A FAMILY AFFAIR

Celebrate Mom with Austin’s best Mother’s Day specials for dining in or to go

Launderette's Mother's Day offerings include a brunch kit to go.

Courtesy of Launderette

If ever there were a time to heap on the motherly praise, it’s this Mother’s Day, after a year in which moms stepped into new territory, cheerfully taking on the additional roles of teacher, caretaker, and all-around superwoman. May 9 is quickly approaching, so make plans now to celebrate Mom by scooping up a mother lode of meals to go or safely dining in at one of the many local hot spots serving up Mother’s Day specials.

Aba
Treat Mom to a Mediterranean feast to go for her special day this year. The well-rounded meal ($52.95 per person) includes avocado and fava bean spread with house bread, hummus with crudite, a leafy green salad with tahini vinaigrette, harissa shrimp cocktail, beef tenderloin kebab with lemon dill basmati rice, za’atar roasted chicken with sugar snap peas and green garlic, gunpowder mashed potatoes, and isot double chocolate cake. Add-ons are also available. Pre-order online until Friday, May 7 for pickup May 8 or 9 from 11 am-3 pm.

Alamo Drafthouse
Austin-based eat-in cinema Alamo Drafthouse is bringing brunch back to its menu just in time to treat Mom. It’ll be served up alongside brunch screenings of “Mama Mia!,” “Hairspray,” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” and will feature brunch favorites like French toast, a BLT, breakfast tacos, prickly pear Ranch Water, and, of course, mimosas. Movie tickets run $8.50 per person, and brunch item prices vary. As the folks at Alamo are suggesting, “Arrive famished, okay?”

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
The gourmet local cheesemongers are honoring all mothers, caregivers, and leading ladies this holiday, curating a variety of delectable delights. The special Mother’s Day gift box ($75 for curbside pickup or local delivery) includes an array of cheeses and cured meats, jelly, pickles, marcona almonds, and natural wafer crackers. Mix in some sweet treats with Antonelli’s Mother’s Day cheese and chocolate tray ($90 for curbside pickup or local delivery), which includes local cheeses paired with several chocolate bar varieties, as well as preserves, fruit, marcona almonds, and crackers. Or go all-in and check out the virtual bubbles and cheese brunch ($70 for the first ticket, $40 for each consecutive ticket), which includes cheese, a food-pairings tasting plate, a bottle of white sparkling wine, a bottle of sparkling red, and Rambler sparkling water.

California Pizza Kitchen
CPK at the Domain is getting right to the heart of things this Mother’s Day, offering its heart-shaped pizza on May 9 for dine-in service and takeout. And because CPK is feeling generous, each guest will get a gift card redeemable on their next visit.

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection
Treat Mom to a truly upscale experience with Garden Dining at the Estate at Lutie’s Garden Restaurant, the newly opened spectacular eatery located on the grounds of the Commodore Perry Estate in Hyde Park. Mom will adore the beef tartare and sunchoke falafel. Make a weekend of it and check out the Mother’s Day at the Estate offerings, which include guided art demos, calming “sound baths,” live portrait sessions, and flower bouquet arranging.

Cru Food & Wine Bar
Springtime brunch is on the menu at Cru this Mother’s Day, with the Domain location serving up a special three-course brunch ($45 per person), in which diners get to choose their own combinations of appetizer, entrée, and dessert. For those preferring to serve Mom breakfast in bed, Cru has you covered with its Take-home Breakfast for Two ($80), which includes two apps, two entrées, and two desserts. Also available: mimosa kits for eight ($25) and discounted bottles of wine. The deadline for take-home orders is May 8 at 4 pm.

Group Therapy
Enjoy Mother’s Day brunch this year with a ZaZa twist. Hotel ZaZa’s signature restaurant, Group Therapy, will serve up a selection of bites and sips, including highlights like crab cake Benedict, Mediterranean seared tuna salad, and salmon bagelettes. Reservations are available online.

