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OpenTable reveals Australia’s top 50 Mother’s Day brunch and lunch restaurants

Pallavi MathurMay 6, 2026

Australians are spending more on Mother’s Day dining than ever, with the average per-head spend hitting $65 in 2025, up 13% year-on-year, according to new OpenTable data. Dining on Mother’s Day in 2025 increased 23% year-on-year overall, with preference for curated dining experiences up 44% and a 23% rise in restaurants offering special Mother’s Day menus. The same OpenTable research also shows 60% of Aussies say dining out plays an important role in their Mother’s Day celebrations. How Australians are celebrating The way Australians celebrate is shifting too. While 45% of mothers and mother figures still prefer spending the day with family, 42% now see the occasion as increasingly about self-care and personal time, with 40% open to celebrating with their “mum group” rather than family. Nearly half of mums (47%) believe first-time mums should be celebrated in the same way as mums of all tenures, and 38% of Aussies are planning to celebrate with an intergenerational lens, reflected in a rise in parties of six or more on the day. As far as food preferences go, the research shows Japanese cuisine is the fastest-growing cuisine for Australian Mother’s Day diners, up 61% in 2025. Food quality remains the leading driver for mums choosing where to dine out at 56%, followed by value for money at 42%. A third of mums expect their partner to cover the bill. When it comes to booking, 57% of Aussies lock in their reservation at least five days in advance, though 25% of Millennials admit they have forgotten to book Mother’s Day entirely. For those who do plan ahead, 11 am is the most popular booking time, up 33% year-on-year in 2025. Drew Bowering, General Manager Australia at OpenTable, said: “We are seeing Mother’s Day celebrations shift beyond the traditional family meal toward a focus on connection and curated experiences. “With Mother’s Day 2025 proving to be one of the biggest dining events of the year, the launch of our 2026 Top 50 Restaurants for Brunch and Lunch helps diners get ahead of the crowd and discover standout venues that make the occasion truly special.” To help diners plan and tick a few, if not all of these boxes, OpenTable has released its Top 50 Restaurants for Brunch and Lunch in Australia for 2026: NSW Amalfi Ettalong Beach Bathers’ Bistro Crafted by Matt Moran Doyles on the Beach Glasshouse at Goonoo Goonoo Station Kurmond Social The Boatshed La Perouse The BOX on the Water The Potting Shed Whalebone Wharf Zushi Queensland Bocca Italian Burpengary Tavern Caloundra Power Boat Club Coffee Cat on Kings Beach Full Moon Hotel Green Zebra Hotel Richlands Northerlies Beach Bar and Grill Ricky’s River Bar and Restaurant Robina Pavilion The Brasserie Sails Noosa Sails Restaurant Redlands RSL Secrets on the Lake STOA The Green The Terrace Emporium Hotel South Bank Brisbane Warrior Restaurant & Bar SA Boatshed Cafe Rosemont Hall West Beach SLSC Tasmania The Atrium Windows On Westella WunderBar & Restaurant Victoria Caffé Greco Oakleigh Deer Park Club Elwood Bathers Farm Vigano Grazia Restaurant Hochi Mama CBD Lost Watering Hole The Lancefield Brewery Merricks Store Mount Erica Hotel Rococo Secret Kitchen Chinatown Stamford Park Homestead Tesoro Gastronomia The Old England Hotel Heidelberg The Rocks Mornington Waves on the Beach Source: Praytell Agency Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Coles Mother’s Day range includes half-price chocolate deals and a new roasting box

