These 31 Spring Brunch Ideas—for Cocktails, Waffles, Coffee, and More—Prove It’s the Best Meal Ever

Smoky mezcal, local Malibu Mary mix, and briny-spicy garnishes take this daytime tipple over the top. 

When you need one more cup of coffee but want to change things up a bit, here’s the perfect warm weather option.

Wake up with this nonalcoholic cocktail from Portland-based Wilderton botanical spirits. The brand’s Earthen expression is paired with coffee and creamer for a cinnamon-infused sip. 

Rosemary-infused gin elevates a gin and tonic by Kelso Norris, the cocktail director at Genever in Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown.

This bourbon recipe and others like it can be found at Castle Hot Springs resort in Arizona.

Sake puts a twist on the classic French 75 cocktail.

The classic espresso martini is coming back into style across the West and we’ve got the ultimate recipe to make the cocktail at home. Humboldt Distillery combines its organic vodka with Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur—which already has a bit of added sweetness—and fresh espresso for a caffeinated cocktail that doubles down on the booze. 

This big-batch, lower-alcohol wine cocktail from Emily Salko, sommelier at one of Olympia Provisions’ restaurants in Portland, is light and floral. It’s an excellent option for backyard sipping.

The beloved brunch staple gets a glamorous update by mingling a standard mimosa with the flavors of a sea breeze cocktail (vodka topped with cranberry and grapefruit juices).

With or without the vodka, this sweet yet tart drink deserves a spot at brunch.

Cassie Winslow, founder of the blog Deco Tartelette and the author of Floral Libations, shares her fruity and floral take on the gin and tonic.

Morgan Schick of San Francisco’s Bon Vivants cocktail consultants created this cocktail for Aatxe (“Ah-chay”) restaurant, also in San Francisco. A twist on the classic Champagne cocktail, it’s made with cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and pacharán liqueur. Pacharán (spelled “patxaran” in the Basque language) is similar to sloe gin—both are made from sloe berries, the dime-size fruit of the blackthorn shrub—but it’s less sweet, and is usually made with anise liqueur rather than gin.

Showcase juicy, ripe berries with rich zabaglione, laced with sweet wine.

“This fragrant jam is one of my favorite summertime treats. Apricots and chamomile complement each other in such a delightful way,” writes Cassie Winslow in Floral Provisions: 45+ Sweet and Savory Recipes. “I love slathering some atop a layer of ricotta on sourdough toast and sprinkling it with chopped pistachios; it’s the perfect summer snack. You can also dollop some on your favorite vanilla ice cream for a refreshing dessert on a sizzling day.”

This salad, from San Francisco cookbook author and teacher Michelle McKenzie, benefits from a variety of greens: at least one sweet (pea shoots and flowers, or fava greens), one peppery (watercress or peppercress), and one bitter (dandelion greens or amaranth).

At Castle Hot Springs in Arizona, meals are made using ingredients grown steps away from the kitchen in an experimental garden. The resort’s chefs work with agronomists to put the “fresh” into farm-fresh dishes like this compressed melon recipe. This recipe and others like it can be found in our 2022 Wellness Issue. 

Warm, richly spiced fruit served over a cool, creamy base makes a sweet ending to a brunch. And it’s simple: All you do is infuse the pineapple with seasonings and rum, then roast it in a hot oven until the juices are caramelized.

Proving the power of a well-stocked pantry, this vibrant appetizer from Oaktown Spice Shop takes just five minutes to stir together. The garam masala and garlic give it a big pop of flavor, while the beet powder provides the color and underlying earthy sweetness.

The creamy ricotta, toasty bread, deeply spiced prune jam, and chopped peanuts make this toast taste like the most decadent, open-faced peanut butter and jelly sandwich imaginable.

Helene Henderson shares this recipe from her cookbook, Malibu Farm Sunrise To Sunset. “We set out to create a recipe that reminded me of my childhood but was also gluten-free,” she writes. “We top our waffles several ways: with whipped cream, maple syrup, and gluten-free granola for a nice crunch, or with a berry compote, or with whipped cream with fresh berries. It’s your choice!”  

For a rich topping, fold a few tablespoons of your favorite jam into 1 cup of whipped cream.

“This delicious quiche puts on quite a show at the brunch or tea table,” writes Cassie Winslow in Floral Provisions: 45+ Sweet and Savory Recipes. “Vibrant, fresh calendula petals and blooming herbs add a pretty confetti to this savory treat … and paired with the saltiness of Gouda and bacon? It’s absolutely lovely in every way.” 

Showered with fresh herbs, this dish is terrific for brunch or even dinner.

This rose and sesame version of your favorite waffles comes from Whole Food Cooking Every Day by Amy Chaplin. A tablespoon of organic rose water adds a refreshing, floral taste to batter, while toasted sesame seeds add a nutty crunch to these already crispy waffles.

This breakfast or brunch recipe comes from Floral Provisions author and edible flower expert Cassie Winslow. “Imagine a bed of warm crêpes served with a pat of lavender butter and topped with a tangy and vibrant pluot sauce. It’s one of my favorite breakfasts to make on a Monday morning,” she writes. 

This gutsy North African dish of eggs poached in a super flavorful, tomato-based sauce gets even better with the addition of a mountain of greens. It makes a great brunch or dinner for a crowd of holiday guests.

If you’re looking for an over-the-top brunch dish for a celebration, this is just the ticket.

This Mexican-style skillet dinner makes a good brunch dish, too. If you can find large yellow canned limas—a variety known as butter beans—choose those over the smaller green limas; they have a deeper, richer flavor.

This unique take on the classic Denver omelet comes from James Beard Award finalist and Michelin-starred chef Ludo Lefebvre of Los Angeles’ Petit Trois. This omelet will be one of the dishes on the menu at his first restaurant outside of California, inside Denver’s Thompson Hotel.

This simple recipe for overnight oats comes from the team at Go Get Em Tiger. The ingredients come together in one big bowl and can be stored in the fridge for easy meal prepping or as a carefree breakfast option. The Go Get Em Tiger team tops theirs with housemade sunflower seed butter, chia pudding, and seasonally available fruits.

Spring flavors come together in our favorite new quiche combination. The tart looks especially pretty baked in a rectangular pan, but you can use a 9-inch round tart pan instead.

Even if you’re a baking newbie, you can turn these out with ease, thanks to frozen puff pastry. To keep them from sticking, remove the pastries from the pan right after baking.