Father’s Day, Without the Fuss
Father's Day has a problem. The occasion genuinely matters, but most of the options on the table, mediocre set menus, obligatory trips to chain restaurants, gifts that will sit unopened in a drawer, tend to undersell it. The sentiment is there. The execution usually isn't.
Malmaison does it differently. Not with fanfare or forced sentiment, but with properly good food, a relaxed atmosphere, and the kind of setting where the afternoon can stretch as long as it needs to. Whether that's a long Sunday lunch with the whole family, a low-key dinner between partners, or a group of adult kids taking their dad somewhere worth going, the format flexes around the occasion rather than the other way around.
This guide covers everything worth knowing: Father's Day meal ideas, Sunday lunch at Chez Mal, private dining for larger groups, overnight stays, gift vouchers, and how to plan the day so it actually goes well.
Why a Father's Day meal beats the usual options
Most dads, if pressed, want roughly the same thing: food they enjoy, people they like, and somewhere comfortable enough that nobody is watching the clock. That rules out a lot of the standard Father's Day offerings.
The brasserie model suits the occasion well. A proper menu rather than a fixed set, drinks that make the afternoon feel celebratory, and no pressure to clear the table the moment the dessert plates are removed. Malmaison suits a table of two as comfortably as a table of ten, which means the format works whether Father's Day is a quiet lunch for three or a full family gathering.
The other thing worth noting: it feels like a genuine choice. There is a difference between booking somewhere because it came up first in a search and booking somewhere because it is actually worth going. Chez Mal is the latter.
Father's Day meal ideas at Chez Mal Brasserie
Chez Mal Brasserie is the anchor for a Father's Day celebration that takes the occasion seriously without over-engineering it. Bold cooking, a strong drinks offering, and a social atmosphere that never tips into stuffiness.
The menu is built for the kind of meal Father's Day calls for: confident food, proper portions, and enough variety that everyone at the table finds something they want. It works as a long lunch or a proper evening out, and the bar means the occasion can continue well beyond the main course if the mood is right.
The Sunday dimension matters particularly here. Chez Mal's Sunday lunch sits at the heart of what works for Father's Day: a roast done properly, or a la carte for anyone who wants something different. The same quality and atmosphere runs across all Malmaison locations, so it works wherever dad happens to be based.
Sunday lunch, Malmaison style
The Sunday lunch at Chez Mal gives you the best of both formats. Classic roast beef sirloin for those who want it, alongside a la carte flexibility for anyone at the table who doesn't. Proper desserts, a relaxed pace, and the kind of room where nobody feels rushed.
It works well for mixed-generation groups: those who want a traditional roast can have one, those who want something from the broader menu can order that instead, and a kids' menu means Father's Day with multiple generations at the table stays straightforward rather than complicated.
This is not the kind of Sunday lunch where you feel the table is needed back by 2pm. The afternoon is yours.
Private dining for Father's Day groups
For families or groups large enough that a shared brasserie table starts to feel crowded, private dining is worth considering. Malmaison's private dining rooms have personality rather than the corporate blankness of a hired function space: distinct interiors, proper character, and none of the overhead projector energy.
The group still benefits from Chez Mal's full kitchen and drinks offering. The difference is the space: your own room, no strangers at adjacent tables, and a conversation that can go wherever it needs to without anyone keeping the volume down.
It is the right call when the occasion warrants a bit more privacy, or when the group simply prefers not to share the afternoon with the rest of the restaurant.
Making a weekend of it: Father's Day hotel stays
A Father's Day celebration that deserves more than a meal and a journey home has an obvious extension: stay the night. A city hotel stay adds a dimension to the occasion that a lunch alone can't quite match. Explore before or after, sleep properly, and reconvene for a leisurely breakfast the next morning.
Malmaison rooms are bold by design: distinctive interiors, comfortable beds, and the kind of space that genuinely feels like a treat rather than just somewhere to sleep. Club Mal members get access to benefits that make the stay feel even better value, and the practical advantages are real: no one is driving, the bar is downstairs, and the celebration continues for as long as it needs to.
Different Malmaison locations suit different tastes. Edinburgh offers history and atmosphere in equal measure. Manchester has urban energy and a strong food and drink scene to explore beyond the hotel. London gives the full capital experience for dads who want to make a proper weekend of it.
