Mother's Day restaurant picks on Long Island

Mother's Day often is cited as the busiest time for restaurants. Whether Mom dines out rarely or regularly, here are a dozen spots, six each in Nassau and Suffolk, that should treat her well on Sunday.

NASSAU COUNTY

The Phoenix
3915 Merrick Rd., Seaford
516-809-9693, thephoenixny.com

Chef Ryan Augusta's innovative small plates repertoire (with four new large plates recently added) will be augmented by two Mother's Day specials: truffled potato-and-oxtail croquettes as well as tuna seviche. The restaurant will also offer its "core" menu featuring sandwiches, salads and soups, along with a list of cured meats and cheeses. (Small plates, $4 to $10; large plates, $16 to $24; core menu $6 to $12). Although reservations aren't the norm here, they will be taken for Mother's Day.

Cinelli's Pizzeria & Grill
156 Davison Ave., Oceanside
516-678-9494, cinellisoceanside.com

Chef-owner Franco Abballe, best known for his piadini (grilled Italian flatbread sandwiches from the Emilia-Romagna province of Italy) has come up with a roster of holiday specials, in addition to the regular menu (average entree $15). Among these are a "drunken" apple salad made with micro greens and a wine-soaked Spanish goat cheese ($9), a triple-layer vegetable lasagna ($14), as well as calamari in a tomato-olive-caper sauce over imported Calabrian filei pasta ($17). Weather permitting, there will be patio seating.

La Cocina de Marcia
77 B W. Merrick Rd., Freeport
516-986-5222, lacocinademarcia.com

Gracious hosts Marcia Beltre and Irving Ramirez welcome you to their casual, tasteful spot where Marcia's mom, Angela Beltre, does the cooking. For Mother's Day, there will be four price-fixed meals, ranging from $18.75 for an entree of green plantain-crusted flounder to $25.95 for the Marcia platter featuring skirt steak, lobster tail, boneless chicken, shrimp and calamari. All come with a lettuce-and-tomato salad, coconut flan plus a glass of red or white wine or sangria.

Aperitif
240-242 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Centre
516-594-3404, aperitifbistro.com

Brunch and dinner highlight Aperitif on Mother's Day. The $21 brunch includes selections such as quiche Lorraine, banana pancakes, eggs Benedict, eggs Florentine, gravlax, a tuna Nicoise wrap, gnocchi with mushrooms, house-made ravioli, salads with either grilled chicken or hanger steak, omelets, crepes, mussels Provençal or mariniere with fries, and a sirloin burger.

La Pace with Chef Michael
51 Cedar Swamp Rd., Glen Cove
516-671-2970, lapaceglencove.com

The fixed-price menu at La Pace with Chef Michael includes entrees such as osso buco, prime rib, chicken Sorrentino, soft-shell crab meunière and the restaurant's "Sunday dinner" with chicken Parmigiana, sausages, and meatballs and spaghetti with tomato sauce. Rigatoni Bolognese, eggplant rollatine, fried calamari and seafood salad head appetizers; Italian cheesecake and napoleon, dessert. Adults: $49.50; children, $23.

The Patio
445 S. Main St., Freeport
516-623-2980, patiofreeport.com

The Patio, recently reopened for the season, will have a $40, plus tax and tip, fixed-price menu on Mother's Day. It includes a free Bellini, Bloody Mary or mimosa. Dishes include New England clam chowder, endive-and-green apple salad, eggs Benedict, orange-and-dill salmon, a lobster roll, barbecued ribs, chocolate-covered strawberries, and cheesecake from Junior's.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Mirabelle
150 Main St., Stony Brook
631-751-0555, threevillageinn.com

The choices on chef Guy Reuge's three-course menu include: pan-fried soft-shell crab, duck confit spring roll, chilled tomato soup, and warm goat cheese salad appetizers; honey-glazed rack of pork, pan-seared Arctic char, and leek-and-mushroom risotto main courses; and ginger-almond tart, vanilla yogurt parfait, and sorbet desserts. Cost: $59 a person, plus tax and tip.

View
3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale
631-589-2694, viewoakdale.com

This waterview restaurant will feature an a la carte menu. Appetizer selections include crabcake, shrimp cocktail, baked clams and Peking duck tacos; main courses, pappardelle Bolognese, filet mignon, and pan-seared sea scallops; desserts, crème brûlée, peach-blueberry crumb cake and chocolate truffle cake. Main courses, $24-$49; appetizers, soups and salads, $8-$16. Children's menu, $10.

Jonathan's Ristorante
15 Wall St., Huntington
631-549-0055, jonathansristorante.com

Jonathan's plans a fixed-price brunch, as well as its regular dinner with specials. The brunch is $29 for adults and $16 for children younger than 10, plus tax and tip. Brunch items include gazpacho, fried calamari, crabcake, Caesar salad, gnocchi Bolognese, house-made waffles, French toast, vegetable-and-cheese frittata, grilled herbed shrimp, panna cotta and flourless chocolate cake.

Spice Village Grill
281 Main St., Huntington
631-271-4800, spicevillagegrill.com

This hospitable Indo-Pakistani restaurant features a four-course $20 brunch deal from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; included are salad or soup, any appetizer, any lunch entree plus a complimentary soft drink and dessert. New here is the addition of wine, beer and mixed drinks. An apt Mother's Day choice might be the "roses are red" martini made with rosewater syrup, ginger ale and vanilla vodka. Outdoor sidewalk seating, weather permitting.

Bistro 25
45 Foster Ave., Sayville
631-589-7775, Bistro25li.com

Mother's Day dinner will be served from 1 to 7 p.m. at this classy but casual spot. Chef Brian Shuren is augmenting his regular roster of well-crafted small and large plates -- none costing more than $19.50 -- with four luxe specials. These, at $25 each, include rack of lamb, duck two ways (seared breast and confit leg) as well as seared sea scallops and roast prime rib.

Ragazzi Italian Kitchen and Bar
2950 Middle Country Rd., Nesconset
631-265-8200, ragazzi-ny.com

In addition to its a la carte menu, this contemporary Italian spot will serve such Mother's Day specials as lobster ravioli in pink cream sauce with hot cherry peppers and baby shrimp ($18) as well as red snapper filet oreganata with cherry tomatoes. A dessert special is Nutella-stuffed fried wontons with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel syrups ($9).