Area wine bars prepare for Mother's Day next Sunday

Mother's Day will be a sort of test for 530 Wine Bar in Elkhart.

The new Elkhart bistro at 530 E. Lexington Ave. opened in December and predominantly operates in the evenings. But Mother's Day will mark the first day the restaurant will provide a brunch menu where customers 21 and older can choose from eggs Benedict, bagels with lox, quiche, Monte Cristo, biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, and chicken and waffles served with toast, fruit and drink for $25. A variety of mimosa flavors, as well as its regular wine list options, will be available. Operators plan to utilize the large event space adjourning the quaint wine bar area.

It will be a sort of baptism by fire situation, as it were.

"It's a new experience for us, so we'll see how we'll compare in the market," said Melissa Hiner, the marketing and creative director for wine bar ownership group The Tiedemann Group of Companies. "We're excited to see how it will all work out."

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According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, 57% of surveyed consumers are planning to spend an average of $40.90 on a special outing like dinner or brunch. That can easily translate to one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, especially favorite brunch and wine bars that are now preparing for the holiday on May 8.

At Ironhand Wine Bar, director of operations Laura Morris says Mother's Day is the busiest Sunday of the year. The wine bar at 1025 Northside Blvd. plans to serve such brunch specials as crab-stuffed avocado, quiche, pancakes and French toast.

Coupled with the food, local wine from the Ironhand Vineyard will be served with new options that include a grüner veltliner and Riesling blend, a new rosé and a new pinot grigio. Wine cocktails such as LaSalle's La Murer, made with sparkling wine, blackberry syrup and club soda, as well as beer and seltzers, also are available.

Morris said reservations for the 100-person capacity wine bar are nearly full, which signals a busier year compared to last. First come, first serve seating will remain open at the 24-highchair bar.

"I think it's going to be busier this year," Morris said and added that consistently being open for brunch recently has likely contributed to the high number of reservation calls.

At Bin 23 in Granger, options such as cannoli French toast and prosciutto, asparagus, cheese and spinach omelet are on the menu, but the likely star of the day will be the slushied frosé and bottomless mimosas. The drinks are offered in addition to the hundreds of other wines available at the bistro. Like Ironhand's Morris, General Manager Wade Jaquess said this year is scheduled to be busy at the 120 Perspective Drive bistro, saying some reservations were made months ago.

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"Last year a lot of restaurants were having a banner year because we were coming out of COVID," he said. "But judging based on the (reservation) response we've heard so far, we think its going to be a great Mother's Day."

Like 530 Wine Bar, The Cellar Wine Bar and Kitchen also is preparing for its first Mother's Day. The new restaurant located across from Howard Park opened just before Valentine's Day. Owner Shawn Todd said they're preparing for the anticipated busy day and are currently coming up with a special menu for the Mother's Day holiday, contemplating offering a mimosa bar. Todd said they plan to bring on extra staff to handle the anticipated influx of customers.

"It's going to be busy, and this is coming before graduation, so we know that's going to be a big weekend (as well)," he said.

Contact Mary Shown at 574-235-6244 and mshown@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @maryshownSBT and @marketbasketSBT.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Wine bars in South Bend, Elkhart, prep for Mother's Day brunch, events