Al fresco brunch, anyone? Head below to read about takeout options you can order ahead to create an outdoor feast for Mom on Sunday. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
The annual festivities for moms may be a bit different this year, but local pop-ups, bakeries and restaurants are working to ensure that our No. 1 fans know just how much we cherish them. Whether your mom is the queen of brunch, an afternoon tea sipper or a fan of a multicourse meal, we've got a wide variety of ways to ring in Mother's Day.
Oh, Sweet One
The recently debuted doughnut pop-up Beaunuts bring its treats to Hardywood West Creek on Mother's Day, May 10. Dense, buttermilk doughnuts in “baby beaux” and “big beaux” varieties come in unusual flavors, such as “Gas Station Breakfast” — Cheerwine glaze with smoked almonds. Though the Mother’s Day flavors are currently a surprise, bet on a sudsy collab with Hardywood brewery. Check Beaunuts' Facebook page (linked above) for more details.
Gooey chocolate-chip cookie cakes, serving 10-12 for $27.99, along with personalized cards delivered directly to Mom’s door are the name of the game at Garth's Gourmet Goodness. In search of solo bites? Chocolate chunk, peanut butter, white chocolate and peanut butter, dark chocolate espresso and dark chocolate cookies are available by the dozen. Call 804-410-4JOY to place orders by May 7.
Baker-owner Keya Wingfield of Candy Valley Cake Company puts her pastry prowess into action crafting sleeves of customized cake truffles. Adorn the half dozen assorted truffles with a message — added bonus if Mom's name is six letters long. Prices vary. Direct inquiries to candyvalleycakeco@gmail.com.
Mixing Bowl Bakery has rolled out blank sugar cookie canvases for little hands to DIY, complete with icing and sprinkles. The rainbow shape speaks to the current situation, while M-O-M shaped cookies are timeless. Kits from the almost century-old bake shop are $12.99 per kit. Call 804-288-2712 to order.
Midlothian cocoa maestros River City Chocolate orchestrate a Mother’s Day exclusive with a Raspberry Fusion cake — 12 slices of Dutch chocolate cake with a raspberry cheesecake center, swathed in Chambord-infused chocolate buttercream and mini dark chocolate curls and topped with a raspberry glaze. Order the $49.99 delicacies in advance online for curbside pickup May 9-10.
Fat Rabbit offers a sinful dark chocolate cake, but the prosecco with lemon curd and lavender buttercream is an inspired choice. The "Mom’s the Bomb Bunndle" is a multi-treat pack for moms who dig variety, boasting olive oil cookies, strawberry-rhubarb scones and a lemon-poppyseed loaf. Order deadline is May 6.
Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches delivers its cool homemade delicacies May 7-9. Special-edition flavors include Ruby Chocolate Rose, strawberry-rose ice cream between brown sugar cookies half dipped in ruby chocolate, among favorites such as Cookie Monster and Fat Banana. There is a 10-sandwich minimum at $4.50 per sandwich, plus a $5 delivery fee. Shoot them an email by May 6.
Pinkies Up
A newly opened English tea room near The Jefferson Hotel, Simply Tea, sends out edible elegance for moms around town — cucumber sandwiches, raspberry and/or lavender scones, a full-sized quiche, and Earl Grey tea, all wrapped up for $40. Additions include chocolate-covered strawberries, $10 per dozen, or strawberry cake stacks, $5. Call 804-215-4513 by Thursday, May 7, to order.
Perk! Bon Air jumps in with a local Mother’s Day kit highlighting area purveyors. Bubbles from Plant Wines, strawberries from Agriberry, OJ and bacon-cheddar biscuits complete the Mimosa Brunch Kit for $30. A sans-booze Tea Party Kit for $20 is packed with orange-ricotta scones, Rostov’s tea and Ames Hot Southern Honey. Order cutoff is May 6, and kits can be picked up Saturday, May 9 (delivery within 5 miles). Call 804-320-7375.
Budding Bouquet
Xlem + Phloem flowers make an appearance at the Malvern Gardens location of Stella’s Grocery (1012 Lafayette St.) on Saturday, May 9, with hand-tied bouquets of locally sourced bachelor buttons, peonies and other seasonal blooms from the earth-friendly floral designer. Pro tip: Go early; their Valentine’s Day pop-up sold out in hours.
Rise and Dine
Charlotte’s Southern Deli and Tapas downtown starts Sunday off right with cornmeal-crusted catfish over grits, fresh fruit and fluffy pancakes, the latter featuring a secret ingredient. The $50 meal feeds four to six people, and pickup begins 9 a.m. Mother’s Day morning. Call 757-534-8984 to order. Don’t forget the mimosas!
Southbound has introduced a brunch spread complete with bevvies from a “Momosa” to Rostov’s cold brew to start the morning. Play brunch roulette with an a la carte menu featuring a crab and potato frittata, smoked fish dip sandwich and French toast casserole. Deadline to order is Friday, May 8.
Hobnob offers an at-home Mother’s Day brunch for pickup from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or dinner from 2 to 6 p.m. The menus are extensive, but you can’t go wrong with smoked trout deviled eggs, biscuits and gravy, or brisket hash for breakfast and/or lobster bisque, crab cakes and coconut cake at supper. Call 804-264-7400 to order. Wine and cocktails available.
Sunday Supper
Shagbark elevates the evening with Sally Lunn bread and killer sides from wood-grilled heirloom broccoletti to asiago potato au gratin, accompanying corn chowder, a BLT Caesar, Chef Walter Bundy’s crab cakes and lemon-blueberry cheesecake. The $200 meal, available for pickup Saturday, serves 4 to 6. Wine and cocktails available.
Ray’s Other Place, sister eatery to Ray’s Italian Water Ice & Frozen Custard in the Far West End, dishes up hearty meals that are equal parts comfort food and fancy Sunday dinner. Choose from a “buffet” menu of reheatable dishes, including sweet and savory pastries like Ray’s infamous sweet rolls. Find frittatas, pork chops, mac and cheese, and a wealth of other options online for the choosing. Packages range from a two-person meal for $60 to six servings for $135, and frozen drink options are available, too. Order by Thursday, May 7, for a Saturday-evening pickup.
Lucy’s in Jackson Ward presents a Sunday dinner for you and Ma stacked with homey comforts for a night in. A three-course meal for two runs $70, with an option to add a bottle for $25. Choices include Gruyere mac and cheese and a dry-aged beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce or herb-crusted chicken and cous cous, asparagus, and garlic scape pesto.
