Brunch Hard. Call Your Mom. 💁‍♀️

It's the least you can do. . . 👇

May 08, 2025

Quick Show of Hands, Is this Gonna be Anyone this weekend??

The Mother of all holidays ***me snickering like a 12-year-old middle schooler***

Mom’s day is quickly approaching and that means trees are in full bloom, class of 2025 at Gonzaga is graduating, and every brunch place in Spokane will be absolutely loaded. Hopefully, you put some forethought into this year’s Mother’s Day and you’ve already locked in reservations. I haven’t… but seeing that Mother’s day is usually a beautiful day, my mum and I like to grab some Cafe items, and take a nice hearty walk together to debrief her greatness. . . 

This edition is focused and a low fuss edition. . . we know who the star of the show is this weekend:

Therefore, this is an unofficial shoutout to my mother Diana: a legend in her own way, a Lilac Princess, and an extraordinarily wonderful mother. Since I know she’s a subscriber: I love you mum, looking forward to celebrating you more this weekend 🥂. Though she certainly loves herself and upscale treats here and there, I know she doesn’t give a sh*t, especially if she’s confined to the constraints of a packed brunch place. . . Now, I realize for some people, that doesn’t make much of a difference; there are some that prefer the grand, and I respect that. If that’s what you’re into well get on this fast:

Hey. If you haven’t made Mother’s Day plans yet, this is your official, lovingly sarcastic wake-up call. Mom birthed you.

The least you can do is book her a brunch on a boat. The Lake CDA Brunch Cruise is 90 minutes of pure maternal indulgence: chef-prepared buffet, flowing mimosas, and jaw-dropping lake views with a side of “wow, I really should do this more often.” There’s even live narration, so you can learn some fun facts while pretending this whole thing wasn’t booked in a panic.

$75 per adult, discounts for kids, and yes, they will sell out. Do it for Mom. Or at least for your own conscience.

I know some would prefer the alternative, so I’ll spill the tea on a rap-sheet of brunch places [BEWARE] I did not check to see if they have open reservations this weekend or not. . . so if they’re booked, don’t shoot the messenger. 

The view’s the vibe. Lake Coeur d’Alene steals the show while Dockside drops a heavy-hitting brunch buffet: waffles, seafood, carved prime rib, and their signature sugar bomb: the Gooey. It's like Vegas brunch married lakeside elegance and had an all-you-can-eat baby.

Quaint house, wild flavor. Locally sourced everything and that infamous breakfast spaghetti (yes, really). It’s a place where duck sausage and goat cheese show up early and don’t apologize for it. Expect a wait. It’s worth it.

Cajun-Creole brunch with Alice in Wonderland dĂŠcor and zero chill. Beignets, eggs Sardou, and vibes so playful they almost make up for your parking-induced rage. Great for Moms who brunch with flair and a side of jazz.

Southern-style brunch in Midtown CDA that doesn’t hold back. Chicken on polenta cakes, brunch burgers, and an “Idaho Benedict” on crispy fries instead of muffins. Bottomless mimosas. Big flavors. Zero regrets.

As-seen-on-TV comfort food heaven. Guy Fieri-approved. Retro diner realness. Fried pecan rolls, biscuits & gravy five ways, and coffee that keeps coming. Jimmy’s doesn’t pretend — it delivers. Loudly, deliciously, authentically.

Latin-inspired brunch with river views and firepit patio energy. Chilaquiles, posole, sweet masa pancakes — and cocktails that demand a slow, satisfied sip. A newer fave that’s building a rep fast, and for good reason.

Where European brunch classics get Idaho-fied. Æbelskivers, German potato pancakes, and strudel you’ll want to smuggle out. Homemade everything, no mix shortcuts, and a whole lot of heart. Cozy, filling, and family-run for generations.

Spokane’s brunch MVP. The menu reads like a brunch mixtape — sweet, savory, subtle, classic — and every bite slaps. It’s trendy but not try-hard, and it just won Best Brunch of 2025. Bring Mom here if she deserves a mimosa and a main character moment.

Chorizo breakfast tacos. . . I don’t really need to go on, but I will. This retro spot leans heavy into comfort with local flair. You’ll be sipping coffee with a skyline view wondering why every pancake isn’t huckleberry-studded. It’s brunch with personality — just like Mom.

Country chic with a side of sugar crash. Chaps is where pumpkin bread French toast meets antique shop daydreams. Rustic, cozy, and unapologetically filling. Order “The Montanan,” loosen your waistband, and toast to motherhood with a pineapple mimosa–good luck finding a seat.

Where brunch shows up in a blazer and orders bourbon with its eggs. Spicy chicken & waffles, next-level cocktails, and that “we only serve brunch on weekends because we know we’re that good” energy.

Chandeliers. Crab omelets. A buffet that flexes harder than your uncle’s gym selfies. Treat Mom to an experience that screams elegance and whispers “bottomless coffee, ma’am?”

It’s brunch overlooking a golf course, but don’t worry — no actual golf required. Shrimp & grits, banana foster crepes, mimosa flights, and a Bloody Mary bar that lets you live your truth.

A brunch spot with local cred and flavor-forward chaos. Scotch Egg Chorizo, inventive benedicts, and cocktails like the “Morning News” that go down better than your inbox ever will.

