It’s time to celebrate mother. Your mother. The one that brought you into this world, cleaned up your messes, taught you manners, and put up with your sass. She drove you to soccer practice, ballet, karate, and whatever activity du jour you begged and pleaded to try. She sacrificed fun weekend and evening outings with her friends so she can watch you be a rutabaga in the school play. Yet she still managed to love you and still does.

What we’re trying to say is you owe your momma big time. But don’t fret – Newport Beach gives you plenty of Mother’s Day dining opportunities to cash in on this debt. As you’ll see in the following list, each place serves up a different way for you to pamper your mom on May 13, including a few unique Mother’s Day spreads. She’ll appreciate it wherever you take her. And you should take her. It’s the least you can do.

Back Bay Bistro – Having libations to help relax has long been part of the mother’s playbook. This makes sense – a nip of a potent potable does wonders to soothe after a long day of dealing with a child’s shenanigans. The Mother’s Day Brunch served at this water-adjacent spot along the Newport Back Bay allows mom to recapture this ritual in the form of bottomless champagne and mimosas. When you’re done toasting mom, you’ll want to raise a glass to the restaurant’s cavalcade of delicious food items to accompany the endless beverages, including stations devoted to crepes, carved meats, and smoked fish.

Harborside – Your Mom is an icon. Well, maybe not to the world, but she is to you, and that’s all that matters. So it only seems right to celebrate your Mom’s special status by treating her to brunch in a venue housed in the Balboa Pavilion, one of Newport Beach’s most iconic waterfront buildings. The Mother’s Day brunch buffet served up here is a generous offering of classic brunch items, ready to be paired with a bottle of champagne. Plus, the brunch-time fun takes place in the Grand Ballroom on the restaurant’s second floor, giving you and Mom a spectacular view of the Newport Harbor in all it’s watery glory.

Hornblower Cruises and Events – It’s one thing to celebrate Mother’s Day by the water. It’s another thing entirely to enjoy it on the water. This popular cruise line lets you do just that, but what they offer goes beyond a mere jaunt around Newport Harbor. This becomes clear the moment Mom arrives on the vessel and gets handed a glass of champagne. Brunch on the boat consists of a generous buffet spread and live jazz to accompany stunning seafaring views, spread over the course of two hours. You can also opt for a two-and-a-half-hour suppertime cruise as an alternate to the day’s brunchtime bustle. Both cruises will give you the chance to further spoil Mom with extra goodies like a dozen roses. We suggest spoiling her.

Oak Grill – You may be the one that books a restaurant for Mother’s Day but make no mistake – Mom sets the agenda. If her plans include a visit to Fashion Island, the flagship restaurant at the Fashion Island Hotel is an ideal place to kick off a day of much-needed retail therapy. Mom can enjoy a rather eclectic brunch spread that runs the gamut from raw shellfish and light salads to carved-to-order filet of beef and citrus sage pork loin. This endless feast pairs with bottomless Mimosas, creating a scenario of indulgence that can rival whatever high-end shopping spree follows.

Provenance – Two things ring true about Mother’s Day if you have children. Firstly, your Mom is extremely happy that she has grandkids to spoil. Secondly, your wife is doing all kinds of rock star Mom things for your kids. Chances are both Moms are going to want to bring the kids along for their Mother’s Day brunch. If that’s the case, the special menu served by this Napa-inspired Back Bay venue proves that your kids can share in an elegant dining experience. While the grown-ups pair champagne with mains like brioche French toast with mixed berry compote or honey balsamic free-range lamb chops, they’ll have the option of enjoying pancakes with scrambled cage-free eggs and applewood-smoked bacon or an all-natural grilled chicken breast with green beans and mashed potatoes. It’s a refreshing break from the usual kiddie fare, and it’s poised to add an extra touch of elegance to the day.

21 Oceanfront Restaurant – Pause for a moment and think about all the sacrifices Mom made for you. Some of the things she skipped probably involved something fancy, an excuse for her to feel sophisticated instead of harried or stuck in a rut. Taking her to this venerable Balboa Peninsula restaurant will make up for those losses rather nicely. Their special Mother’s Day brunch menu enhances the venue’s relentlessly luxurious ambience through a host of exquisitely prepared selections such as lobster bisque, seared pisco salmon with mushroom risotto, grilled hangar steak and eggs, and bananas caramel bread pudding. It’s an experience so refined, you’ll feel compelled to dress up. And Mom probably has stories about how you used to love to play dress-up as a kid.

W Café – When you think brunch, certain items instantly come to mind. Eggs benedict. Shrimp cocktail. Omelets. They’re top-of-mind because they’re popular and typically terrific. However, you and Mom would be forgiven if either of you feel the urge to deviate from this typical path. This humble Westcliff café has you covered should this desire strike this Mother’s Day. The classics like benedicts and omelets are on the menu, but they’re joined by unique items like chicken curry salad and lamb shish kebabs. Even a few familiar brunch options are put through a uniquely creative filter, which is why you can order up something magical like donut French toast. Take Mom here on the 13th, and she may be impressed that you went a little off the grid for her.

For a full list of Mother’s Day dining offers click here.

Written By Rich Manning