Mother’s Day brunch suggestions

[UPDATE: Want to check out my 2016 brunch suggestions? Check here!]

Confession: a couple years ago I completely dropped the ball when I didn’t make any plans for Mother’s Day brunch… while my parents were visiting us IN COLUMBUS. That’s right: Breakfast With Nick forgot to make brunch reservations for his own mother. And his wife. For Mother’s Day. In his own city. Thankfully, a trip to Starliner Diner saved the day.

Don’t be like me. If brunch is part of your plans to celebrate Mom (and Grandma!), think ahead. At this point, being the week of Mother’s Day, many of the fancier places will be full up already, but lucky for you there are some creative (and less expensive) alternatives. Understand, though, that most places will be busy on Mother’s Day. Make reservations if they take them; if not, just be prepared to wait or to show up a little earlier.

Ethyl & Tank – E&T is a recent discovery close to campus that really impressed us. Parking is a little awkward, but the restaurant space is huge, as are the portions. We enjoyed the over-the-top Tank Pancakes with pulled pork and cheddar, and the juicy Breakfast Burger. And you can’t beat the $5 build-your-own Bloody Mary bar! Special bonus: they’re a full service coffee shop and have a small arcade upstairs.

Cravings Carryout Cafe – this Italian Village carryout has become a favorite of our family. The space is more ideally suited to carryout, but they have a couple picnic tables next to the campfire outside. We haven’t had a bad item on the menu, but our favorites are the breakfast roll, the BLT, and the cinnamon rolls made with their brioche bread. (Check out Karina and I visiting the cafe for 10TV!)

The Angry Baker – this corner cafe in Olde Towne East serves up beautiful baked goods alongside knife-and-fork burritos, sandwiches, and quiche. If Mom prefers vegan or gluten free, Angry Baker has you covered, too, with their oatmeal pancakes and biscuits & mushroom gravy.

Mughal Darbar – our favorite Indian restaurant is set up in an old house just north of campus. They offer a Sunday buffet that’s a regular stop. Perfect if you’ve got a big group and the family is up for more adventurous eating.

The Hungry Soul Cafe – we just hit up Hungry Soul’s brunch for the first time this past weekend and walked away full and happy (full post coming next week!). The long, wood-accented space serves as a quiet and comfortable atmosphere for a Sunday brunch of classics like waffles, omelets, and biscuits & gravy, or more creative dishes like Hungarian crepes with apples, apple butter, and sausage, or oatmeal with peaches in bourbon butter sauce. Tack on a delicious $5 Bloody Mary, and you’re set!

de-NOVO bistro & bar – de-NOVO is probably the most traditional brunch spot of this list, but I think their breakfast and brunch deserves more attention. We enjoyed rich biscuits and gravy, Bloody Marys, and omelets on our visit, and you can’t beat their funky decorations.

Sunflower Chinese Restaurant & Lounge – Sunflower is one of the only places in town serving dim sum, and fortunately for Columbus it’s a very good one. Get the full dim sum experience on weekends, when the dining room is full of carts being pushed from table to table. Select shareable dishes with dumplings, noodles, rice wrapped in lotus leaves, and so much more.

Olive Tree – out in Hilliard, Olive Tree serves a delightful Mediterranean breakfast on Sundays. Front and center on the menu is shakshouka, a rich Middle Eastern/North African meal featuring eggs poached in tomatoes, peppers, and spices. Other dishes include Mediterranean omelets, challah French toast, and frittatas.

Village Crepe – this downtown Pickerington spot serves up a varied menu of sweet and savory crepes. Sweet crepes are loaded with salty caramel or banana hazelnut, while savory ones are filled with cheeses or spinach and ricotta.

Visit a food truck! Stop by one of Columbus’ many food trucks for a tasty meal. Find Mya’s Fried Chicken or Ray Ray’s Hog Pit in Clintonville, or enjoy a pint of Seventh Son‘s beer while getting brunch from Challah Food Truck parked out front.

Don’t want to go out? Impress Mom with your mad brunch-making skills. Pre-order some Sammy’s Bagels (order by 3pm on Friday!), look over my post on 11 Ways To Cook An Egg, and practice some poaching.