Different Dining Styles for Different Moms

Last month we told you about outdoor brunch restaurants Café Bastille, The Deck at Island Gardens, The Roof at the Esmé hotel, Mirabella at the Fontainebleau, and Isabelle’s at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove. All are great places to take Mom for brunch on Mother’s Day, but here we’re sharing restaurants with particular appeal, for Mother’s Day or anytime!

History buff moms will enjoy dinner at The Drexel (305.692.0992) at 1436 Drexel Ave. in Miami Beach. This beautiful restaurant is part of the Esmé hotel group on Española Way, famous for its Mediterranean revival architecture that reached a zenith of its popularity in the 1920s and ’30s. It was the site of a historic twenties-era Spanish village and, as the story goes, a hideaway for gangster Al Capone and his cronies where they ran crooked card games. It was also the backdrop for Desi Arnaz (reportedly he lived on the street), who started the rhumba craze in Miami Beach in the ’30s before he headed to Hollywood and married Lucille Ball.

The creators behind The Drexel are also the owners of the popular Mandolin Aegean Bistro (305.749.9140) at 4312 NE Second Ave. in Buena Vista. Chef Nano Crespo’s Mediterranean menu features dishes prepared on a charcoal grill or in a wood-fired oven. Signature dishes are the house-made smoked guanciale pizza with Castelvetrano olives and pecorino, and spaghetti limone with cacio e pepe. Appetizers include local tuna carpaccio, mussels in saffron broth with fennel and tomato, and grilled octopus. For mains, try wild prawns, lamb chops tzatziki or whole sea bream. Veggie fans will love the wood-roasted eggplant with pesto, mint and lemon, or the heirloom tomato salad with avocado, hearts of palm and kalamata olives. Don’t miss the decadent chocolate soufflé for dessert!

For moms who like things spicy, Hutong (786.388.0805) at 600 Brickell Ave. in downtown Miami serves innovative and occasionally fiery cuisine with a special focus on seafood and vegetables.

Hutong is part of Aqua Restaurant Group’s international collection of award-winning dining concepts, with restaurants in Hong Kong, Beijing and London. Hutong Miami marks the restaurant’s second U.S. location, after its 2019 New York City opening.

A perfect place to celebrate Mother’s Day, Hutong features the ultimate weekend brunch from noon to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Mom can enjoy an enticing menu that boasts an exquisite dim sum selection to succulent pan-seared roasted pork bao and flavorful shrimp dumplings.

If Mom prefers dinner, she can choose the Peking duck, the restaurant’s real showstopper that’s roasted and carved at the table, or the signature Red Lantern, brought to you in a traditional Chinese wood basket overflowing with red Sichuan dried chilies and crispy pieces of soft-shell crab nestled in between. The Halibut Red Star Noodles dish is served in a clear spicy broth; the red pepper star is opened at the table to reveal aromatic halibut, noodles and crunchy gong choy. Sichuan king scallops are topped with fiery red chili, peanut and sesame pieces. And don’t forget dessert – the Ma La Chocolate Mousse is a smooth, rich South American chocolate mousse infused with a heady note of Sichuan chilies.

Sporty moms will love Pinstripes (786.998.2180) at 19505 Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura, a casual culinary-driven entertainment hot spot where she can sample Italian American and bistro classics – and try her hand at bowling and bocce! Pinstripes is featuring a "Brunch Buffet Mother’s Day Weekend" May 11 and 12, offering sweet and savory culinary delights. Book Mom some bowling time when you make your brunch reservation, though with bottomless mimosas being served, we’re not sure how well she’ll score.

Brunch options include a waffle station, a made-to-order omelet station, a carving station accompanied by a variety of sauces, and other chef specialties. You can raise a toast to Mom at the cleverly named “Mom-osa” bar featuring customizable mimosas, or choose an Aperol spritz. Save room for the shareable milk chocolate fondue, which comes with an assortment of dippable toppings.

Eco-conscious moms will enjoy Essensia at The Palms Hotel & Spa (305.534.0505) at 3025 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. The restaurant has undergone a major interior redesign featuring botanical patterns and a moss wall with an expansive outdoor terrace overlooking a lush tropical garden.

At its heart is new chef de cuisine Diana Tandia, who is from Mauritania, Africa. Tandia’s culinary experience was shaped by her African heritage, extensive travels in Asia and mentorships with legendary chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud. At her former New York restaurant in the West Village, Berber Street Food, Tandia’s cuisine garnered acclaim in The New York Times and The New Yorker.

Her culinary approach focuses on premium, in-season and sustainable ingredients wherever possible, maximizing flavor while minimizing environmental impact. Essensia is offering a new à la carte brunch on Mother’s Day, featuring Key West pink shrimp ceviche with mango relish, avocado crema and leche de tigre; tuna tartare with yellowfin tuna, candied ginger, jalapeños, Asian pickled pear, avocado and ponzu dressing; and flatbread with seasonal roasted vegetables, ricotta, basil and truffle oil.

For bon vivants who want the best and can stomach the price, Once Upon a Kitchen, the world's most exclusive epicurean event, is returning to Miami May 4 during Formula 1 weekend. The six-course dinner is happening at the W South Beach at 2201 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach and hosted by GR8 Experience, a team of highly qualified professionals committed to creating unique experiences tailored to your passions.

This year's event unites world-renowned chef Massimo Bottura and his team from Italy's Osteria Francescana with globally recognized chef Virgilio Martínez of Peru's Central Restaurante, voted the World's Best Restaurant in 2023. Martinez, known for incorporating Peru's biodiversity and rich culture into his cuisine, will fuse his style and flavors with Bottura's iconic Italian cuisine for this amazing dinner. Tickets are $2,500 per person; contact experience@gr8-group.com.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world.