You can't go wrong by celebrating mom at an Aquidneck Island restaurant

A quick shout-out to all those in the hospitality industry who will be tying up their aprons this weekend and putting in those extra hours as they tackle one of the busiest days of the year: Mother’s Day. No holiday on the American calendar gets more people out to their favorite restaurants and meeting places than Mother’s Day. It’s an excuse to have a great meal out with family and friends all in the name of celebrating the moms in our lives. Our moms deserve a few moments where they can sit back, relax and enjoy, and there’s no better place to do that than at her favorite Aquidneck Island eatery.

Working in a restaurant on Mother’s Day is a long day. Because it’s a Sunday, it means the staff has just worked through a busy Friday and Saturday shift. Everyone’s a bit tired, so the staff will have to dig in deep to keep the energy going for another particularly busy day. And they will meet the challenge, perhaps with some help from coffee and Red Bull. Mother’s Day means a lot of big parties, so the staff will be lugging bigger than usual trays full of drinks, they’ll be shuffling armloads of hot plates, and they’ll generally be running around like crazy. But in the good news column, you will find that most parties are in pretty good moods on Mother’s Day. They are out for fun, just like mom requested. But there will be some less-than-festive curmudgeons in the mix too, and those guests can make the vibe of the whole staff turn sour fast. Mom always said that, “the kindness you give is equal to the kindness you receive.” Remember that on Sunday.

Let’s also give a very special shout-out to the moms in the hospitality industry who have to work on Mother’s Day. They are the ones that are forgoing their day of celebration so they can be there for the restaurant and to make their living. They deserve our thanks and gratitude, not just for the sacrifice they are making to be there, but also for what they bring to every staff. Even though they have their own kids at home, restaurant moms always seem to attract the younger pups on the staff who are looking for guidance, support and love. It's a job within a job that no one asked for, but they do it because they’re moms. We see you, and we appreciate you for all you do for everyone.

Celebrating Mother’s Day at your mom’s favorite restaurant is a great tradition and the hospitality workers of Aquidneck Island are excited to host you this Sunday. Make those reservations early and enjoy it all. And if you and mom enjoy, don’t forget to thank the people working hard to make you all happy.

Side Dishes

• Saturday kicks off the 8th Annual Quahog Week sponsored by Rhode Island Seafood. The event highlights our state's favorite local clam and all those who work to harvest them. In celebration, many local restaurants are featuring special Quahog-themed menu items. Join the Newport Chowder Company, Flo’s, The Gulf Stream, Boat House and 22 Bowen’s along with other local venues and try their featured dishes! Support your local Quahoggers!

• Is Becky’s BBQ coming back? That’s the rumor and it sounds like the guys behind Dashing Dan’s Cafe Car will be driving that train. That’s great news and we’ll be excited to see the smoker’s churning out the ribs and brisket again soon. No word on exactly when they will open, but we’ll have our BBQ bibs on for when they do. Good luck guys!

• Cheers to the Jane Pickens Theater for booking some great events lately! With every great show they produce, they bring people out to our restaurants and stores, so keep it coming. Crash Test Dummies, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Andy Summers, Jake Shimabukuro and Judy Collins to name a few, plus great classic and future-classic movies. Keep Newport entertained!

• Some interesting things happening down on Lower Thames. Scales & Shells is now under new ownership and they have brought in Richard Allaire from Metacom Kitchen as the new chef. His work at Metacom Kitchen drew high praise and well-deserved acclaim to the Warren eatery, so we are excited to see what inspirations he will find in Newport and what direction he will take the Scales & Shell menu. Welcome to the community Chef! Meanwhile, Chef Junior, formerly of Scales, has taken over the kitchen at Hooked Seafood Bar and Grill, the sister (and adjoining) restaurant to Vieste Simply Italian. It’s a great spot with all your favorite seafood specials. Join them for a nice brunch on the weekends too (perfect for Mother’s Day!)

Cheers!

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality-related. His column appears on newportri.com and in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport area restaurants a perfect place to celebrate Mother's Day