Hotel Ella
Goodall’s Kitchen, the American bistro located at Austin’s Hotel Ella, will toast moms this Mother’s Day with a good old-fashioned brunch featuring, among other delicious bites, crab cake Benedict and orange blossom creme brulee. Moms can enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly. Reserve a table online. Or opt for something a little more Mom’s cup of tea with Hotel Ella’s afternoon tea offering, which includes a variety of tarts, bite-size sandwiches, tea, and a complimentary glass of bubbly. Reservations are available for Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9 from 3-5 pm.

Intero
Zero-food-waste Italian eatery Intero is treating mothers to some tasty treats this holiday. This Mother’s Day, all moms will receive complimentary homemade chocolates, and Mother’s Day specials include farm-to-table pasta dishes, pizza, prime cuts, and more. Intero will also serve up a special Mother’s Day cocktail. Reservations are suggested.

Launderette
This year, grab brunch all packed up and ready to go from one of Mom’s favorite new American eateries. Launderette is serving up a Mother’s Day brunch kit ($55) that includes green shakshuka (green tomato hatch chile sauce, piquillo pepper, kale, chermoula, feta, fresh herbs, Vital Farms eggs), house-made focaccia, breakfast sausage, citrus salad, and two take-and-bake cinnamon rolls. For an extra $15, Launderette will even throw in an 8-inch round, fluted baking dish. Add-ons — including flower arrangements — are also available. Pre-order online for pickup Saturday, May 8 from 2-5 pm.

Sweet Paris Crêperie and Café
Could Mom love anything more than a drizzle-topped Parisian crêpe on her special day? If so, it’d likely be a complimentary glass of wine. Treat the mothers in your life to an array of specialty crêpes at Sweet Paris Crêperie and Café (the croque madam crêpe is a tasty choice), and the café will treat Mom to a free glass of rosé. But the free drinks will be available for only the first 150 moms who stop by the Domain café on Mother’s Day, so plan accordingly.

Suerte
Whether your traditional Mother’s Day meal comes in the form of brunch or dinner, Suerte has moms covered with a variety of Mexican dishes made with Texas ingredients. Brunch specials include Suerte’s brunch pastries like empanadas, kolaches, and other rotating favorites, and spicy chilaquiles. For dinner, Suerte will serve up some seasonal meal specials, perfect for pairing with Mom’s favorite natural wine or tequila cocktail. Reservations are suggested.

Taco Cabana
In the event that Mama needs a margarita stat, head over to Taco Cabana for the Mother’s Day food bundle ($19.99), featuring a half order of TC Kickin’ Nachos and 12 signature chicken flautas — and don’t forget to order the margs! TC’s ongoing MargaritaPalooza includes 12 marg flavors for $2 each. And if that’s not enough to whet Mom’s appetite, hit up Facebook or Instagram by May 10, post a photo showing why Mama needs some margs, tag @TacoCabana, and the hashtags #MamaNeedsMargaritas and #Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 12 tasty prizes.

Texas Ava
The tasting room shared by local wine brands C.L. Butaud and Wine for the People is raising at toast to all moms this holiday. On Mother’s Day, the tasting room, located about 30 minutes from downtown Austin near Dripping Springs, will serve Mom her choice of a complimentary glass of rosé. Randy Hester will serve the C.L. Butaud Pa Pa Frenchy Rosé and Rae Wilson of Wine for the People will offer her signature divine Dandy Rosé. Onsite food truck Brucie will also serve up some specials with Mom in mind. Reservations are recommended.

Trace
What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than dragging Mom to brunch — emphasis on the “dragging.” Trace at the W Hotel Austin will present a special drag queen brunch for Mom’s special day. The 1980s-themed event, hosted by the lovely Vylette Ward, will include brunch noshes and cocktail specials, as well as a complimentary glass of bubbly and flowers for Mom. Additionally, the W’s Away Spa will offer mom-centric treatments accompanied by mimosas, flowers, free parking, and a Wet pool day pass.

True Food Kitchen
This Mother’s Day, True Food Kitchen at the Domain is honoring moms with a special brunch on Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9, with dine-in and takeaway service available. Highlights include strawberry quinoa pancakes, the bubbly-forward Bouquet All Day cocktail, and the Mother’s Rosé Refresher. All moms will be gifted a $10 True gift card and can enter for a chance to win a piece of Kendra Scott jewelry.

