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Our Best Brunch Cocktails to Start Your Morning Off Right

From mimosas to Bloody Marys to spritzes of all stripes, these drinks are just the thing for brunch

By SAVEUR Editors

June 13, 2019

While cocktails are usually reserved for after five o'clock during the week, all bets are off come the weekend, as there's no better way to kick off brunch than with a drink to go alongside your eggs Benedict, stack of pancakes, or basket of breakfast pastries. From the classics like mimosas and Bloody Marys to modern spritzes and micheladas, we've got brunch cocktails galore for you to choose from. Whether it's a special-occasion brunch or a casual Sunday with friends, we've got something for everyone. Check out our all-time favorite recipes for day drinking below.

The Ultimate Bloody Mary recipe — In this lighter and brighter, albeit far more involved, take on the classic tomato-laced brunch cocktail, the usual vodka is swapped out for Gamle Ode's dill-infused aquavit, a strikingly herbaceous take on the Scandinavian spirit from a Minnesota producer. Get the recipe for The Ultimate Bloody Mary »Matt Taylor-Gross

Bellini — The traditional Bellini is made with white peach purée and sparkling wine, but the addition of peach brandy intensifies and sweetens the cocktail. Get the recipe for Bellini »Nicole Franzen

Punch House Spritz — Lambrusco rosé, Cocchi Americano, fresh grapefruit juice, and club soda come together in this simple spritz. Get the recipe for Punch House Spritz »Matt Taylor-Gross

Spicy Michelada — For this take on a classic beer cocktail from Taqueria Mi Lindo Apatzingan in Rio Linda, Tajín (a Mexican seasoning blend of dried chiles, lime, and salt) adds both heat and tang. Get the recipe for Spicy Michelada »Dylan + Jeni

Raspberry-Rhubarb Spritz — Homemade raspberry syrup makes a wonderful foil for aromatic rhubarb liqueur and bitter Campari in this spritz. Get the recipe for Raspberry-Rhubarb Spritz »Elliott Clark

Blueberry Jam and Prosecco Cocktail — A combination of jam, vodka, and prosecco could be cloyingly sweet, but this refreshing cocktail has enough lemon juice to balance sweet and tart perfectly. Get the recipe for Blueberry Jam and Prosecco Cocktail »Matt Taylor-Gross

Pimm's Cup 21 — Inspired by our list of Friday cocktails, bartender Michael Neff noticed that bitter flavors were prominent, as were fizzy drinks made with fresh fruit and herbs. To that end, he created a modified Pimm's Cup, using Cynar to add a bit more bitter tang and ginger beer for spice. Fresh fruit and herbs round out the (almost) traditional summer refresher. Get the recipe for Pimm's Cup #21 »Matt Taylor-Gross

Cappelletti Spritz — The citrus peel notes in Cappelletti Aperitivo are enhanced by the grapefruit twist used to garnish this spritz. Get the recipe for Cappelletti Spritz »Anne Watson

Lavender Paloma — Our twist on the classic tequila and grapefruit cocktail uses mezcal, fresh grapefruit juice, and lavender simple syrup for a drink that's simultaneously smoky, bright, and floral. Get the recipe for Lavender Paloma »Laura Sant

Ginger Absinthe Mimosa — Imparting a festive green glow to the de rigueur citrus and Champagne brunch cocktail, absinthe lends a noticeably herbal bite and serves as a natural aperitif. Get the recipe for Ginger-Absinthe Mimosa »Marcus Nilsson

Garden Spritz — Slightly sweet bianco vermouth balances out the bitter gentian liqueur in this easy spritz. Get the recipe for Garden Spritz »Michaella Jelin-Till

Lady Stone Heart — For this ode to the Game of Thrones noblewoman, Punt e Mes—the dark and bitter quina-vermouth hybrid—is softened with a long pour of champagne. Get the recipe for Lady Stoneheart »Matt Taylor-Gross

M Spritz — Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, an Italian liqueur made from rose petals and bergamot, is the star of this citrusy, aromatic spritz. Get the recipe for Italicus Spritz »John Stoffer

Everything's Coming Up Rosé — This bright fuchsia aperitivo mixes tannic hibiscus tea, sweet Lillet Rosé, and dry rosé with a hit of prosecco. Get the recipe for Everything's Coming Up Rosé »Matt Taylor-Gross

