Treat Mom to Mother's Day brunch or dinner at these Central Jersey spots
All Mom really wants on Mother's Day is not to worry about the meal, and the brunch and dinner reservations won't make themselves.
So reserve a table at one of these Central Jersey restaurants for a family-friendly way to treat Mom like the queen she is.
B2 Bistro and Bar, North Brunswick
B2 Bistro and Bar will offer brunch and dinner buffets that include antipasto, salads, pasta, seafood, a raw bar, a kid's station, desserts, and omelet and carving stations from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for $55 per adult and $27 per child 12 and under. The last seating is at 5:30 p.m.Go: 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick; 732-297-3803, https://bit.ly/3UbL6YK.
D'floret, Lambertville
The 24-seat restaurant known for its creative farm-to-table fare will offer a special a la carte brunch menu on Mother's Day from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Entrees range $22-$44 and include quiche, bronzini, and perch. Appetizers range $12-$22 and include spring pea soup, homemade gnocchi, and Terhune Orchards arugula salad.
Go: 18 S Main St., Lambertville; 609-397-7400, dfloretrestaurant.com.
Forsgate Country Club, Monroe
On many holidays, the 100-year-old Forsgate Country Club opens its doors to non-members for brunch buffets. On Mother's Day, the club will offer seatings at noon and 3 p.m. to non-members for $50 per adult and $26 per child aged 4 to 12. Children 3 and under are free.
At the buffet brunch, diners have options such as roast sirloin with chimichurri sauce, grilled salmon with coconut pad Thai sauce, slow roasted boneless lamb with rosemary Bordelaise sauce, and vanilla maple French toast.
A takeout meal is also available for $249 to $410 that serves four to 10 people with the choice of two entrees − balsamic chicken with basil, mushrooms and tomatoes; grilled salmon with coconut pad Thai sauce; or roast sirloin with chimichurri sauce − and various sides such as farfalle primavera, mixed vegetable medley, garlic rosemary roasted potatoes and dinner rolls, as well as salad and a choice of apple or blueberry pie.
Go: 375 Forsgate Drive, Monroe; 732-521-0070, https://bit.ly/49T97cN. Reservations must be made by noon May 6.
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Grain & Cane, Berkeley Heights
Grain & Cane offers an a la carte brunch every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but on Mother's Day it will accentuate its brunch offerings with specials like Maryland crab cakes, potato crusted local flounder, and mixed-berry crostada with honey ice cream. Other items on the menu include French toast, chicken and waffles, lobster rolls, pizza, and lobster Cobb salad. The full dinner menu also will be available from 5 to 9 p.m.
Go: 250 Connell Drive, Berkeley Heights; 908-897-1920, grainandcane.com.
Grain House at the Olde Mill Inn, Basking Ridge
The historic restaurant inside the Olde Mill Inn will host brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for $78 per adult and $30 per child aged 4 to 11. Children 3 and under eat free.
The brunch will offer assorted Tuscan fare, tea sandwiches, "Cinnabon" French toast, pan seared mahi mahi, ginger sesame green beans, mushroom ravioli, Goffle Farm omelets, porcini crusted sirloin, Lancaster country ham, fruit tart, pecan squares, chocolate dipped strawberries, a waffle sundae bar and more. The restaurant will also offer its regular dinner menu starting at 5 p.m.
Go: 225 Route 202, Basking Ridge; 908-696-2335, https://bit.ly/3xQoiGo.
Orchard Park by David Burke, East Brunswick
With the ambiance of a 15-acre French country-inspired estate and a celebrity chef's menu, Orchard Park by David Burke is sure to please with its three-course prix fixe brunch served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $78 per adult and $39 per child. A la carte dinner will also be served from 5 to 8:45 p.m.
Diners can choose from items such as such as pastrami salmon and avocado toast, asparagus and mushroom risotto, crispy soft shell crab, clothesline bacon, Titanic French toast, lamb chops, lobster Benedict, lemon tart, ice cream sliders, and key lime donuts.
Go: 670 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick; 732-554-5714, https://bit.ly/4d52vel.
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Osteria Morini, Bernardsville
Featuring the spirit of northern Italy, Osteria Morini will offer a three-course prix fixe brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $55. All tables start off with housemade scones and biscuits, butter and jam before diving into a choice of items such as prosciutto and mortadella meatballs, yellowfin tuna and smoked eggplant, truffled ricotta ravioli, lamb panchetta, lobster benedict, and cherry bread pudding with vanilla anglaise.
Go: 107 Morristown Road, Bernardsville; 908-221-0040, https://bit.ly/3UatkF3.
Pachamama, Green Brook
Central Jersey's newest modern Latin American fusion restaurant is bringing its weekly Sunday brunch to Mother's Day. It will serve its a la carte brunch menu, which includes items like tres leches French toast, choripapa (grilled chorizo with eggs and fries), and a brunch burger, alongside bottomless bubbly for two hours for $25 with the purchase of a $16-$22 entree from noon to 4 p.m.
Go: 215 Route 22, Green Brook; 732-200-5141, pachamamanj.com.