Pallavi MathurMay 6, 2026

Coles is rolling out a new ready-to-heat roasting box and a run of half-price chocolate deals ahead of Mother’s Day this Sunday. New research from Coles shows 58% of customers plan to spend the day with family, with 45% expecting partners or kids to take on the cooking. The Made Easy Sweet & Savoury Roasting Box 1.9kg at $35 per pack, approximately $8.75 per serve, is the brand’s answer to that, serving four with slow cooked roast beef crusted in garlic, roast potatoes, gravy and mini choc brownies. Available for a limited time, it sits alongside a broader Mother’s Day spread that includes some of the steepest chocolate discounts Coles has run this year. Sweet treats for Mum Boxed chocolate sales historically almost double in the week before Mother’s Day, and this year Coles is running half-price deals across a solid range from May 6 to May 12, including: Cadbury Roses 380g down to $9 from $20 Ferrero Collection and Rocher 30 pack both at $16 from $32 Raffaello Heart Gift Boxes at $7.50 from $15 Darrell Lea Milk Chocolate Love Heart 100g at $5.50 from $11 For those wanting to get hands-on, Coles is also sharing a Love Heart Mud Cake hack, turning two Coles Chocolate Mud Cakes 600g, now $6.40 each, down from $7.10, into a heart-shaped centrepiece with pink icing and lollies. The recipe is on the Coles website and in the Coles magazine. Flowers galore Coles is expecting to move nearly 900,000 flowers and floral gifts in the lead-up, making it the biggest flower event of the year for the supermarket. The Smith Street Flowers range holds the same prices as last year, starting from $15 for the Pocket Money Posey, $25 for a classic Rose Bouquet and $30 for the Mother’s Day exclusive Beautiful Bouquet, featuring roses, chrysanthemums and seasonal greenery. Customers spending $30 or more on Smith Street flowers in-store will get 15% off wine and Champagne at Liquorland when scanning their Flybuys card between May 8 and May 10. Champagne sales at Liquorland are expected to jump almost 50% in the lead-up, with nearly a third of purchases made the day before. The Canard-Duchêne Brut NV Champagne 750ml is available for $56, down from $72, and the Winton Road Eden Valley Chardonnay 750ml at $30 each or two for $35, both in gift boxes. The full Liquorland range also includes the Canard-Duchêne Brut Rosé NV 750ml at $82, Pure Origin Tasmanian Gin 700ml at $58 and Mayfair Pink Gin 1L at $71. Coles and Liquorland stores are open this Mother’s Day Sunday for any last-minute additions to the celebration. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Box Divvy brings community food hubs to Victoria ahead of food policy forum

Pallavi MathurMay 6, 2026

With grocery bills climbing and fuel costs squeezing the food supply chain, community-powered food network Box Divvy is growing its presence in Victoria. The model works through local Hubs, often run from homes or community spaces, where members pre-order food in bulk to reduce waste, cut excess packaging and keep costs down. Members can also see exactly what farmers and suppliers are paid, making it one of the more transparent alternatives to traditional retail. The results are measurable: research from Western Sydney University and the University of Wollongong found food insecurity among Box Divvy members dropped from 51% to 28% after joining, with strong improvements in diet quality. More than 350 Hubs are now operating across NSW and the ACT, with a growing presence in Victoria. One of those running a Hub is Kellie Wishart, CEO of Carenet, a community organisation supporting people experiencing financial hardship and social challenges. Through Carenet, Wishart operates a local Box Divvy Food Hub, giving her community a practical, consistent way to access affordable fresh food. Wishart said: “People are making trade-offs every week, and many feel priced out of fresh food. At the same time, the supply lines community organisations rely on are under strain, making it harder to move food at a local level. What Box Divvy does is strengthen the overall food system at a local level. “It gives people a consistent, affordable way to access fresh food, while also supporting producers and reducing pressure on traditional supply channels.” The model is coming into focus ahead of the Victorian Food Policy Forum on Friday, May 22, where government, researchers and community organisations will examine how to build a more resilient and equitable food system. Victorian councils are also under increasing pressure to meet their responsibilities under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act, where access to healthy, affordable food is a consistent priority. For councils working with limited resources, Box Divvy’s cross-policy impact across health, economic and community outcomes is particularly relevant to that conversation. Box Divvy co-founder Jayne Travers-Drapes said: “Food security isn’t just a supply issue, it’s a system design issue. When access to fresh food relies on long supply chains, high overheads and centralised distribution, it becomes harder to keep food affordable and accessible. “What we’re seeing is that community-based models can do more than move food efficiently. They strengthen local economies, reduce waste and rebuild the social fabric by creating regular points of connection in neighbourhoods. That combination is where real resilience comes from.” Nick Rose, Executive Director of Sustain: The Australian Food Network, said: “Australia’s food system has become highly centralised, which creates efficiencies in some areas but also leaves gaps at a local level. Community-based models can help fill those gaps by improving access, increasing flexibility and building resilience closer to where people live.” Box Divvy co-founders Jayne Travers-Drapes and Anton van den Berg will be among those contributing to the forum on Friday, May 22. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Ferguson Plarre unveils its Mother’s Day cake range for 2026

