Plated Brunches
1) Café Hollander
Address: 2608 N. Downer Ave.
Brunch Hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Reservations: (414) 963-6366
Mom won’t leave hungry when you treat her to this brunch. Choose from a dizzying array of breakfast treats, from traditional pannekoeken with apples and cinnamon ($10.95) to omelettes stuffed with caramelized onions and Gruyère ($11.95) to chicken and hash brown waffles smothered in shallot garlic butter and champagne and honey gastrique ($13.95). Mothers will get a free Mom-osa or Lowlands Brewing Collaborative Bier to boot!
2) Hotel Madrid
Address: 600 S. 6th St.
Brunch Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Reservations: (414) 488-9146
For all the ways your mom still nurtures your inner kid, treat her to the dressed-up version of your favorite sugary cereal: fruity pebble pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream ($12). Or, if you’re still touchy about your picky-eater stage, show off your grown-up taste buds with a caviar omelet filled with manchego, pickled shallots and mizuna ($18) and lamb and harissa crème fraiche-stuffed empanadillas ($9).
3) SafeHouse
Address: 779 N. Front St.
Brunch Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Reservations: (414) 271-2007
Will the puns ever end? SafeHouse also knows the special agent in your life deserves bottomless Mom-osas along with her super-secret Bond Brunch. This might call for a preemptive Operation Hangover Recovery – a burger topped with honey-baked ham, bacon, fried egg, maple syrup and cheese ($14) – or the B1 Bomber, funnel cake and beer-battered chicken over breakfast potatoes ($15).
Brunch Buffets
1) Saz’s State House
Address: 5539 W. State St.
Brunch Hours: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Price per person: $29.50 adults, $11.50 children (ages 5-12)
Reservations: (414) 453-2410
Your mom will feel like a queen in the castle-esque State House, where Saz’s is cooking up a feast. The spread includes applewood-smoked ham glazed with bourbon brown sugar and scrambled eggs with Andouille sausage, bell peppers, queso cotija and jalapeño salsa. For sweeter treats, there’s Old World potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce, Belgian waffles with Wisconsin maple syrup and silver dollar pancakes and other eats for the kids.
2) The Pfister Hotel
Address: 424 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Brunch Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Price per person: $68 adults, $27 children (ages 3-10), free for children 2 and under
Reservations: (414) 935-5950
If your mom is craving a luxurious day out, the Pfister’s brunch is a great way to start. Choose from appetizers such as baked brie en croute with fresh berry preserves or grilled quail with couscous, dried cherries and oranges with citrus thyme dressing. Then, head to the sculpted ice and seafood display to find shucked Gulf oyster shooters with housemade hot sauce and iced vodka, or dive into the entrées for saffron risotto-stuffed chicken breast with chorizo-sweet corn sauce. Save room for a table piled high with desserts.
3) Bartolotta’s at the Italian Community Center
Address: 631 E. Chicago St.
Brunch Hours: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Price per person: $34.95 adults, $15.95 children (ages 2-12)
Reservations: (414) 223-2800
While the word “brunch” may immediately call to mind baked goods and breakfast sweets, it’s important to revel in the savory possibilities too. At Bartolotta’s brunch, Mom can get her pancake and pasta fix at the same time. Choose from classic breakfast dishes like chef-made omelettes, muffins and Danish, then save room for farfalle with Alfredo cream sauce, mushrooms and grape tomatoes, and more.
4) Glass + Griddle
Address: 1130 N. 9th St.
Brunch Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Price per person: $28.00 adult, $11.00 children
Reservations: (414) 988-1551
Don’t miss out on this special brunch that includes a free Pink Rosé Mimosa and a complimentary tour of Milwaukee Brewing Company for Mom. After you’ve worked up an appetite, dig in to the smoked salmon display, roasted turkey and ham, fruit boards, hot French toast and more. If your mom wants a souvenir of your time together, Glass + Griddle is also offering 15% off on MKE Brewing merch and beer-to-go!
5) Ambassador Hotel
Address: 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Brunch Hours: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Price per person: $45.00 adults, $15.00 children (ages 12 and under)
Reservations: (414) 345-5015 or thefitzmke.com
If your mom is a fan of literature, she’ll love the historic hotel with its restaurant named for F. Scott Fitzgerald. Start off with delicacies like the pea, asparagus and goat cheese salad, then move on to mascarpone chive scrambled eggs, rhubarb French toast, prime rib and chef-made omelettes. Don’t forget to save room for decadent desserts like mini cheesecakes and scones fit for Gatsby himself.
