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Posted on Wed, May 5, 2010 : 11 a.m.

Taking mom out to brunch for Mother's Day? Ann Arbor has great options

By Jessica Webster

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Grange Kitchen and Bar has a farm-to-table brunch menu for Mother's Day.

Renee Tellez | AnnArbor.com

Brunch options are rich in Ann Arbor on an average Sunday, but Mother's Day is when local restaurants really step it up. If you're looking for a place to celebrate Mom with good food and drink this weekend, we've got some suggestions.

Eve Aronoff of eve the restaurant has put together a delicious-sounding menu full of seasonal specialties for this Sunday. Highlights include a baked lemon and apricot french toast, an "early spring omelet" with ramps and asparagus, and a cool grilled salmon salad with dried figs, apricots and toasted pistachios.

You'll find seasonal fare at Grange Kitchen and Bar as well. Chef Brandon John has created a special menu that draws from area farms. You'll find morel and ramp scrambled duck eggs, buttermilk lemon pancakes with local maple syrup, and Michigan shrimp and grits with smoked sausage and sage butter among the offerings on Sunday.

Of course you can't lose with Ann Arbor's regular brunch destination restaurants. Cafe Zola is a favorite among Ann Arbor townies who rave about sweet and savory crepes, omelets and salads. Brunch with a southwestern flair can be had at the Prickly Pear, another popular downtown brunch spot. My favorite plates there are the southwestern vegetable omelet and the jalapeno biscuit eggs benedict.

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Patrons choose from a variety of brunch offerings at Gandy Dancer, located at 401 Depot St., on Sunday morning.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

The Gandy Dancer is usually my family's destination for special event brunches. The white tableclothes, the excellent service and the sheer variety of foods from the brunch buffet make the Gandy Dancer stand out. It's standard buffet food - with scrambled eggs, waffle and omelet stations, roast beef, bagels, smoked salmon, cocktail shrimp and a dessert table packed with pastries - but the charming environment of the former train station snazzes it up. 

On the west side of town, Weber's Inn does a regular classic brunch buffet that Ann Arborites are known to rave about. For this weekend's menu their dishes include rosemary dijon pork loin, broiled salmon, honey-glazed ham and roasted chicken.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg, of course. Zingerman's Roadhouse, The Northside Grill, The Broken Egg, Village Kitchen, Afternoon Delight, Aut Bar and Angelo's are also excellent brunch destinations. It all depends on your taste, budget and ambience requirements. If you have a suggestion, leave a comment below.

Wherever you end up, have a happy Mother's Day!

Jessica Webster oversees Food & Drink coverage and eats brunch for the Community Team at AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at jessicawebster@annarbor.com.

Comments

Elaine F. Owsley

Wed, Sep 15, 2010 : 2:50 p.m.

Mother's Day is eight months off. This is kind of a weird piece for this time of year.

TLB

Sun, May 16, 2010 : 10:14 a.m.

Based on my experience at Cafe Zola, I wouldn't recommend it. We waited 40 minutes for our table even with a reservation, completely unacceptable if you've run your business for any period of time on a busy day like Mother's day. Food was so so anyway, my kids bacon was completely overcooked and the wait staff was frazzeled due to the lack of organization. My suggestion is plan ahead and go to the Gandy Dancer, food is excellent and service is great. Much better deal and atmosphere than Cafe Zola with napkins on the floor to keep tables from wobbling!!! I'm sure this place has it's fans, but I'm not one of them.

treetowncartel

Tue, May 11, 2010 : 11:23 a.m.

Getting into a diner or similar restaruant for an ealry breakfast has become our pattern. The early lunch and brunch crowd is beaten and a standard breakfast sits just fine as long as mom is not involved in any of the effort involved in serving it and cleaning it up. FYI, I believe mom's eat at free big boy's if they get the buffet.

Jennifer Shikes Haines

Wed, May 5, 2010 : 11:12 a.m.

We're going to the Grange on Sunday. I'm really excited! Eve would be a fabulous choice, too. I also am a Roadhouse Grits and Bits waffles addict, but I'd rather go to the Roadhouse for their weekday breakfasts when it's quieter.

Phil Dokas

Wed, May 5, 2010 : 10:40 a.m.

As of Sunday the Gandy Dancer didn't have any reservation slots available for Mother's Day.