Uchiko
Show Mom you’re sweet on her with Uchiko executive pastry chef Ariana Quant’s curated Mother’s Day Sweet Box ($95), which features six entremets-style petite cakes: salty caramel candy bar, apple tatin, matcha cassis tart, chocolate hazelnut choux, raspberry white chocolate bombe, and citrus petite cake. The box also comes with a bottle of rosé, so you can’t lose with this offering. To reserve a box, call the restaurant at 512-916-4808. Curbside pickup takes place Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9 from 4-10 pm.

William Chris Vineyards
Why not wine and dine Mom this year with a trip to the Hill Country for William Chris Vineyards’ educational wine experience and a chef’s food and wine pairing event? A tasting room ambassador will guide the 45-minute educational wine experience ($20 per person for up to six) as guests sip William Chris wines while peering out at a gorgeous Hill Country backdrop and taking in some live music. Also available is the vineyard estate’s chef food and wine pairing offering ($40 per person for two to six people), featuring a curated pairing experience with chef Josh Tye’s small bites paired with William Chris wines. Reservations are available for both experiences online.

Z’Tejas
Southwestern grill Z’Tejas is going all out to treat moms this Mother’s Day. The restaurant will offer Mom a free brunch entrée on her special day. The regular brunch menu, along with the addition of breakfast fajitas, will be available during Z’Tejas’ extended Mother’s Day brunch service, which runs from 11 am-4 pm.

families brunch desserts dinner chefs

Lord of the wings

16 Austin restaurants face off in CultureMap's Ultimate Wing Showdown

Photo courtesy of Pluckers

Chicken wing-lovers have their own preferences, but only one can win.

Nothing says getting together to watch sports with friends quite like a big plate of wings. As part of The Tailgate presented by Verizon — CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit — we’re asking a simple question:

Which bar, restaurant, or food truck in Austin serves the best wings?

To answer that question, we’ve created the Ultimate Wing Showdown. CultureMap editors have selected 16 nominees that we think have a shot at the title. Just like we do for the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Best New Restaurant tournament, we’re asking readers to vote in a bracket-style, head-to-head tournament that will produce Austin's ultimate wing joint.

True to the diversity of Austin, the nominees cover a wide range of styles and cultural influences — everything from a classic crispy Buffalo wing to wings coated in Sichuan pepper or even powdered sugar. Read on for more about the nominees, then click here to vote for your favorites.

People may vote once per day, and the results will be closely monitored to ensure a fair outcome. We’ll reveal the winner on stage at The Tailgate event on Thursday, December 12 at Distribution Hall.

The night will also include celebrity appearances, games, food from local restaurants, and drinks from the event’s sponsors. Verizon and CultureMap are even giving away a VIP trip for two to Super Bowl LIX*. More details on how to enter here for a chance to win.

Read more about The Tailgate here, and follow all the details in our special editorial series. You won’t want to miss it, so get your tickets today.

Here are the nominees in the Ultimate Wing Showdown:

Spicy Boysvs.Tommy Want Wingy
The only thing hotter than Spicy Boys' chicken is its reputation, having won several awards and become a go-to for chicken lovers who want something just a bit outside of the norm. The Asian flavors like Indonesian sambal were a hit, but will voters rally behind a current focus on boneless options? "Nugs" are $10.99.

Tommy ain't the only one who want Wingy. This food truck "take[s] all the fuss and mess out of the chicken wing" by shaping it into a "lollipop." Sauces start pretty standard and move into more unique territory, like the Spicy Pineapple with Sriracha or the Holy Schnikes, which comes with a warning: "Painfully hot!" Combos start at 5 pieces with fries for $15.68.

Pluckers vs. Wingzup
If there's a classic Austin wing, it's at Pluckers. The popular chain started at the University of Texas and has expanded to dozens of locations as far away as Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Some interesting flavors outside the classics include maple chipotle and Dr Pepper. Five wings start at $8.75.

Wingzup is similarly committed to the art of the wing, with more than 20 sauces and rubs to choose from. That list goes all the way from a classic garlic parmesan to a Jamaican jerk, Korean gochujang, or even ghost pepper. Guests who win the ghost challenge get a $20 gift card and a shirt. Five wings start at $8.49.

