Lucinda O’Sullivan: Treat the mammy to some fine, well-priced lunch dining at The Shelbourne

If you don’t want to be on the mammy’s naughty step on Mother’s Day, I do hope you’ll have something better than garage flowers and cheap choccies in your paw when you come a calling to take her out to lunch! “Oh, lunch,” I hear you say. You forgot, I know, I know, but the mammy won’t! All is not lost! While you might have blown it for the busiest day of the restaurant year, you can be as smart as that phone you’re clutching for dear life, stop scrolling and arrive flashing a restaurant reservation “for a nicer, quieter day”! Lunch has always been the best way to try out top restaurants without facing a terrifying bill at the end of your 15 tasting courses. However, that advice isn’t just for the upper level any more.

From what I’m seeing around now in ‘hip’ and ‘hot’ restaurants, starters are running from the mid-teens to over €25, while meaty mains are tipping €50 sans the spuds, not to mention dessert at €12/€16!.