Red Horse by David Burke, Bernardsville
Located at the former Bernards Inn, Red Horse by David Burke is offering both a brunch and dinner buffet as well as a la carte brunch and dinner options from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The buffet is available for $95 per adult and $35 per children 10 and under and will offer items such as wild mushroom frittata, baked French toast, herb crusted salmon, and Parmesan-crusted chicken breast. A fresh chicken or duck egg omelet station will be open before 2 p.m. and a pasta station will be open after 2 p.m.
Go: 27 Minebrook Road, Bernardsville; 908-766-0002, https://bit.ly/3Wcv3w7.
Spice Bazaar, Westfield
You can create your own pre-fixe menu on Mother's Day at Spice Bazaar, a modern take on Indian cuisine in downtown Westfield. On the holiday, customers can choose any appetizer, entree and dessert for $62 from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Choose from items like spiced mango and coconut chicken curry; boneless tandoori chicken; and chilled whipped saffron cream with nuts.
Go: 39 Elm St., Westfield; 908-389-1888, spicebazaarnj.com.
Stage House Tavern, Somerset, Scotch Plains & Mountainside
With three locations in Scotch Plains, Somerset and Mountainside, the Stage House Tavern knows a thing or two about what Mom wants for Mother's Day.
Popular for its family-friendly American fare, the Mountainside and Somerset venues will offer all-day brunch and dinner buffets on May 12, with Scotch Plains opening its doors to both a buffet and dinner prix fixe options.
At Scotch Plains, three-course prix fixe brunch is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $42 per adult and prix fixe dinner is 2:30 to 7 p.m. for $50 per adult. All day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., a children's prix fixe menu is available for $13 per child.
The Scotch Plains brunch menu will include items such as deviled egg cupcakes, smoked salmon crostini, lemon ricotta donuts, eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, lobster rolls and petite filet mignon. The dinner menu will include entrees such as shrimp scampi, red snapper, roast leg of lamb and Cuban grilled pork porterhouse.
In Mountainside, a brunch buffet will be hosted from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $50 per adult, while the dinner buffet is hosted from 3 to 6 p.m. for $55 per adult. Both the brunch and dinner buffet is $20 per child.
The Mountainside buffets will have carving, omelet, waffle and dessert stations, a ravioli bar, chorizo and vegetable egg frittata, baked apple French toast, bacon egg and cheese bake, chicken Murphy, crab stuffed flounder, braised beef stroganoff and more.
Somerset's brunch buffet is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the dinner buffet is 2 to 8 p.m. Both of Somerset's brunch offerings are $50 per adult and $20 per child under 10.
At Somerset, the buffets will offer dishes like chicken cacciatore, shrimp scampi, smoked St. Louis ribs, penne Alfredo, an omelet station, made-to-order pizza and more.
Go: 366 Park Ave., Scotch Plains; 908-322-4224, stagehousetavern.com/scotchplains/index.html; 1719 Amwell Road, Somerset; 732-873-3990, https://bit.ly/4aPhfMC; 1099 Route 22, Mountainside; 908-731-0366, https://bit.ly/4aPheZ4.
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Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick
Stage Left Steak will host a prix fixe brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $60 per adult and $25 per child 12 and under. A few items such as Wagyu steak, caviar, and lobster and shrimp tempura have upcharges.
Choose from dishes such as escargot, filet mignon two ways, sunny-side eggs over lobster potato hash, braised lamb shank, buttermilk fried chicken, apple crumb cake, and molten Valrhona chocolate cake.
Dinner for both Mother's Day and Rutgers' graduation will be offered from the a la carte menu at Stage Left Steak beginning at 2:30 p.m., and its sister restaurant, Catherine Lombardi, upstairs beginning at 2 p.m.
Go: 5 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick; 732-828-4444; https://bit.ly/3xHH8z.
Stoney Brook Grille, Branchburg
With four available seating times at 10 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5 p.m., visitors will have two hours to enjoy the Stoney Brook Grille brunch buffet for $46 per adult and $28 per child aged 4 to 10.
Diners can choose from items such as asparagus and shrimp quiche, Greek French toast with almonds, cheese tortellini a la vodka, eggs Benedict, filet mignon tips, picanha chimichouri, lamb chops, mousaka and braised pork with orange ginger glaze. There will also be a prime rib carving station, salads, a seafood bar and assorted desserts.
Go: 1285 Route 28, Branchburg; 908-725-0011, https://bit.ly/3w8ylGd.
Zinna's Bistro, Cranbury
Zinna's Bistro is offering both brunch and dinner on Mother's Day. A la carte brunch seating times are 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. and include items such as mixed mushroom soup, pan-seared crab cakes, blackberry salad, stuffed brioche French toast, grilled mac and cheese and housemade crab ravioli.
The regular menu will also be available all day until the restaurant closes at 4:30 p.m. Dinner specials include lobster risotto, roasted halibut and madeira chicken.
Go: 10 Cedarbrook Drive, Cranbury; 609-860-9600, https://bit.ly/3JDJxO5.
email: cmakin@gannettnj.com
Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Mother's Day restaurant recommendations in New Jersey