Tiki Tatsu-Ya vs. hiwings
Tiki Tatsu-Ya is perhaps the most unexpected pick on the list, which really goes to show the strength of its wing game. The mochiko wings are coated in sweet rice flour, then a mapo-miso glaze and Karashi mustard. These aren't as spicy as they are mouth numbing; they'll rearrange your tastebuds. An order upstairs at The Nest is $13.

Hiwings are also made with sweet rice and other flour, and patrons can choose among 10 sauces, plus more for dipping. They can also opt for "naked" wings, which have no flour coating at all. Hiwings says those are how wings are "supposed" to taste; voters will be the judge of that. Five wings start at $9.99.

Halal Wingsvs.The Potluck
Austinites don't have to commit to a halal diet to enjoy these very crispy wings. These chefs create spice blends for their take on wings from several cuisines, including Mexican, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Cajun. But the Halal Hot is the pinnacle for those brave enough to try it. Six wings start at $7.99.

The Potluck food truck and catering company is known for one wing above all: the crack wing, which is dusted with powdered sugar. It has plenty of other obscurely named flavors, plus sides you don't usually see at a wing place like shrimp étouffée and rice and beans. Six wings are $10.66.

Nickel Cityvs.Industry East Side
A great wing is paramount, but good atmosphere elevates everything. Nickel City offers both, and it's natural that the Buffalo, New York-inspired bar would have a solid wing on offer. Most important, it doesn't get too flashy with sauces — it's just the classics, plus Franklin Barbecue sauce. A pound of wings (about six) is $12.69.

Industry, an East 5th Street bar and restaurant that largely courts hospitality industry workers as clientele, keeps wing-lovers' options open with mix-and-match platters. Combos can be made with Buffalo, lemon pepper, barbecue, blackberry-habanero, and plain flavors. Six wings are $12.

Stiles Switch BBQ vs. Home Slice Pizza
A barbecue joint may not be most people's first choice for wings, but Stiles Switch is out here converting nonbelievers. Since it would be a crime to cover up the flavors of oak smoke, it makes sense that the only four flavors are pretty simple: garlic parmesan, Alabama white sauce, Buffalo, and honey barbecue sauce. Six wings are $14.

Austinites can't be blamed for having a one-track mind at Home Slice Pizza, but just ordering pies means missing out elsewhere on the menu. One of its incognito menu items is a plate of wings in the style of Buffalo's Anchor Bar, served with blue cheese dressing and celery. Home Slice's version is known for being very crispy. Six wings are $10.50.

Anchor Bar vs. Haymaker
For Buffalo wings, Austinites can go back to the source — or at least an outpost. There are now 16 descendants of the New York restaurant where the recipe was invented, and one is in Round Rock. Anchor bar won't pigeonhole itself, though. It serves wings with 25 sauces and rubs. Ten wings are $17.99.

Haymaker is mostly known for its laid-back environment, but its elevated pub fare also draws customers in. Like most of the nostalgic menu items, its crispy wings are kept simple: mild Buffalo, hot chipotle, garlic parmesan, Carolina gold barbecue, lemon pepper, and tangy teriyaki. Half a pound of mixed pieces is $10.

Casino El Camino vs. Thunder Chief
Casino El Camino is a surprising foodie favorite considering its downtown dive bar status. In addition to great burgers, it has solid Buffalo wings served with celery, carrots, and blue cheese or ranch dip. Although it's just one style, they come in four heat levels from mild to "downright explosive." Eight wings are $14.50.

Thunder Chief, the kitchen inside the Lavaca Street Bar on South Lamar Boulevard, has balanced the arts of both heavy and carefully crafted foods, including its tea-brined chicken wings. They're crispy without breading, meaty, and elegantly plated. Adventurous flavors appear on a rotating basis. Five wings are $9.

Made up your mind? Vote here for your favorites.

---

The Tailgate is presented by Verizon and sponsored by HOWDY, Houston Powder Coaters, EIGHT Beer, and more to be announced.

*The NFL Entities shall have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this sweepstakes or any prize awarded. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored this sweepstakes in any way.

contests culturemap tailgate the tailgate wings