Wendy Hargreaves: Five tasty last-minute Mother’s Day ideas for this Sunday

By WENDY HARGREAVES 

Want to give your mum the mother of all Mother’s Days on May 12? Here are five of Melbourne’s tastiest ways to spoil the woman who made you, but get in quick to book a table. They’re filling fast.

Mums who love a good buffet should also check out my five favourite all-you-can-eat venues in Melbourne.

KING + GODFREE 

293/297 Lygon Street, Carlton [phone]

Carlton’s iconic home of all things Italian and delicious spent several years in reno hibernation, but reopened late last year, bigger and better than ever. Take your mum for a complimentary glass of prosecco on the rooftop at Johnny’s Green Room before settling in for an Italian feast downstairs at Agostino, a stylish new fixture tucked to the side of deli. Lunch will feature a generous antipasto platter, followed by light-as-a-feather ricotta gnocchi with pumpkin, nettle and pecorino Romano. Make sure you leave room for the main course – platters of fish, beef short rib, salad and garlicky fried potatoes – and a rich hazelnut delizioso for dessert (all for $80pp).  Meanwhile, those nice baristas at the K+G Espresso Bar will be handing out house-made hazelnut and milk chocolate Baci to every mum in sight.

CHIN CHIN 

125 Flinders Lane, Melbourne,  [phone]

Dining at this mega-popular restaurant usually means a queue, but not on Mother’s Day. Executive chef Benjamin Cooper is cooking Chin Chin’s first ever brunch, a sharing menu of wok-fried crab omelettes, corn fritters with pork belly and fennel, wok-fried Asian mushies with poached eggs, and sticky breakfast rice with grilled banana. Mums will also get a gift from beauty brand Mecca Max (available for the first 100 bookings). Brunch will be $45pp, with a few tables left at 9am, 9.30am and 10am sittings.

PURE SOUTH DINING 

3 Southgate Ave, Southgate, [phone]

With Melbourne’s best view of the Yarra River, looking north-west through Southbank’s autumn leaves to the CBD, Pure South Dining is a perfect destination for mums who appreciate great produce. The Mother’s Day menu ($69 for two courses, $79 for three courses) includes St Helen’s oysters (at their plump best in May), and might include King Island beef, scallops flown in from Stanley on Tasmania’s north coast, Flinders Island lamb, King Island cheese or Robbins Island Wagyu. This restaurant is a love letter to Tasmania’s finest produce, and never fails to impress. If mum enjoys the odd glass of fizz, enjoy free-flowing Moet & Chandon or Mumm Cordon Rouge for three hours for an extra $70. And if you’re looking for a more informal brunch or lunch, the sunny downstairs diner at Pure South is a great option.

ROCHFORD’S CHOCOLATE CHEESE + WINE FESTIVAL 

878-880 Maroondah Hwy, Coldstream, [phone]

Do the maths. Most mums like chocolate. Lots of mums like cheese. And a fair majority of mums like wine. So this inaugural event at Rochford Wines must be the ultimate Mother’s Day outing, less than an hour’s drive from the city. Rochford has joined forces with artisan chocolatiers Kennedy and Wilson, Melbourne Cocoa, Cuvee and Ministry of Chocolate, along with the amazing cheesemongers at Milk the Cow.  Tickets to the event are free, but you need to register in advance. Book ahead for a hands-on masterclass in chocolate making with Cuvee’s master patissier Deniz Karaca, or learn how to match cheese, wine and chocolate with the team from Milk the Cow. There will also be special Mother’s Day lunch menus at the winery restaurant, along with an Italian feast at 400 Gradi’s  Yarra Valley outpost on the Rochford property. Even better news for parents: Rochford will offer professional child-minding services for kids aged seven and under, so mums can relax with their chocolate, cheese and wine.

EPOCHA

49 Rathdowne St, Carlton, 03 9036 4949

Overlooking the beautiful Carlton Gardens, this grand Victorian terrace is home to some of Melbourne’s finest European fare, along with the best service in town under the watchful eye of owner Angie Giannakodakis. The Mother’s Day lunch is almost booked out with families returning year after year, but if you get in quick you can secure a table for the $75 lunch featuring Epocha’s famously generous roast chicken with duck fat potatoes, along with a feast of other dishes from entree to dessert. All mums will also enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles on arrival.

Wendy writes online at fiveofthebest.com.