Treat the lady in your life this Mother’s Day in Glasgow

Hit the ground running by getting her up and out for brunch — Partick Duck Club is open from 9am, so awaits early risers with booze and brekkie buns. Grab a plaid-upholstered seat in a cosy booth at this neighbourhood haunt and get the Bloody Marys (with homemade sriracha, olive and lemon) flowing. The brunches here are especially indulgent, thanks to the Club’s special ingredient of duck fat. Order a duck fat sausage bean; a 24-hour beef steak and fried duck egg benedict with shallot and sriracha sourdough; a duck leg and nduja hash with a fried duck egg, sour cream and sourdough; and a plate of French toast with crème fraiche, berries and maple dressing. Lots of local suppliers feature on the menu, such as Ramsay of Scotland, Corrie Mains Free Range Eggs and the Freedom Bakery.

If she likes Italian food, book a table at Amore in Merchant City; with a name meaning “love” in Italian, it’s a great way to express how you feel about her. And as a family-run venue, Amore is all about the mammas. The award-winning venue (Scotland’s Favourite Italian Business and Best Pizza at the UK PAPA Awards) offered a special set menu last year for £29.95. Each included three courses, with starters such as mussels, chicken liver pate, caesar salad with smoked salmon and Stornoway black pudding; mains like veal medallions, sirloin steak, sea bream and classic pasta favourites; and your choice of Eton Mess, cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake for pud. So keep an eye out for their Mother’s Day menu in 2024.

An oldie but a goodie, afternoon tea is a classic girlie outing and if you don’t mind a little cliche and do love a home-baked scone, this is the place to bring mums of any age. Downstairs is the venue’s restaurant and bar, while upstairs you’ll find the cutesy vintage style Tea Room, where triple tiered bone china cake stands come laden with sugar-filled delights, canapés and carefully cut sarnies. Pair the afternoon treats with a loose leaf brew, or push the boat out and buy her some fizz (or a shot of vodka, a sherry, or a beer — the full bar menu is available in the Tea Room). And don’t worry if she’s on a gluten free, dairy free, or vegan diet; there are options aplenty.

Sundays are for roasts, so take her for a meaty feed with all the trimmings at this stylish gastropub. The venue itself (opened by the team behind Glaschu, Gost and Blackfriars) used to be an umbrella shop and has plenty of nods to its vintage heritage, along with sassy decor and some Insta-worthy cocktails. The venue has a semi-private section if you’re planning a big family outing, or book a booth and get stuck into two courses. Rump of beef, chicken or haunch of venison comes with Yorkshire pudding, duck fat potatoes, charcoal-blackened carrot, sautéed greens, watercress and red wine gravy. You may think that nobody makes a roast like mum — but try The Duke’s Umbrella Sunday lunch and you might think again.

Trying to find somewhere suitable for multiple generations of mothers and kids in your group? Look no further than Cup Tea Rooms. It’s a little bit fancier than your average cafe and best of all, caters very specifically for those of all ages; there’s a menu for little kids (including its own take on a three-tier cake stand with ham and cheese sandwiches, waffles and “design your own” cupcakes) and for teens, the latter straddling adult and juvenile tastes and adding in some mocktails. Grown up afternoon teas can be made veggie, vegan and gluten-free, with 48 tea blends on the menu. There are two Cups to pick from: one in Merchant City with an attractive al fresco area (wrap up warm and hope for an early spring) and this location on Renfield Street.

Take mum on a surprise culinary journey this Mother’s Day, as she puts her trust in you to make a great reservation and you both put your trust in Modou to serve a sublime tasting menu. Total Trust has to be one of the best value blind-tasting menus in the country, not just the city. For just £25 you’ll be served five creative and artistic courses, but the catch is you won’t know what’s in them. Don’t worry though, the accommodating team will make a note of your dietary requirements and dislikes, so you don’t end up in your own version of food hell. With a large sheet of paper and a pen, you’ll be invited to guess the ingredients of each plate as you savour the explosion of skillfully blended flavours. You’re sure to be surprised, and delighted, by the results, imagined by one of the most talented and innovative chefs in Glasgow. Go one step further by adding paired wines to each course.

For the fairy-tale experience, dine in a castle. This one is easily accessible in Pollokshields, so you won’t have a long journey into the countryside, but can still soak up the Scottish Baronial atmosphere within. Built in 1896, the turreted castle is an impressive sight, and its restaurant serves a fine Mother’s Day menu — a feast fit for nobility. Expect fine local fare, such as smoked salmon mousse, Cullen skink with smoked haddock and peppered mackerel, pan-fried saddle of lamb, fillet of beef and local cheeses with mini oatcakes. After lunch, you can all enjoy a stroll around the nearby Pollok Country Park.

Is your mother a dedicated gourmand who’s been to every restaurant and bar? If so, you may be racking your brains for somewhere new and different to take her. Well, Somewhere is exactly where to book. This is the latest concept by local culinary hero, Nico Simeone of Six by Nico fame. The chef is inviting patrons to “explore, escape and encounter” in this new venue, opening mid-February, in Glasgow’s West End. Experience-led, with a six-stage cocktail and small plate menu, the selection of food and drink will be reinvented every six weeks, so you never get bored of coming back. The decor has a midcentury vibe and old Hollywood glamour that serves as a suitable backdrop to treat a sophisticated liquor-loving lady.

Another relatively recent arrival on Glasgow’s ever-expanding foodie scene, is this stylish eatery which fuses the flavours of India, Scotland and Southeast Asia. You’ll find an array of very unique dishes suited to those mums who’d rather spice up their day than eat the British Mother’s Day staples of roasts and afternoon teas. You can come here for brunch, lunch or dinner, and if you sit at the very back, you’ll be able to listen to the soothing sounds of the Kelvin whooshing past below. The house cocktails are tantalising, but if mother prefers a cuppa, she can mix it up with a masala chai or a China green tea.

Get yourself double brownie points this Mother’s Day by combining two of her favourites: gin and a massage. This ginporium has a spa (which specialises in botanical treatments using the spirit) attached. So you can book a table for some drinks and nibbles, followed by a pampering session — or vice versa. The Victorian tiled interior of this Renfield Street venue is suitably fancy and the menu offers over 2,000 ways to drink your gin, taking into account the vast selection of mixers and garnishes. You might like to order a sharing cocktail teapot — you can “be mother” (a euphemism for pouring the brew) for once.