Were you wondering last minute where to take your mama for Mother’s Day and settled for Swiss Chalet instead? In order to make reparations for poor taste, take the most important lady in your life to this shady patio where she can still sport her sun hat but won’t suffer from overheating by any means.

The quaint patio is reminiscent of a scene from the Secret Garden (could be all that English Ivy on the resto’s walls). Order a scrumptious Southwestern California sandwich and wash it down with a spot of tea for a truly relaxing lunch or if you’re into the alcohol, a caesar in the shade never hurt anyone either. In the evening, the twinkling tree lights and luscious Virginia creepers (no, it’s a plant not slimy Southern men) create a romantic canopy that is better suited for an intimate dinner date with your beau than a meal with mum. - E.J.