Gift ideas: Experiences worth giving
A Malmaison gift voucher solves the perennial problem of buying for dads who don't need anything. An experience rather than an object: something to plan around, look forward to, and actually use.
The range covers most angles. Dining vouchers for a meal he genuinely wants. Overnight stay vouchers so he can choose the city and the timing. Spa treatments at select locations for dads who would genuinely appreciate them rather than pretend to. The flexibility is the point: he picks when and where, which removes most of the guesswork from the occasion.
Purchase is straightforward online, with digital delivery, which makes it a reliable option even when the planning has been left later than intended.
Father's Day across Malmaison's UK cities
Malmaison has locations across the UK, which means a properly good Father's Day meal is accessible wherever the family is based. A few of the cities worth highlighting:
Manchester brings Northern Quarter energy and a food scene with real character. It suits dads who like a city that takes both its culture and its drinking seriously.
Edinburgh gives you a historic setting with Chez Mal sitting in the heart of the city. It is a genuinely impressive backdrop for a celebration, and the city more than holds its own as a destination in its own right.
Leeds is lively, central, and well connected by rail from across Yorkshire, making it an easy choice for families spread across the region.
London offers the full capital experience. With the South Bank on the doorstep, it suits dads who want to make a proper day of it rather than just a meal.
Birmingham sits at the centre of the country in more ways than one: a strong dining scene, an easy city centre location, and straightforward connections from across the Midlands.
Newcastle has a bold atmosphere and a brasserie culture that takes a good night out seriously. It is the kind of city where Father's Day dinner can turn into a genuinely memorable evening.
Worth noting: most UK cities with a Malmaison are well connected by rail. Nobody needs to drive, and that tends to improve the occasion considerably.
Planning your Father's Day at Malmaison
Father's Day in the UK falls on the third Sunday in June, which makes it one of the busier Sundays of the year for restaurant bookings. Tables at Chez Mal on Father's Day Sunday fill up quickly, particularly for larger groups, so booking ahead is strongly advised.
For those who would rather avoid the peak Sunday rush, Saturday dinner with an overnight stay works just as well and gives the whole occasion a bit more breathing room. Worth mentioning dietary requirements at the time of booking so nothing is left to chance on the day.
Current Malmaison offers are worth checking before you book.
Father’s Day at Malmaison FAQs
What is a good Father's Day meal idea?
The best Father's Day meals tend to be the ones where nobody feels rushed or obligated. A Sunday lunch with a la carte flexibility means different people at the table can order what they actually want, from a classic roast to something from the broader menu. Booking somewhere with a proper bar means the afternoon can extend naturally rather than everyone dispersing once the plates are cleared.
Does Malmaison offer Father's Day packages?
There is no rigid, one-size-fits-all package, which is deliberate. Father’s Day at Malmaison centres on a proper Sunday lunch at Chez Mal, alongside a range of seasonal offers that are introduced for the occasion and vary by location. It’s worth exploring the current offers when planning your booking, as these often add something extra to the day. From there, the experience can be shaped around the group - whether that’s adding a private dining space, an overnight stay, or simply letting the meal unfold at its own pace.
Which Malmaison location is best for Father's Day?
That depends on what he would enjoy and where the family is travelling from. Most Malmaison cities are well connected by rail, which means nobody has to drive and the occasion can involve a drink without logistics getting in the way. If making a weekend of it, choosing somewhere he has been meaning to visit gives the celebration a bit more purpose beyond the meal itself.
Can I book a private dining room at Malmaison for Father's Day?
Yes, private dining rooms are available at most locations and suit larger family groups who want their own space without a corporate feel. The kitchen and drinks offer is the same as the main brasserie. Father's Day is one of the busier Sundays of the year, so contacting the venue team well in advance is strongly recommended.
Are Malmaison gift vouchers a good Father's Day present?
A voucher works particularly well for the dad who is hard to buy for: it gives him a genuine experience to plan around rather than something that sits unused. Dining, overnight stays, and spa treatments at select locations are all available, and digital delivery means it can be sorted without a last-minute trip to the shops.