It's nearly time to celebrate the motherly figure in your life, and Austin is well known for its constant holiday and themed programming. Small businesses thrive on locals who want to give their mother an handmade token of appreciation on May 12, and local restaurants love to see the faces of smiling mothers during a brunch or dinner.
Luckily for CultureMap readers, we've gathered some of the best ways to honor moms with 10 different pop-ups, markets, brunches, and celebrations around Austin.
Before Mother's Day
The Loren Hotel
For the mothers whose love language is gift-giving, stop by The Loren Hotel for its curated Mother's Day Market on May 11, from 11 am to 2 pm. Select vendors include jewelry brands Aviv Collection and LoveWeld, a bouquet bar by Gypsy Floral, a DIY scarf-marbling activity from Mercedez Rex, and more handmade artisan goods. The event is free to the public, and attendees can RSVP via Typeform.
The Salty
The Salty's delicious donuts are a popular option for moms with a massive sweet tooth. Mother's Day specials that will be available to order May 10-12 include the Chocolate and Caramel Heart, which fills a 24-hour brioche donut with vanilla mousse and salted caramel, then topping it with a cocoa glaze and crushed Oreos. Additionally, "mom" donut letter packs will be available exclusively on The Salty App for reward members.
Bakery Lorraine
Bakery Lorraine is accepting pre-orders for its Mother's Day bouquets and macarons now until Thursday, May 9. The thoughtful gift will include a petite floral bouquet and an elegantly decorated box of six Parisian macarons (two each in a trio of flavors: vanilla, pistachio, and raspberry). The Mother's Day special is $50 and will be available for pickup at Bakery Lorraine's location at The Domain between 10 am and 6 pm on May 11-12. Orders can be placed via bakerylorraine.com.
Other Mother's Day celebrations around Austin
El Raval
This special Spanish-inspired celebration at El Raval will run all day long from 11:30 am to 9 pm, featuring music by DJ Mr. B during brunch and a live performance by Jose Manuel Tejeda at 5:30 and 7 pm. Attendees will dine on tapas and paellas, and mothers will receive a complimentary chupito (shot) as a thank you for their dedication. Reserve on OpenTable.
Cape Bottle Room
Austinites can transport themselves and their moms to South Africa at Cape Bottle Room during a special wine pairing event on May 12 from 3-6 pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the sensory relationship between three South African wines and perfumes by in collaboration with Jo Malone Fragrance, and walk away with a special treat as a souvenir of the experience. Tickets are $50 per person, and can be reserved via Tock.
Carpenter Coffee Bar
This fun pop-up at the Carpenter Hotel on May 11-12 from 10 am to 3 pm will have the cutest vendor lineup to satisfy moms of both humans and dogs. Attendees can book ahead of time to secure a permanent jewelry appointment from LoveWeld, and Zilker Bark will be on-site for portrait photo sessions for Mom and her furry best friend. For attendees who book a jewelry appointment or photo session, they'll receive a free glass of mimosa or sparkling wine.
Alamo Drafthouse
There's still time and limited seats available for Alamo Drafthouse's Mamma Mia! Feast on Mother's Day. Starting at 6 pm, moviegoers can dine on a three-course prix fixe meal while they enjoy a screening of the iconic 2008 film. Courses include herb cheese toast, a chicken shawarma couscous bowl, and pineapple toffee jarred cake. All guests will also receive Alamo's new blossom mug as a sweet memento of the occasion. Admission for the Mamma Mia! Feast is $54.99 per person, and tickets can be purchased on alamodrafthouse.com.
Mama Dearest
If you're looking for a tongue-in-cheek stop with your partner, who happens to be a cool mom and loves innuendos (that sure is a lot of boxes to check) this East Austin dive bar has you covered. Mama Dearest will have three specialty cocktails for moms on May 12: "A Creamy Blast for Mama" (a Mountain Dew Baja Blast ice cream float with Sailor Jerry and Amaro Montenegro); "Springtime Smash-n-Dash" (gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, strawberries, thyme, Liquid Death Severed Lime); and "Mama's Sidepiece, John Daly" (Deep Eddy Vodka, lemonade, Gus's Sweet Tea, mint). The Mother's Day event will also feature a live performance by Midnight Grass Music, a last-minute gift market by Eastside Pop-Up Market from 2-6 pm, and tattoos by Wheatley Earlene.
Mother's Day brunches
Uptown Sports Club
This fan-favorite neighborhood restaurant in East Austin will have a unique Mother's Day brunch available from 11 am to 4 pm on May 12. New additions to the menu include chicken fried steak with red eye gravy, peaches and cream pancakes, smash burgers, shrimp and grits, and etouffee. Bouquets by Petals, ink. will be available for purchase throughout the day, with all sale proceeds going to Partner in Parenting Austin. Uptown Sports Club is typically walk-in only, but Mother's Day reservations will be available for groups of six or more via OpenTable.
Eberly's
South Austin restaurant Eberly will host a classy Mother's Day brunch from 10 am to 2 pm. Menu items include the Eberly Benedict on a black pepper biscuit, fried chicken with a Thai chili gastrique, and a hearty steak-and-eggs breakfast topped with housemade chimichurri, plus many more brunch favorites. Monarch Florals will have a pop-up at the restaurant to arrange unique bouquets for mothers at different price points ($40-$150). Reserve on Resy.