Whether your Saturday night consisted of binging on Parks and Recreation or causing well-intentioned debauchery with friends, Sunday brunch — specifically, with bottomless mimosas — is a practical way to transition into a drunken afternoon of errand-running and/or deep napping. To ensure you're equipped to do this, we've compiled a guide of the best places to eat non-typical breakfasts while getting your buzz on. [Editor's note: Mimosa brunches are a basic premise, we know, but who doesn't like to get basic every once in awhile]
]
10. Hopscotch (Fullerton)
Extracting the best elements of breakfast and lunch — and then combining them into one — comes close to rocket science, if you think about it. In that case, Hopscotch is the craziest rocket scientist of them all (electrocuted hair included), with their Brunch Burger setting the standard for best experiment. Not feeling all of your favorite breakfast foods on a burger with some fries those? Well, you can get anything from chilaquiles to pancakes and poutine. AND mimosas are only $3 a piece..
136 E Commonwealth Ave, Fullerton, (714) 871-2222; instagram.com/hopscotchtavern/
9. Ramos House Café (San Juan Capistrano)
Feeling painfully fancy on a Sunday morning? Fancy enough to do a two-course meal? You must live in South County, and there's a restaurant there just perfect for you. Head over to Ramos House Café by the train station, where you can spend $40 on a brunch.
The words from our 2011 Brunch Issue still speak true:
As a starter, try the sweet hush puppies served with sweet-pepper jam or the caramelized citrus salad. For a main course, pain perdu (French toast) is updated with strawberries and basil, and the crab hash might be one of the most sensuous breakfast foods around.
But of course, the most exciting thing about it all is a chance to try their Bloody Mary pictured up there. Mmm..
31752 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, (949) 443-1342; www.ramoshouse.com
8. Berlin Bistro (Long Beach)
Vegetarians and vegans: here's something for ya. At Berlin Bistro, you don't need to awkwardly ask if something can be made without meat; special brunch options here are made specifically for you. And your carnivore friends still get to enjoy shrimp in a biscuit (poached eggs, shrimp, asparagus, and hollandaise atop country biscuits) right next to you. Not to mention the bottomless mimosas are downright cheap. Your main and the mimosas at $20. That's it.
420 E 4th St, Long Beach, (562) 435-0600; instagram.com/berlinbistrolb
[
7. Taps Fish House & Brewery
Brunch tends to be pigeonholed into the realm of eggs, bacon, and toast, but stretching its definition to include French, Asian, and Cajun cuisine could drastically change your breakfast game. For $35.99, experimenting with these different palettes can be conveniently done at Taps. While you're at it, try out their banana fosters and chocolate fountain — have fun!
101 E. Imperial Hwy., Brea, (714) 257-0101; instagram.com/tapsfishhouse
6. Chapter One (Santa Ana)
Afters Ice Cream makes milky buns (ice cream-stuffed donuts). Chapter One makes donut burgers: Berkshire pork belly jus aioloi, fried egg, bacon, and cilantro-jalapeno hollandaise sandwiched between two maple donut “buns.” Is it as crazy as the milky bun? You'll have to try for yourself (and, while you're there, grab some $6 mimosas with four different kinds of juice. They're famous!).
227 N Broadway, Santa Ana, (714) 352-2225; twitter.com/chapteronetml
5. Old Vine (Costa Mesa)
The general understanding of an omelet is some sort of grocery-store-available meat (ham, oftentimes) cooked with cheese, and maybe some kind of vegetable (spinach, usually), inside of an egg. At Old Vine, however, you might find goat or lengua inside of your egg, which pair well with mimosas made out of organic orange juice.
2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 545-1411; instagram.com/oldvinecafe
[
4. Anepalco's (Orange)
One word: guava. The fruit of the gods. The stuff of doctors (probably — most likely) who probably specialize in curing Saturday night mischiefs. Don't believe me? Come to Anepalco's, order a guava mimosa, and then have some guava French toast for good measure. After that, get into the substantial stuff: their famous chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, or heuvos perdidos. Boom. You've just had the best day ever and there's no headache in sight.
415 Main St, Orange, (714) 771-2333; instagram.com/anepalco
3. Bosscat Kitchen and Libations (Newport Beach)
If Fruity Pebbles French toast sounds like nothing more but a figment of a dream within a dream, everyone who's tried it at Bosscat must be delusional. Thank goodness they aren't, because that means that, if you just visualized it and drooled over it too, you're sane. To stretch the possibilities of your reality even further, try the sticky (and cinnamon-y) bun burger. As a plus, you won't even have to do math as the bottom mimosas and bottomless Bloody Marys are $25, entree included.
4647 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach, (949) 333-0917; instagram.com/bckitchen
2. Plum's Café (Costa Mesa)
In a colder land called the Pacific Northwest, Alderwood smoked salmon hash and Dutch babies (deep-dish pancakes) are consumed around 11 a.m. — at least that's what we can conclude from Plum's Café's menu, which is inspired by the region. No matter what you order here, the important thing is that it comes with crispy Plums Potatoes (one of the carbs' best looks).
369 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, (949) 722-7586; twitter.com/plumscafe
And, of course, the best brunch in OC remains…
[
1. Break of Dawn (Laguna Hills)
If IHOP is Gap-basic, Break of Dawn is the Marc Jacobs of OC's brunch scene: glamorous in nature, but not exactly flashy. The vibe at Break of Dawn is casual, but the dishes? Well, if you consider a plate of cured pork belly with tempura eggs, napa slaw, and kimchi crema “bacon and eggs,” then you might just be ahead of the curve.
24351 Avenida De La Carlota N-6, Oakbrook Village Shopping Center, Laguna Hills, (949) 587-9418; twitter.com/breakofdawnrest
One Reply to “10 Great Mimosa Brunches in Orange County”