Moto Guzzi Spritz — This spritz cocktail swaps in a red wine aperitif in place of Aperol, for a cocktail with more pronounced red berry notes, and still plenty of effervescence. Get the recipe for Moto Guzzi »Matt Taylor-Gross

Strawberry Spritz — This pretty-in-pink spritz tastes like a boozy strawberry egg cream. Get the recipe for Strawberry Spritz »Hayden Stinebaugh

Espresso Martini — Vodka, coffee, coffee liqueur, and cream are mixed with vanilla liqueur in this cocktail, which sits somewhere between a classic espresso martini and a White Russian. Get the recipe for Espresso Martini »Ingalls Photography

Fermented Bloody Mary, Tasmania — Luke Burgess modernizes the classic brunch cocktail with kimchi brine and sesame oil at his restaurant Garagistes. Get the recipe for Fermented Bloody Mary »James Fisher

Walking Stick Cocktail — Smoky mezcal and sweet dark rum combine to form a unified spirit in this Cuban-inspired cocktail from Jason Asher of Counter Intuitive. Bittersweet Campari and fruity Cherry Heering add balance while cinnamon syrup adds a spicy, warming bite. Get the recipe for Walking Stick »Matt Taylor-Gross

Border Grill's Bloody Mary recipe — Spicy tomatillo and cucumber ice cubes chill this twist on the classic brunch drink. Get the recipe for Border Grill Bloody Mary »Ariana Lindquist

Herbal Spritz — This spritz strikes the perfect balance between bitter and sweet, thanks to the combination of liqueurs—gentian, Calvados, and rhubarb—and a splash of raspberry vinegar. Get the recipe for Gentian Spritz »Nicole Franzen

Aperol Fizz — Get the recipe for Aperol Fizz »Laura Sant

Scandinavian Bellini — Aquavit infused with peaches and anise pairs wonderfully with peach purée for a Swedish twist on a bellini from Manhattan's Restaurant Aquavit. Get the recipe for Scandinavian Bellini »Helen Rosner

Brennan's Brandy Milk Punch — Along with the bloody mary, this creamy cocktail is a New Orleans brunch mainstay. It features an aromatic cognac named for the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte that's aged at least five years. Get the recipe for Brennan's Brandy Milk Punch »Todd Coleman

Rosemary Peach Bellini — Rosemary-infused simple syrup adds a refreshing herbal flavor to this classic brunch cocktail. Get the recipe for Rosemary-Peach Bellinis »James Roper

Fennel Delight — The vegetal sweetness of licorice-like fennel pairs beautifully with tart grapefruit and smoky mescal in this cocktail from the Manhattan restaurant Perla. Get the recipe for Fennel Delight »Andrew Ingalls

Irish Coffee Riff — Drew Hamm at Henry's in Chicago makes a toasty spin on the traditional Irish coffee by adding Flor de Cana rum and a cinnamon syrup to the usual Irish whiskey base. Get the recipe for Irish Coffee Riff »Matt Taylor-Gross

Rossini — A luscious take on the bellini, the Rossini swaps strawberries in for white peaches and prosecco in for champagne. Get the recipe for Rossini »Maxime Iattoni

Corpse Reviver No. 2 — Popularized by the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, this classic cocktail is part of a succession of "Corpse Revivers" originally devised as a hangover cure. An ice-cold nip of this elixir is refreshing, astringent, and strong enough to perk up the senses—reviving, indeed. Get the recipe for Corpse Reviver No. 2 »Helen Rosner

Reuben collins cocktail — Get the recipe for Caraway Fizz »Laura Sant

The Saint White Wine Cocktail — This white wine-based cocktail from Brooklyn, New York's Café Moto starts off summery, with the aromas of fresh basil and mint and an effervescent topper of club soda. Get the recipe for The Saint »Farideh Sadeghin

rising sun mezcal — This mezcal-based cocktail from Portland, Oregon restaurant Toro Bravo hits all the right notes: smoky, tart, and sweet, with just the slightest hint of salt. They use Maraska maraschino for its sweet, subtle almond flavor, but you can substitute whatever brand you have on hand. Get the recipe for Rising Sun »Farideh Sadeghin

Strawberry Pimm's Cup — A twist on the British classic, this summer cooler takes on spicy, herbal notes from Kaffir lime leaves, while strawberries lend sweet balance to the pleasingly bitter liqueur. Get the recipe for Strawberry Pimm's Cup »Todd Coleman

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