65 per cent of Canadian say dining out is an important part of their Mother's Day celebration ¹
Nearly a quarter (23%) of moms said they would consider dining alone at a restaurant for part of their Mother's Day celebrations ¹
45 per cent of Canadians think Mother's Day celebrations for first-time moms should be more special ¹

TORONTO, April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Mother's Day approaches, Canadians are turning to restaurants to mark the occasion, with 37 per cent planning to celebrate with a meal out this year and 65 per cent saying dining out is an important part of their celebrations.¹

To help with the restaurant search, OpenTable has released its annual list of Canada's Top 100 Brunch and Lunch Restaurants for 2026, highlighting the dining destinations Canadians consistently rate highly for mid-day dining. The list is compiled by analyzing over 1 million diner reviews, alongside diner ratings, reservation demand, and a minimum threshold of brunch reviews and Sunday lunch availability, among other factors.²

In addition to the top list, OpenTable shares key Mother's Day dining trends for 2026.

Big tables, shared celebrations. Dining out remains at the heart of Mother's Day, with 41 per cent of moms and mother figures wanting a meal out with family the most.¹ In 2025, parties of four were the most common dining group, while parties of six or more are trending with strongest dining growth year-over-year (+29 per cent).³ Intergenerational celebrations are also on the table, with 40 per cent of Canadians celebrating Mother's Day dining out with multiple generations.¹

"Mother's Day was the top dining day in Canada last year,³ proof that eating out is at the heart of how Canadians celebrate," said Laure Bornet, Senior Vice President of International Growth at OpenTable. "What stands out is just how varied those celebrations have become, from larger, intergenerational bookings to solo meals and overnight getaways. Restaurants are responding by offering more flexible ways to celebrate, and this year's Top 100 Brunch and Lunch Restaurants list reflects that range."

Mother's Day, Mom's way. While a shared meal remains central to Mother's Day celebrations, many are also redefining how the day looks. In 2025, nearly a quarter (23%) of moms and mother figures say they would consider dining alone for part of the day this year, rising to 35 per cent among millennial moms.¹ Almost half (49%) of moms and mother figures feel that Mother's Day is becoming more about personal time and self-care compared to previous years.¹ Great options for solo dining on this year's list include LOUIX LOUIS in Toronto and Maison Bouludin Montreal.

At the same time, 38 per cent of Canadians would consider travelling or booking an overnight stay for Mother's Day weekend.¹ There are several brunch and lunch restaurants on this year's list located in hotels and destination settings such as Elora Mill in Elora, The Drawing Room - The Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Botanist in Vancouver.

New moms, new traditions. Expectations are higher when it comes to the first Mother's Day. Forty‑five per cent of Canadians believe celebrations for first‑time moms should be more special, a view shared by 63 per cent of Gen Z.¹ When asked what first‑time moms want most, a break from daily responsibilities (59 per cent), time with loved ones (56 per cent) and time to relax or focus on wellness (54 per cent) top the list.¹ Restaurants on this year's list also offer bookable dining Experiences that make the day feel extra special including an Afternoon Tea at The Palm Court at the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal and three course brunch at Treadwell Cuisine in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Discover OpenTable's Top 100 Brunch and Lunch Restaurants for 2026 that mom will love

No matter how Canadians choose to celebrate the moms in their life, the list has something for all, featuring 54 restaurants in Ontario, 17 in British Columbia, 16 in Alberta and 7 in Quebec, with additional restaurants recognized in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada.² The restaurants are listed in alphabetical order by Province below.

