LIST: Exclusive Mother’s Day food offerings and secret menus to book now

City of Dreams Manila has three really distinct ways to spoil your mom depending on her vibe. You can go the elegant route at Crystal Dragon, where they’re serving a special Cantonese menu all month featuring some seriously high-end dishes like roasted duck with ginseng and bird’s nest. The menu is available from May 1 to 31 at lunch from 12 n.n. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

If she’s more of a brunch lover, Nobu is hosting a Sunday buffet on May 10 that includes their famous Japanese-Peruvian fusion, fresh seafood, and even a carving station for the real foodies. It is available from 11:30 am  to 3 pm, and price starts at P4,388 net per adult for the Regular package, inclusive of non-alcoholic beverages and mocktails. Other packages that include alcoholic and premium beverages are also available. 

And to really seal the deal, you can stop by Café Society to grab some of their handcrafted chocolates or a beautiful bouquet.

Fairmont and Raffles Hotel

There’s no treat quite like a luxurious staycation, and if you're thinking of giving your mom that, there's Fairmont and Raffles Hotel. Aside from the homey rooms and relaxing spa treatments, celebrate all that she is through a gathering at the Spectrum in Fairmont Makati's "To Mama With Love" lunch and dinner buffet priced at P4,166.43 nett.

Or, for a more private dining, take her to Mirèio in Raffles Makati's Le Brunch de Maman (from P6,578.58 nett) for Sunday brunch. The menu includes foie gras mousse, mud crabs, a Grilled Australian Lamb Rack, Pan-seared Toothfish, and a Blanc Blossom Delight of white peach, white chocolate, and white wine to close.

And to end the day with another surprise, gift her the hotel’s cake of the month, Lychee Hibiscus Cream Cake, a composition of layered lychee and hibiscus with white chocolate cream cheese.

For inquiries and table reservations, contact the team at (63) 2 8555 9840 or dining.makati@fairmont.com or visit the eBoutique.

Francesco's

If you want to celebrate a little earlier than the usual peak lunch time, head to Francesco's and Cafe Mabini's Mother's Day Brunch Buffet in San Juan.

On May 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., enjoy a curated spread from the two establishments, featuring a grazing table, breakfast bar, a cold seafood selection, carving station, live pasta station, and desserts.

Regular rates starting May 5 onwards is P2,495 for adults and P1,245 for children below 10 years old.

Call 8777-9777 or 0917-1444395 to reserve.

Lola Cafe

Sure, mom's homecooked Pinoy food is unbeatable, but it's time to give her a break from time to time. This weekend, Lola Cafe is offering two special sets, which include a variety of their best-selling dishes.

The All Filipino Set includes fresh lumpia, grilled salmon belly sinigang sa bayabas soup, pinabet, Lola kare kare, Lola's pork loin BBQ, bagoong rice, and mango sago. It's priced at P3,000 for 3 to 4 pax, and P6,000 for 6 to 8 pax.

Meanwhile, the Lola’s Signature Premium set includes beef tenderloin salpicao, spicy bangus sisig, boneless chicken inasal, coconut chopsuey, Bicol Express, parsley rice, and buko pandan all for P3,600 for 3 to 4 pax, and P7,200 for 6 to 8 pax.

Uma Nota

This Mother’s Day, take her somewhere special. An 8-course experience at Uma Nota, crafted for moments that matter. May 8–10
P5,900 per person. To reserve, call 0917-3072766.

La Cabrera

La Cabrera has prepared "a special menu to celebrate the Argentine way: unhurried, generous, and always with friends and familia."

This weekend, you can choose from the Dia De La Madre sets that's either good for four or six people.

The Set for 4 is priced at P11,480. It includes camembert with apple chutney, Caesar salad, pasta con mariscos, 800g ribeye steak, and pavlova.

The Set for 6, features provoleta; chorizo criollo 250g; papas fritas; oliva, tomate y abahaca; polito con queso, 1kg Argentinian bone-in ribeye steak, and postre for dessert. All these for P15,620.

For reservations call La Cabrera, 6750, Makati at 0905-2900703 or La Cabrera, EDSA Shangri-La Hotel at 0967-2367940.

The Plaza Catering

If you're celebrating with other moms at home, it might be easy to just order from The Plaza Catering's Mother's Day Bundles.

Guests can choose from the Pork Knuckles Bundle, New York-Style Hot Pastrami Bundle, or Baked Norwegian Salmon Bundle.

Each bundle also comes with a decadent chocolate cake.

The Plaza’s Mother’s Day bundles are priced at P12,500 and is good for 10 to 12 persons.

Orders are accepted until May 9 via their website.

Taco Bell

 Taco Bell is bringing back the fan-favorite Chalupa just in time for Mother’s Day with their "Chalupa MOMents" bundles available all through May.

For a low-key lunch for two, their P699 bundle includes two Beef Chalupas, a Cheese Quesadilla, and Nachos Supreme. For a bigger family, the P1,209 feast doubles the Chalupas and upgrades the sides to an XL Quesadilla and a Nachos Bell Grande. 

Merced Bakehouse

Nothing says "I love you, Mom" like the nostalgic sweetness of a Merced Bakehouse's boiled icing cake. The legendary bakeshop that opened in 1972 has opened pre-orders for its Mother's Day collection for May 10.

It includes eight designs, including Basket, Victoria, Dangwa, Lace, Bouquet, Palette, Puso ni Nanay, and Petal. The cakes start at P735 and can be ordered through this link.

Dairy Queen

If Mom is looking for a way to beat the summer heat, a cold treat is definitely the way to go. You can't go wrong with Dairy Queen’s Bloomberry Cheesecake Burst Blizzard Cake (starts at P599)—it’s a mix of their classic vanilla soft serve, cheesecake bits, and blueberry syrup, all topped off with some really pretty floral piping.

If she’s not looking for a full cake, their Belgian and Vanilla Bloom Cupcakes (P99 each) are a great alternative, giving her that same chocolate and vanilla fix in a smaller, easier bite. It’s a super simple but thoughtful way to help her stay cool and satisfy her sweet tooth at the same time.