crab Cake
- SAUCES: Bordelaise, Tartar Sauce, Scallion-Caper Vinaigrette, Whole Grain Mustard Cream Sauce, Rum Raisin Sauce
- STARCH & VEGGIES: Whipped Potatoes, Potato Gratin, Mac & Cheese, Maryland Asparagus, Green Beans
- DESSERT: Strawberry Shortcake, Double Chocolate Brownie
- WINES: Vary by location
Each dinner can feed TWO or FOUR guests and includes a choice of two sides and a sauce. Additional sides, sauces, desserts, & wine available for purchase a la carte.
Order your box the Thursday just before Mother’s Day to guarantee your pick up on Saturday or Sunday at any of the three locations.
Wine and Cocktails
Cork & Fork
Create a mix just for mom from the pre-selected whites, reds, roses and sparkling at Cork & Fork all for a set price under $50 (for 4 bottles). Enjoy a glass while there, or take it all home for your homemade Mother’s Day dinner.
More Cocktail Bars for Mother’s Day
- Gin Joint/Babinga Bar
- BETSY
- Hi-Lawn
- Shelter
Afternoon Tea in Washington DC
Mandarin Oriental
Get a table near the window to enjoy a decadent afternoon tea overlooking the Empress Garden this Mother’s Day. Order your favorite tea (your server is happy to help with selection) to enjoy with scones, tea sandwiches, and pastries.
Mother’s Day tea also includes a glass of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) for mom to sit back and enjoy as she watches the light change over the Potomac River.
Reservations are essential at one of the two seatings, as space is limited and this is a very popular spot for afternoon tea.
Fairmont Washington, DC Georgetown
Sit down for a Royal Afternoon Tea Friday through Sunday to celebrate mom as a queen for the day in the Queen of Hearts Lounge. Moms will be crowned with a tiara and treated to citrus strawberries with cream, along with other favorites of the Queen of England.
Champagne and sparkling wine (added fee) will also be offered to complement your tea service.
Reservations are necessary and space is limited.
The Willard: Peacock Alley
Grab your spot at one of two seatings on Mother’s Day, where your entire party can enjoy loose leaf teas by the J’enwey Tea Company, tea sandwiches, sweet pastries and the hotel’s famous scones.
If you’d rather have tea at home, you can grab an “Afternoon Tea to Go,” which includes all of the same things minus the table service. It’s also a bit cheaper, if you are on a tight budget, but want to spoil mom in a way she truly deserves.
Ritz- Carlton, Pentagon City
Enjoy a Mother’s Day afternoon tea as you look across the Potomac River at Washington, D.C. from the 18th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City. Start your afternoon with a glass of bubbly G.H. Mumm Champagne, before you dig into loose-leaf tea, warm scones and seasonal spring sweets and savories.
Reservations are a must as there are only two seatings per day on Mother’s Day weekend.
More Afternoon Teas in Washington DC
- The Park Hyatt
- Henley Park Hotel
- St. Regis
- Four Seasons
- The Watergate Hotel: Kingbird
Mother’s Day Spa Day
Mandarin Oriental
Treat mom like the empress she is with a “Love Her with Lavender” treatment. This full body experience centers around a massage that includes an herbal infused heat pack, scalp massage, lavender infused cocktail, and a lavender filled sachet gift to help mom fall into a deep and soothing sleep after a long day of celebrating her.
Save $20 when you book a treatment Monday through Thursday.
Thompson Hotel
Moms can take all the time they like in the morning when you book the Mother’s Day Soul Nourishment package.
Check into your room and then head to the spa for a 60-minute float in a shallow, sensory-free pool of water saturated with Epsom salt to pull out all of those stress-filled toxins and a BlueFlower Essential Oil Blends to lull you into a tranquil state.
Spend the night wrapped in a robe while you watch TV in a giant bed that you can have all to yourself.
Wake up to a mimosa-infused brunch in bed before you leisurely get ready to head home thanks to an extended check-out time.
Grab this deal quick as it only lasts the week of Mother’s Day!
Ritz-Carlton Georgetown
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown is where you go to spoil the soon-to-be mom in your life. Everyone knows it takes at least 60 minutes to wind down and start to really appreciate a massage, so the Ritz-Carlton created the 100 minute “A Soon to Be Mother’s Dream” designed to tone and firm skin, and ease tired muscles for mother’s who are past their first trimester.
If you aren’t quite feeling that pregnancy glow yet, you can also book the “Mommy Glow” for a gentle, head-to-toe body exfoliation and soothing massage that eases overworked muscles and leaves your skin feeling baby soft.
Fully-trained prenatal massage therapists mean mom can relax, while someone else takes care of her in the unique way needed for expectant mothers.
Best of all, these treatments are available all year long, so grab a gift certificate for the new mom in your life so she can treat herself when she needs it most.
The Watergate Hotel
Give your head, arms, hands and feet a little extra love with the “Soul Journey” 50-minute treatment that utilizes a blend of essential oils of mint and warm wraps for the hands and feet.
Come out of your blissful session with a glass of champagne and decadent French macarons before you have to head home and face the kids again.
For moms-to-be, you can indulge in a little prenatal relaxation with the “Precious Moments for Mom-to-Be,” a 60-minute treatment that includes a specialized mask to support connective tissue and prevent stretch marks.
Your feet are then wrapped in Laminaria Digitata Seaweed leaves to help boost circulation, improve lymphatic drainage and reduce fluid retention.
As a mom of two, I can tell you that this feels amazing when you are retaining water and not quite comfortable in your own skin.
Things to do in DC on Mother’s Day Weekend
While we love afternoon tea, brunch, picnics and spa treatments, sometimes you want to treat mom to something uniquely “Washington DC.”
You may also be short on money and looking for a way to celebrate mom on a budget you can afford (mom will be proud of you for being fiscally responsible, trust me).
Spring in Washington DC is the perfect time to get outside, see a new art exhibit, check out the museums, go on a walking or bike tour, and even a river cruise along the Potomac River.
Here are just a few of our favorite things to do in spring in D.C:
- Georgetown GLOW
- River cruise
- Bike tour
- Museum hop around the National Mall
- Explore the Washington DC parks
- Cheap Mother’s Day at a Coffee Shop
- May Events in DC
Looking for a Washington DC Hotel?
- Hotel Hive – Affordable, trendy, pet-friendly hotel
- Eaton Hotel – Stay in the heart of DC
- Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC – DC luxury at it’s best
- Kimpton Hotel George – Great for families and pets
- Willard InterContinental Washington – Historic hotel right near the White House
