Brunch Dishes That Will Make Your Mouth Water

A weekend without brunch is still pretty good, but the promise of an exceptional midday meal on a Saturday or Sunday makes a weekend great — and for many, makes life worth living. Meeting up with brunch buds for Benedicts and Bloodies is the stuff of great memories and, often, gorgeous Instagrams, but there’s also great, substantial foods in the classic meeting of breakfast and lunch that the world started thinking about in 1895 and America hasn’t stopped thinking about since the 1930s. Here are some foods you’ll want to see on your weekend brunch menu; share your own favorites  in the comments.

Related: Indulgent Brunch Recipes for a Weekend Feast at Home

Pancakes and Syrup

Julia Child once said: “Everything can have drama if it’s done right. Even a pancake.” We think this photo proves that.

Related: Best Homemade Pancake Recipes

Eggs Benedict

There is perhaps no more iconic brunch offering than eggs Benedict: poached eggs, English muffins, ham, and a creamy Hollandaise sauce.

Related: Hollandaise Sauce and Other Condiment Recipes to Liven up Multiple Meals

Belgian Waffles

An array of mouth-watering bite-sized Belgian Liege waffles. What makes a waffle Belgian? A lighter batter plus larger and deeper square-shaped syrup receptacles. And liege waffles are typically sweeter and chewier than regular ones.

Related: Places to Find Amazing Waffles Across the Country

Brunch Skillet

The humble potato is a welcome addition to any brunch meal, and here it is paired with eggs, ham, and a smattering of fresh green onions.

Related: Skillets, Casseroles, and Other Cheap and Easy One-Pot Meals

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Coffee and Baked Goods

Carbs and caffeine — need we say more? 

Related: How to Satisfy Your $5 Starbucks Habit at Home

Brunch Cocktails

Nothing makes brunch more brunch than the presence of cocktails such as mimosas, bellinis, and bloody marys.

Related: Spirits and Mixers Every Home Bar Should Have

French Toast

Somehow, the French toast we make at home never quite comes out looking as good as it does at our favorite brunch spot. Here it’s served with fresh fruit and a splash of vanilla cream. 

Breakfast Tacos

Ahh, tacos — they really are adaptable to any meal, right? Here are some fresh, warm tortillas packed full of scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and peppers.

Related: Cheap, Delicious Ways to Fill Your Tacos

Bloody Mary

No brunch is complete without a well-stocked bloody mary bar that lets diners customize their midday cocktail with such things as peppers, bacon, shrimp, celery stalks, and other flavor-packed accouterments.

Related: Over-the-Top Bloody Marys Across America

Fried Egg Sandwich

A classic open-faced BLT is amped up by the presence of fried soda bread, fresh avocado, and a fried egg. 

Related: The Greatest Breakfast Sandwich In Every State

Shrimp and Grits

This iconic, stick-to-your-ribs Southern brunch dish originated in the coastal lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia. 

Chicken and Waffles

Another brunch dish with a heavy Southern influence, this chicken and waffles dish is given a punch of extra flavor with gravy and bits of bacon.

Related: Best Fried Chicken in Every State

Bagel and Lox

Bagels, cream cheese, salmon, and a sprinkling of capers? Yes, please.

Avocado Toast

A relatively recent entry into brunch ubiquity, this avocado toast is packed with basil leaves for maximum flavor.

Related: Cheap, Easy Breakfast Ideas to Start the Day Right

Biscuits and Gravy

If this shot of Southern-style biscuits sandwiching sausage gravy and fresh thyme doesn’t get your mouth watering for brunch, we don’t know what will. 

Oatmeal

It might not be the most-ordered item on the brunch menu, but there’s no denying that a hot bowl of oatmeal — especially one crammed with nuts, fruits, brown sugar, and more — will fill up a hungry bruncher.

Related: Ways to Jazz Up Your Oatmeal