Tiny café, huge flavors. Carrot cake French toast? Tamale waffles? You’re not dreaming, you’re just eating well. Expect a line. Accept your fate. Brunch gods demand patience.

You’re eating eggs inside a 1906 railcar. That’s the headline. Everything else — the pancakes, the nostalgia, the old-school hashbrowns — is just delicious backup vocals.

Yes, there are zebra statues. No, it’s not weird. The waffles are loaded, the eggs are perfect, and the fireplace is crackling like your unresolved childhood issues. Cozy chaos with class.

A brunch spot that makes you believe in linen napkins and garden herbs again. From crab cake Benedicts to seasonal quiche, Luna is the South Hill’s love letter to elegance. Bring Mom. Bring sunglasses.

Brioche French toast, beignets, and mimosa flights so fresh they’ll make you forget it’s still barely spring. Bonus points for that patio and their build-your-own Bloody Mary bar that borders on holy.

Cozy Italian meets neighborhood charm. Wild mushroom frittatas and polenta with poached eggs feel almost too refined to call brunch — but this is Spokane, so we call it exactly that.

Farmers Market Season Is Back, Baby — and You Better Be Hungry

It’s that magical time when the Inland Northwest throws off its soggy coat, slaps on some SPF 15, and rolls out a full calendar of open-air food porn and neighborhood charm. That’s right: farmers market season is so f*cking back — and SpoCo doesn’t half-ass this. We full-ass it. In every pocket of town.

These aren’t just places to buy arugula–sorry if I offended your love for a mountain of it on your pizza. I think they’re more aptly compared to mini street parties with fresh bread, live music, overpriced but worth-it honey.You go for the produce, and if you’re like me, you not-so-consciously accept samples curious about how much of their margin you're cutting into. 

Here's your hit list for 2025 — screenshot it, calendar it, tattoo it, I don’t care. Just don’t say I didn’t tell you.

Looking for something a bit more immersive to do with Mom? The paint-and-sip crowd is embracing its revival — and this time, there's an entire wine cellar in the mix. Pinot’s Palette is re-opening with a new swagger, and they’re christening the 1919 Wine Cellar like any good artist would: with bottles uncorked, brushes flying, and zero expectation that anyone’s leaving with clean clothes.

There’ll be painting demos, giveaways, and a high probability of someone misquoting Van Gogh over a merlot. It's creative chaos with wine stained teeth — no pretension, just people vibing over color palettes and cabernet.

It’s free to wander in, but don’t be the genius who forgets to RSVP.

Mother’s Day Cooking Class
Thursday, May 8 | The Kitchen Engine, Spokane

Nothing says “I love you, Mom” quite like setting a cake on fire — intentionally. This isn’t your average buttercream situation. This is edible drama: a hands-on cake decorating class where you’ll layer, frost, and then literally torch the top to reveal a hidden photo underneath.

It’s part baking, part art project, part Food Network fever dream. And whether you’re in it for the craft, the chaos, or the chance to show up Sunday with something more original than flowers from Safeway — this is your moment.

$90 per person covers everything. They have other classes as well, looks like there is limited space, so better book quickly. Bring your steady hand, your inner pastry Picasso, and maybe a photo that won’t make Mom cry in public. Tickets required in advance.

Look, if brunch isn't Mom’s thing — or if you're looking to balance that mimosa-fueled sugar spiral with some fresh air and actual entertainment — then baseball’s your move. The Spokane Indians are posted up at Avista all weekend, and it's the perfect low-effort, chill play for Mother's Day.

There’s a home game every night from Thursday through Saturday (including the legendary 6:35 PM start on 5/09, because Spokane will never not love a hometown wink). But Sunday? That’s the Mother’s Day evening session. First pitch at 6:35, sunshine likely, and yes — make sure you have flowers at the gate for the woman who used to cut your sandwiches into dinosaurs.

Tickets are cheap, garlic fries are righteous, and there’s just something about live baseball that hits different when you’re sitting next to the woman who taught you how to hold a bat.

Depot Days Classic Car Show – Saturday, May 10 | 9 AM–3 PM | Downtown Wallace, ID

If your Mom is a motorhead, into chrome, carburetors, and the kind of Americana that smells like burnt rubber and kettle corn, Depot Days in Wallace is your jam. This tiny, mining town hits the gas every year the Saturday before Mother's Day — shutting down its streets to show off vintage rides that make your dad’s midlife crisis Mustang look like a Prius.

Model Ts. Muscle cars. That one guy polishing a Chevy Impala like it's a Fabergé egg. It's part small-town block party, part outdoor museum— in the best way. Add in live music, weirdly good food vendors, and train depot lawn lounging, and you’ve got a Saturday that delivers on nostalgia and spectacle.

Free to spectate. Go for the drive. Bring your mom — or your mechanic.

As I wrap this up. . . I think it’s important to give one last important shoutout to all the mothers out there. Behind my sarcastic and mildly irreverent content is someone who knows the great responsibility a mother carries — in several facets. I’ve been extraordinarily blessed and fortunate to

have a fantastic mum. They are vital to our lives, and the least we can do as children is acknowledge their love and care. If you're still in the planning phase. . . they likely don’t care about what you get them, they just want time with you. Happy Mother’s Day.