Mother's Day Brunch
Think it’s too early to think about Mother’s Day? Not in Austin! May 8th is not far away, and with so many people moving to Austin, it’s getting harder and harder to get a reservation. For a special occasion like Mother’s Day, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ve had many friends (and when I say friends, i mean their husbands) wait too long and end up having to eat brunch at 9am or explain to their wives why they’re having Breakfast on a Bun at Whataburger (ouch!).
Two of my favorite brunch spots are Olivia & Clark’s Oyster Bar.
A brunch must is a great mimosa and Olivia nails it with their mimosa trio which comes with 3 different types of fresh juices. I think their grits & picnic fried chicken are the best in Austin.
I just love Clark’s. I can’t say enough about it. I love the ambiance, decor, food… everything! We were there for our Anniversary this past January and I tried their Linguine & Clams for the first time. How have I never had this before? I fell in love with Linguine & Clams during our visit to Italy last year but Clark’s has a different spin on it. They add a kale & hazelnut pesto to it which takes it to a new level. Wow. Sadly, it’s not on their brunch menu (which makes that whole stream a tangent, sorry!), but two of my favorite brunch dishes are their Grilled Cheese Egg in the Hole & their Cioppino. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything there. Everything I’ve had is fabulous and my kids loved it as well. Any time I ask my daughter where she wants to go eat, her first answer is always Clark’s.
A few other places we’ve done brunch include Max’s Wine Dive, Lambert’s & Jack Allen’s Kitchen. Jack Allen’s has an extensive buffet so there’s something for everyone. Lambert’s is unique in that they offer a few things through their buffet, but mostly you order pancakes, eggs etc. a la carte at the table, making everything fresh and delicious. Max’s Wine Dive has a great chicken & waffles with a spicy honey. Max’s is a little more casual which could be better for families with younger children.
I can’t decide if we should go back to Clark’s this year or try something new. One brunch I’ve wanted to try is Launderette. They have fried chicken and a fried fish sandwich on their menu which would be a sure winner with my kids. We’ve been there several times for dinner and have even taken out of town guests. Launderette is a James Beard semi-finalist this year for Best New Restaurant and their pastry chef, Laura Sawicki for Outstanding Pastry Chef.
Here are a few other places where we’ve had dinner, but i imagine their brunch is just as fabulous. Good luck and get on those reservations!
Juliet - take advantage of the gorgeous patio
http://juliet-austin.com/
Juniper - beautiful space
http://juniperaustin.com/
Sway - one of my favorite restaurants in Austin, though their brunch might be tough with kids
https://www.swayaustin.com/
Mongers - $3 Mimosas!
http://www.mongersaustin.com/
Odd Duck
http://oddduckaustin.com/
And finally, if you have not found anything that is to your liking, here’s a couple of brunch links from the Austin Eater Blog:
http://austin.eater.com/maps/best-brunch-heatmap-guide-austin
http://austin.eater.com/maps/best-mimosas-brunch-austin