Pallavi MathurMay 5, 2026

Ferguson Plarre is marking Mother’s Day with a dedicated range of cakes and treats available across its Victorian bakeries until May 11. The bakery surveyed mums across the state and found that 70% celebrate Mother’s Day with more than five people, making catering as much a part of the occasion as the sentiment. The range is designed with both in mind, whether it’s the centrepiece of a family spread or a last-minute gift wrapped up with a bow. Lemon is the hero flavour this year, featuring across multiple products in the range. Chocolate is well represented too, with the White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake one of the standout options. For those who can’t decide, the mix ‘n’ match deal lets customers hand-select any six slices or cupcakes for $25. Ferguson Plarre CEO Steve Plarre said: “Lemons have always been a popular choice for mums at Ferguson Plarre, so we’ve squeezed a few citrus sweets into the range, from our Iced Lemon Bar Cake to our signature Lemon Slice to ap-peel to Mum’s zest for life. Alongside the lemon craze, chocolate-flavoured cakes are always a hit. Our White Chocolate and Raspberry cake is sure to be a winner this year, featuring a light vanilla sponge, fresh raspberry coulis, finished with Swiss meringue buttercream and a biscuit crumb base. We’ve also sliced the prices of our sweet mix ‘n’ match deal, so you can hand select six of Mum’s favourites for just $25. “It’s perfect for a last-minute gift on Sunday morning, or to solve the catering crisis of finding something to please everyone.” Lemon Slice – Made with fresh lemons, sweetened condensed milk and crushed biscuits Hedgehog Slice – Filled with crushed cookies and chocolate. Lemon Drizzle Cupcake – Topped with cream cheese icing, a drizzle of lemon curd and a slice of lemon made from white chocolate. White Chocolate & Raspberry Cake – A light vanilla sponge layered with white chocolate chantilly cream and raspberry coulis, finished with Swiss meringue buttercream, freeze-dried raspberries, white chocolate shards and a biscuit crumb base. Iced Lemon Bar Cake – A light lemon cake topped with lemon frosting and a dusting of coconut. Blueberry Cheesecake – Cream cheese and blueberry compote on a lightly spiced biscuit crust. Lemon Love Heart YoYos in Gift Tin – Classic all butter shortbread shaped into love hearts and filled with lemon frosting, with a mix of biscuits dipped in chocolate and decorated with sprinkles or a yellow chocolate drizzle. Ferguson Plarre’s Mother’s Day range is available until May 11. Source: Soda Communications Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

King River opens private Wagyu dining room at Moo Moo Brisbane

Pallavi MathurMay 5, 2026

Fifth-generation Queensland Wagyu producer King River has opened The King River Room, a dedicated private dining space at Brisbane institution Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill. The space marks a shift in King River’s trajectory, from cattle producer to premium beef brand with a permanent home in its own backyard. Despite exporting to more than 45 countries, Brisbane is where the King River story began, and The King River Room brings it full circle. From end to end Founded on fifth-generation cattle country in north Queensland, King River operates as a vertically integrated Wagyu business, overseeing breeding, backgrounding, feeding and logistics from end to end. The past four years have seen the company focus on building a premium brand with full supply chain control, positioning itself as a price maker rather than a price taker in global markets. King River General Manager Joshua Rich said: “While 80 per cent of our product is exported to more than 45 countries, Queensland is where our story began. We love the idea of showcasing our Wagyu to diners, chefs and global partners in an immersive paddock to plate experience here in our home state. “We’ve spent the past four years evolving from a commodity supplier into a premium Wagyu brand with full supply chain control, and the King River Room brings our vision to life. The King River Room offers a permanent space to tell our story, from our family’s cattle country in Queensland to the plates of some of the world’s best restaurants.” The King River room Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill was founded by Steven and Autumn Adams and has been one of Brisbane’s most respected steak institutions since opening in the historic Port Office Building in June 2010. Specialising in premium Australian beef across dry-aged, Wagyu and Angus cuts, the restaurant has built its reputation on long-standing relationships with the country’s best producers, with venues in both Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Designed by Brisbane-based Studio Collective, The King River Room will host exclusive tastings, distributor visits, global chef delegations and curated dining experiences, including a signature banquet showcasing the depth and versatility of King River Wagyu. The space seats up to 18 people and is available for private bookings. Moo Moo Executive Chef Trent Robson said, “When you work with beef of this calibre, it changes the way you cook. King River Wagyu has depth, richness and consistency that chefs dream of and that makes it possible for us to have the freedom to hero the product in its finest form. “The King River Room will allow us to take guests on a journey from the Queensland paddocks where the cattle are raised through to a dining experience that celebrates precision and flavour. It’s not about serving steak but creating something memorable.” The opening coincides with growing international demand for premium Australian beef, with Queensland continuing to strengthen its position in high quality Wagyu production. The King River Room is open now at Moo Moo The Wine Bar + Grill, Brisbane, from May 5, 2026. Source: Pressed PR Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

OpenTable reveals Australia’s top 50 Mother’s Day brunch and lunch restaurants

Coles Mother’s Day range includes half-price chocolate deals and a new roasting box

Box Divvy brings community food hubs to Victoria ahead of food policy forum

Ferguson Plarre unveils its Mother’s Day cake range for 2026

King River opens private Wagyu dining room at Moo Moo Brisbane

11 Sydney and Melbourne venues doing Mother’s Day right