Weekend Brunch At Home: How To Impress Your Friends

Home brunch, upgraded: decadent dishes, beautiful presentation, and all the tips you need to make a morning get-together feel like a full-blown occasion.

I’d never been one for brunch. Part of that, I suppose, is down to its popularity and my tendency to be unnecessarily contrarian at times. Having said that, I’ve felt myself starting to come around more in recent times, mostly because brunch makes drinking in the morning an acceptable thing to do. Another more valid reason I’d never liked brunch was that I always found it rather overpriced for what it is, but I now know that doesn’t have to be the case.

You can make brunch at home, and in fact, you can turn it into an event while you’re at it! Imagine the look on your friends’ faces when you throw them the kind of brunch they’d only seen on television. Maybe they’ll finally wake up to the fact that you always were the cool one in the group and not Becky. Without further ado, here’s a handy guide on how to throw a brunch worthy of making Becky question her life choices. Suck it, Becky.

Like all undertakings of significance, it starts with a concept. Decide what yours is going to be. Do you want something more rustic and outdoors? Or maybe you’d rather something that’s indoors and as effortlessly chic as you are? Whatever it is, you want to make it feel intentional, so pick a theme and make sure everything from the napkins to the serving platters ties in. Pick a good playlist to soundtrack the morning, throw some fresh flowers in a vase, make sure the lighting’s just right, and remember: the devil is in the details.

Now that you’ve decided what your brunch is going to look and feel like, it’s time to get down to the meat and potatoes of things—quite literally, here, as the next thing we’re going to be talking about is the food. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be too difficult to decide on; everybody kind of knows what to expect when they’re going for a brunch anyway. But what you will want to do is provide a range of options that encompasses a variety of tastes and appetites. That means you’ll have your big savoury options for those who come hungry like the wolf, as well as some sweet little treats for those with decidedly more avian appetites.

Having said that, we don’t want to just put out a stack of pancakes and waffles and call it a day. No, we want to have dishes so spectacular that they’ll have Becky seething at home later about how good they were. Nigella Lawson you may not be, but fortunately, pulling this off is a lot easier than it sounds. It can be as simple as taking a regular brunch staple and tweaking it a little to elevate it beyond the usual. Thinking about serving some avocado toast? Throw a poached egg on top of it and a smattering of microgreens. Instant gourmet. What about a French toast, but made with brioche and a sinful amount of butter—the way God and cardiologists never intended? That’ll show Becky for sure.

Now that your food looks good, all that’s left is to drive home that impression with some artful plating and some visually arresting garnishes. Fresh herbs or a sprinkle of edible flowers over a luscious shakshuka in a cherry-red bowl? A feast for the eyes as much as the stomach. Don’t just stop at the bowls, either; bring all your finest tableware out to play. Cake stands, tiered trays, and your entire personality’s worth of aesthetic effort—these will form the canvas on which your food can shine.

Alright, now we’re getting to my favourite part of brunch and essentially its raison d’être, as far as I’m concerned—why, it’s the drinks, of course! Mimosas are the go-to here, and for good reason too. I mean, who doesn’t like a good mimosa? Add to the fact that it couldn’t be easier to prepare, and you have the veritable standard-bearer for all brunch drinks. Bloody Marys are another that pair especially well with some hearty mains. For lighter dishes, on the other hand, a gin and elderflower fizz or a light spritzer will do just the trick and are very brunch-coded indeed. Cocktails aside, it’d be wise to put together a drink station stocked with fresh juices, coffee, and tea, so that guests can help themselves at their own convenience.

Finally, we get to the most important part of hosting a good brunch, and that is, of course, you. Make sure to bring out your most pleasant and relaxed self on the day, because no matter how decadent your delights are or how beautifully they’re arranged on the table, it would all be for nought if the person everyone came for was running around like a caffeinated squirrel.

Prep ahead and throw in some extra napkins, utensils, or anything else you foresee your guests needing on the day. But when the day comes, it’s absolutely imperative that you forget trying to play the perfect host and join in the fun instead—your party will be all the better for it. Meanwhile, Becky will be asking herself why she even bothers, knowing deep down she’ll never reach your brunch-level mastery.