Gone are the days when brunch menus offered little more than coffee, omelets, and pancakes. Today’s brunches include everything from fine French fare and build-your-own breakfast tacos to waffles topped with cotton candy that dissolves beneath a luxurious syrup pour. Weekend brunches at some restaurants often run long past lunchtime, while others are not even limited to Saturday and Sunday. Add in a mimosa, bloody Mary, or espresso martini, and you’ve got a party.
In Dallas, there’s never been a better time to seek out brunch, especially if you want to get a little buzz going. Here are 10 great boozy brunches to try around the Metroplex. Some offer solid drink deals, while others offer brunch cocktails that are interesting enough to seek out, whether or not you choose to pair them with avocado toast.
Layered
Because it’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and closed for dinner service, this McKinney spot focuses solely on brunch. Choose among traditional breakfasts, like pancakes and various egg dishes, or opt for lunch over breakfast by ordering street tacos or a burger. If you order a $10 mimosa or a $13 poinsettia (a cranberry-flavored champagne cocktail), refills are only a dollar each. 111 E. Virginia St., McKinney, layeredtx.com
Cane Rosso
Everyone’s favorite wood-fired Neapolitan pizza restaurant may only offer two pizzas on the brunch menu, but who cares when there are $2 mimosas are $3 Frozé. Both pizzas are breakfast-themed, with one topped with scrambled eggs, and the other sunny-side-up eggs. If you prefer your eggs a more traditional way, try the breakfast sandwich, built on a sesame hoagie bun, and save room for the pizza dough-nuts filled with vanilla mascarpone. Multiple locations, canerosso.com
360 Brunch House
At 360 Brunch House, brunch isn’t an after-thought; it’s the whole point. As the name suggests, 360 Brunch House is all brunch, all the time. The flaming apple whiskey pancakes are a tableside attraction, and pair well with a mimosa flight featuring four glasses of champagne with a choice of mixers: orange, pineapple, cranberry, and pomegranate. Multiple locations, 360brunchhouse.com
Café Nubia
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays, this Mediterranean-African fusion restaurant features a $45 Sunday brunch buffet with unlimited mimosas. With its wicker furniture and gauzy white curtains, the outdoor patio offers a relaxing place to enjoy eggs, fried catfish, shrimp and grits, and more. Named for the ancient region along the Nile, Café Nubia also hosts live bands and DJs on the weekends. 3920 Rosemeade Pkwy. Ste. 100, Dallas, cafenubiadfw.com
Medium Rare
Don’t miss the French toast with chorizo sausage at this steakhouse on Lower Greenville, where the $35 prix-fixe brunch includes all-you-can-drink bloody Marys, screwdrivers, and mimosas. The French toast arrives as three thick, pillowy slabs dusted with powdered sugar, alongside a single plump sausage and a small ceramic pitcher of maple syrup. In addition to the entrée and bottomless drinks, the prix-fixe meal includes warm bread and a choice of fruit, salad, or a yogurt parfait, making it one of the most reasonable brunch deals around. 5631 Alta Ave., Dallas, mediumrarerestaurant.com
Roy G’s
Tiffany-style chandeliers cast warm light on the booths at this cozy restaurant and bar., Friends gather to enjoy weekend brunch paired with a champagne tower: a tall drink dispenser with a spigot, filled with self-serve champagne. Parties of three or more can order a one-bottle tower, while parties of five or more can order the two-bottle tower. Guests can amp things up by customizing their tower by choosing among a variety of flavored vodkas and liqueurs. 4001 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, roygs.com
The Bloom Lounge
It’s worth going to brunch at this pretty Plano bistro, decorated with blue and white flower chandeliers and matching furniture, solely to order one of the fanciest mimosas in town. The luxurious mimosa is crafted with Disaronno Amaretto, Prosecco Rosé, rosewater, and a sprinkle of glitter. Pair one with the red velvet cotton candy waffles that make for striking photos. 6145 Windhaven Pkwy. #120, Plano, thebloomloungebistro.com
Blue Mesa Southwest Grill
At Blue Mesa, the $29 all-you-can-eat mimosa brunch includes three mimosas. After that, each additional mimosa costs a dollar. This buffet is among the most famous Dallas brunches, partly because of the carving and taco station, where diners can build their own tacos with a variety of proteins, including salmon, brisket, and barbecued pork. The buffet brunch is offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Addison and Plano locations; and from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at all locations. Multiple locations, bluemesagrill.com
Lac Bleu Brunch Cafe
Pale wood, exposed brick, black stencil art on the walls, and ample greenery lend an airy feel to this French-inspired restaurant in Arlington. Because Lac Bleu is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., it’s always brunch time, which means it’s always time for a customizable four-glass mimosa flight. Choose among orange, peach, pineapple, mango, cranberry, and pomegranate flavors, and pair the flight with a croque monsieur on grilled sourdough. 3990 N. Collins St. #116, Arlington
Sundown at Granada
Every day until 3 p.m., this live music venue offers a brunch menu that includes $2 mimosas. The bands don’t play until later, but the food is reason enough to venture in early. Sundown isn’t one of those places that whips up some pub grub and calls it a day. It’s known just as much for its fresh brunch plates and extensive craft beer selection as it is for entertainment. Try the banana foster French toast, made with brioche and topped with banana rum syrup, berries, and powdered sugar. 3520 Greenville Ave., Dallas, sundownatgranada.com