Alberta

Bluebird Woodfired Steakhouse & Fondue, Banff

Italian Farmhouse Restaurant & Bar, Bragg Creek

Ten Foot Henry, Calgary

MAJOR TOM, Calgary

River Café, Calgary

Barbarella, Calgary

Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant, Calgary

Porch, Calgary

Deane House, Calgary

Orchard, Calgary

Foxtrot at Spruce Meadows, Calgary

Alvin's Jazz Club, Calgary

Bridgette Bar Canmore, Canmore

Happy and Olive, Edmonton

Pip, Edmonton

Heartland Cafe, Okotoks

British Columbia

Old Vines Restaurant at Quails' Gate Winery, Kelowna

Haven Kitchen + Bar, Langley

Nightingale, Vancouver

Botanist, Vancouver

Miku Restaurant - Vancouver, Vancouver

Elio Volpe, Vancouver

Zarak by Afghan Kitchen, Vancouver

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, Vancouver

Homer Street Cafe & Bar, Vancouver

Top of Vancouver Revolving Restaurant, Vancouver

Tableau Bar Bistro, Vancouver

Provence Marinaside, Vancouver

Maxine's Cafe & Bar, Vancouver

Wildlight Kitchen & Bar, Vancouver

Acquafarina, Vancouver

LIFT Bar Grill View, Vancouver

Finn's Seafood, Chops and Cocktails, Victoria

Ontario

Ancaster Mill, Ancaster

LOCALE - Aurora, Aurora

The Good Earth Vineyard And Winery, Beamsville

Isabelle Restaurant + Lounge, Burlington

The Friendly Society, Elora

Elora Mill, Elora

La Vecchia - Marine Parade, Etobicoke

Arôme – Hilton Lac Leamy, Gatineau

Golf's Steak House & Seafood, Kitchener

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - Mississauga Heartland, Mississauga

Posta Ital Bar Cucina, Mississauga

Taps Public House, Mississauga

Table Rock House Restaurant, Niagara Falls

The Winery Restaurant at Peller Estates, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Treadwell Cuisine, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Cannery Restaurant, Niagara-on-the-Lake

The Drawing Room - The Prince of Wales Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Trattoria Timone, Oakville

The Common Stove, Orillia

Gezellig, Ottawa

Cantina Gia, Ottawa

The Royal Hotel, Prince Edward

Cafe Amore - St. Catharines, St Catharines

Grazie Toronto, Toronto

Allen's, Toronto

REIGN, Toronto

Le Sélect Bistro, Toronto

Abrielle, Toronto

The Lunch Lady, Toronto

Amal Restaurant, Toronto

Aloette, Toronto

Café Boulud, Toronto

Queens Harbour, Toronto

The Berczy, Toronto

Terroni Price, Toronto

Miss Likklemores, Toronto

LOUIX LOUIS, Toronto

Stock Bar, Toronto

El Catrin, Toronto

The Dorset, Toronto

Daphne, Toronto

Alder, Toronto

Union, Toronto

Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen, Toronto

RH Courtyard Restaurant at RH Toronto, Toronto

KŌST, Toronto

Auberge du Pommier, Toronto

Pai Northern Thai - Uptown, Toronto

General Public, Toronto

Il Postino, Unionville

Lake House Restaurant, Vineland

Wildcraft, Waterloo

The Bauer Kitchen, Waterloo

Bella Notte Ristorante, Whitby

Quebec

Maison Boulud, Montréal

McKiernan Rôtisserie, Montréal

Le Pois Penché, Montréal

Modavie, Montréal

Bar George, Montréal

Terrasse William Gray, Montréal

The Palm Court at the Ritz-Carlton – The Afternoon Tea Experience, Montreal

Manitoba

Cibo Waterfront Cafe, Winnipeg

Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar at Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg

Saskatchewan

Hearth Restaurant, Saskatoon

Atlantic

The Canteen on Portland, Dartmouth

Mic Mac Bar & Grill, Dartmouth

Drift, Halifax

About OpenTable

OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps more than 65,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.9 billion seats a year. OpenTable's world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most – their team, their guests, and their bottom line – while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion.

Notes to Editors

Consumer Research Methodology: An online survey was conducted by Ripple Research among 1500 CA consumers celebrating Mother's Day, including 637 who are being celebrated as mothers/mother figures and will be celebrating other mothers/mother figures, and a quota of 200 for major cities. Fieldwork was conducted between 16th March 2026 and 19th March 2026. All data was collected in accordance with MRS (Market Research Society) and ESOMAR guidelines, ensuring ethical standards and robust data quality.
The Top 100 Brunch and Lunch Restaurants in Canada 2026 Methodology: OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurants for Brunch and Lunch in Canada for 2026 list is generated from over 1 million from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics from 1st March 2025 - 28th February 2026. Restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews were considered and evaluated by a compilation of unique data points, including diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the number of alerts set, the percentage of reservations made in advance, percentage of capacity and direct searches. Metrics were weighted to comprise an overall score. The qualified restaurants were then filtered on having a minimum number of brunch reviews and Sunday lunch availability. The resulting list appears A-Z, not in ranked order.
OpenTable Data: OpenTable looked at seated diners per party size and hour from online reservations from all active restaurants on the OpenTable platform in Canada on May 11, 2025 and compared it to the corresponding date period in 2024 (May 12, 2024), as well as analysing dining in 2025.

For media inquiries please contact:

Amanda Panacci

amanda.panacci@mediaprofile.com

647-500-5752

Table for Mom: OpenTable Launches Mother's Day Dining Trends and Canada's Top 100 Brunch and Lunch Restaurants for 2026