Photo courtesy of Sanford’s
May 7, 2024 By Amanda Salazar
With Mother’s Day swiftly approaching on Sunday, May 12, now is the perfect moment to finalize your celebration plans. If you are still searching for the ideal spot to honor the occasion, we have curated a list of Western Queens’s top 10 brunch restaurants. These venues offer the perfect setting for a memorable meal, ensuring your Mother’s Day is as special as it should be.
Photo courtesy of Mom’s Kitchen and Bar
Mom’s Kitchen and Bar | 33-01 31st Ave., Astoria
The aptly named Mom’s Kitchen and Bar serves an all-day brunch, signature cocktails and specialty milkshakes. Some menu options are standard brunch fare, like chicken and waffles and avocado toast, while other offerings are more unique. Bedrock pancakes — with fruity pebbles, berry maple syrup and whipped cream — may be a good choice for moms with a sweet tooth, while the mac-and-cheese pancakes might be an appealing option for others. Either way, Mom’s Kitchen and Bar has fun menu options for your Mother’s Day brunch.
Photo courtesy of the Victory Garden Café
Victory Garden Café | 21-69 Steinway St., Astoria
Victory Garden Café is a Mediterranean restaurant and catering hall that holds weddings, bridal showers, corporate events and more. The café serves brunch and has a special Mother’s Day menu. The holiday brunch menu is $46 for an entrée, dessert and unlimited drinks from a special menu. For the dinner special, $60 will get you an appetizer, Greek salad, pita bread, entrée and dessert, with additional a la carte and kids’ menu options available. The daily brunch option is about $15 a person and includes one non-alcoholic drink and one meal.
Photo courtesy of the Queen’s Room
Queen’s Room | 36-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria
With an upscale and laid-back atmosphere, Queen’s Room is a beautiful restaurant and café serving brunch, lunch and dinner. The “Royal Brunch,” as it is called, happens every weekend from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. all spring long. Starters include house-made buttermilk biscuits and a farmer’s market salad, while entrees include chicken, pancakes, biscuits and gravy. The menu also offers many drink options, including cocktails, specialty drinks, wine, beer and spiked coffees.
Sanford’s | 30-13 Broadway, Astoria
For a not just straight breakfast but a more savory take on brunch, Sanford’s Restaurant and Whiskey Bar is another atmospheric option for your Mother’s Day meal. Options include French onion soup, skillet corned beef hash, lobster tacos, pulled pork eggs benedict and a gouda stuffed duck burger. The list of brunch entrees is long and even has sweet options. For an extra $10, you can upgrade your meal to a boozy brunch that comes with two classic cocktails.
Photo courtesy of Chakra Café
Chakra Café | 44-01 Queens Blvd., Sunnyside
Cozy and quaint, Chakra Café might be the choice for those moms who prioritize healthful eating. With its vegan and veggie options, this small restaurant can accommodate different types of diets while still offering classic breakfast meals. Some menu offerings are the breakfast plates, fruits French toast, salmon omelet and forest salad, among other options. Chakra also serves smoothies, teas and lattes to pair well with your brunch. Of course, the café also sells desserts to treat yourself with after a healthy breakfast of green tea and avocado toast, such as brownies and dessert waffles.
Pete’s Grill | 39-14 Queens Blvd., Sunnyside
Pete’s Diner and Grill is a casual and comfortable option for your celebratory Sunday brunch with mom. At Pete’s, breakfast is served 24 hours a day, as the logo proclaims, and there are daily specials that spruce up the standard menu. The breakfast menu is sprawling — pancakes, waffles, hot oatmeal, eggs, omelets, breakfast sandwiches and burritos, benedicts, bagels, pastries and fruits. The list goes on and on, but there is more. Weekends feature some special brunch options on top of the regular breakfast menu. There is something for every taste at Pete’s Grill.
The Skillman | 45-20 Skillman Ave., Sunnyside
The Skillman is an Irish and American pub with a seasonally rotating menu based on locally sourced ingredients. Brunch is available every weekend from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu is short and sweet, boasting classic brunch options like frittata, ricotta pancakes, avocado toast and steak and eggs. According to the website, The Skillman’s goal is “to allow the customer to experience the food and flair of Manhattan-style restaurants in our own neighborhood.”
Café Henri | 10-10 50th Ave., Long Island City
Café Henri is intended to be a “little taste of Paris” in Long Island City. With French décor and beautiful outdoor seating in warm weather, Café Henri gives strong Mother’s Day brunch vibes. Brunch is served from 9 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. daily and is a modern take on French brunch. Some offerings include tartine, les oeufs benedict, les crêpe salèes and more. Customers can complement their meals with French wine, champagne and handcrafted cocktails.
Photo courtesy of Jackson’s Eatery and Bar
Jackson’s Eatery and Bar | 10-37 Jackson Ave., Long Island City
Jackson’s Eatery and Bar offers brunch on weekends from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. and is open for indoor and outdoor dining and private events. In addition to the usual fare, the menu has some unique options, such as Biloxi beet salad, pulled pork yam hash and steel-cut oatmeal. The brunch menu also has a whole mac-and-cheese section, where each option is topped with a cornbread crust, and you can add smoked brisket or applewood-smoked bacon.
Griddle Café and Deli | 30-18 Hunters Point Ave., Long Island City
Griddle Café and Deli is a strong contender for a classic diner-style breakfast and brunch menu. Besides the eggs, omelets, breakfast sandwiches and pancakes it sells, Griddle has something else to offer: history. The restaurant’s location has historically been serving food since the 1930s, according to the website. Originally, it was a lunch wagon at the corner of 30th Place and Hunters Point Avenue that served for nearly 100 years. Then, in the 1970s, it became a larger restaurant. Between 2000 and 2013, it became a Latin restaurant-comic book hybrid before finally becoming Griddle.
*This story was first published in the May issue of BORO Magazine.
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