21 Best Brunch Cocktails
Here's how to relish the weekend with a kick of caffeine, a fruity spritz, or a classic mimosa or Bloody Mary.
A brunch done right is just as much about the drinks as it is about the bagels, eggs, and pancakes. We like to have a fairly generous interpretation of what counts as a brunch cocktail — maybe it's a caffeinated drink to keep you going, like a classic Espresso Martini or Coco Café, or a bright, fruity pour of Orange Wine Sangria. Or maybe, you lean more toward the classic side of things, and feel the mornings call for a Bloody Mary or Bellini. Brunch is the time to treat yourself, so no matter what you choose to make from this list, you'll be ready to toast to a relaxing, social start to the day. Sip through our best brunch cocktails to make the most of any weekend.
Fino Bee Cobbler
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This tart and sweet cobbler cocktail is made with fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, and fino sherry, which gives this cocktail its nutty aroma.
Orange Liqueur Mimosa
Classic mimosas get a twist by swapping out the traditional orange juice with splashes of homemade orange syrup (made with fresh orange juice) and orange liqueur.
Orange Wine Sangria
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Chances are, you're used to using red, white, or rosé wine to make sangria. While there's nothing wrong with embracing the classic recipe, we're finding ourselves reaching for Evie Negri-Albert's orange wine-based take on the summertime staple. "The acidity and funk you get from most skin-contact wines balance beautifully with some sweetness and fruit," she explains.
Here Comes the Sun King
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Piquant heat from tequila infused with fresh jalapeño and Aperol infused with fresh Thai chiles is rounded out by sweet prickly pear syrup in this Bloody Mary recipe.
Bloody Mary
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
While the Bloody Mary is best known for its appearance at a boozy brunch, it is a delicious cocktail at any time of the day. There are plenty of ways to gussy up a Bloody Mary — adding over-the-top edible garnishes or savory miso, or even flavoring it with sweet Aperol and a bit of Thai chili — but the classic version is always refreshing. “The Bloody Mary is essentially a tomato soup seasoned with alcohol,” says Craig Schoettler, beverage director at MGM Resorts International. Just as in cooking, Schoettler says the balance of salt is critical.
Screwdriver
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This simple brunch cocktail comes together in minutes. Made with just vodka and orange juice, the Screwdriver might be the purest way to enjoy excellent OJ in a cocktail. The bright, pulpy, fresh-squeezed stuff is truly unmatched by any pasteurized, pale commercial version, so do take care to squeeze your own juice.
Milady's Spritz
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
While we’re respectful of classics like the Aperol Spritz and the Campari Spritz, this version from Julie Reiner, co-owner of New York City’s reborn dive bar, Milady’s, adds amaro into the mix for a more complex, herbaceous complement to sweet Aperol. As for which amaro to choose, Montenegro is on the lighter end of the spectrum and will add floral notes, while an alpine amaro like Braulio is the way to go for a more bitter, licorice-tinged spritz. For a safe, middle-of-the-road bet, try Nonino.
Aperol Spritz
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food styling by Lucy Simon
It's best to use brut Prosecco for this drink, which already has plenty of sweetness from its eponymous ingredient. While the original recipe calls for a 3:1 ratio, feel free to toy with the ingredients — for a more bitter flavor profile, add more Aperol; for a less boozy spritz, opt for more soda water.
Espresso Martini
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
This recipe from Simon Sebbah, beverage director at NYC's American Bar, gets you a perfectly frothy, caffeinated cocktail every time. If you don't have an espresso machine, cold brew concentrate is a great substitute.
Tequila Sunrise
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
With its unmistakable red and orange hue, a good Tequila Sunrise is easy to recognize.
Earl Grey–Aquavit Spritz
Honey simple syrup is even easier to prepare than standard simple syrup; just vigorously stir together honey and water until well combined. The mellow, floral sweetness of the honey syrup pairs perfectly with a touch of lemon in this tea-infused cocktail.
Coco Café
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
The Coco Café drink, made with cold brew from French Truck coffee, is creamy, sweet, and soothing. The brunch cocktail feels right at home in a glass tea cup.
Bellini
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Akin to the Mimosa, the Bellini blends a more fruit-forward sparkling wine with tart and sweet peach. The result is a balanced, sweet, and floral brunch cocktail that pairs well with pancakes, omelets, and just about anything else you might be serving or enjoying.
Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz
A classic combination of gin, lemon, and club soda gets a refreshing twist with cucumber, basil, and black cardamom-infused syrup. Dried rose petals add a subtle floral flavor and act as a beautiful garnish.
Irish Coffee
Since coffee is such a big part of the drink, you want strong, freshly brewed stuff that you like. Many inferior Irish Coffees go wrong from the start, using stale coffee and then trying to cover it up with too many additions. Instead, pare down, and break out the good beans, or at least coffee that you'd drink a fresh cup of without complaint.
Bloody Majestic
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This eye-catching riff on a classic Bloody Mary swaps regular tomatoes for yellow tomatoes, giving the drink an unexpected but eye-catching bright golden-orange hue. It’s a lighter take on the traditional, with a fragrant citrusy aroma and flavor from the bitters, an acidic edge from pineapple, and a pleasant bite from the sake while remaining tomato-forward.
Red Snapper
Bloody Mary fans with a penchant for gin will love a classic Red Snapper drink to keep brunch interesting.
Michelada Gingembre
This low-alcohol cocktail is a take on the Shandygaff, citrus soda mixed with lager. It's made with fresh ginger juice and a hoppy IPA with a dash of hot sauce to make the drink even better.
Carioca Quencher
While the late, great Julia Child was cooking in the kitchen, her husband, Paul Child, put his mind to creating cocktails behind the bar. Falling between a tropical drink and a Rum Collins, we've updated this highball by Paul Child with contemporary ingredients.
Dominicana
© Tina Rupp
This White Russian variation is made with Caffé Lolita coffee liqueur, qualifying it for any brunch cocktail menu.
Blackberry Kir Royale
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
This party-ready Champagne cocktail comes together in minutes for a celebratory brunch.
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