What to Serve for a Simple, Elegant Holiday Brunch

Yes, you really can host a brunch that is sophisticated and luscious without a team of caterers and a huge buffet of options. Curate each item you put on offer to guests to serve a specific purpose. Just a handful of exquisite options will feel exceptional, when they are all put together. Follow these seven rules for simple brunch success.

Excellent Coffee

When your guests arrive, they should be able to smell freshly brewed coffee and something fresh out of the oven. Nothing else signals so clearly that you are ready to relax, enjoy their company for a good long while, and that they’ll be well tended to.

The world has grown so enamored, and even obsessed, with specialty coffee drinks, that trying to serve everyone’s favorites will drive you mad. Instead, follow some simple coffee rules that produce an excellent, classic brew everyone will enjoy.

Start with single origin coffee consisting of high-quality beans. Try to choose a flavor and roast that will be accessible to your guests’ palates and that will complement the food you plan to serve. Store the beans in an airtight container out of the light. Follow the brewing instructions for the specific coffee you purchased. Every coffee is a bit different.

Perfect Pastries

French pastries have graced the finest tables since the 1500's. Their classic staying power is owed largely to their simple, but scrumptious, flavor and lovely appearance. If it’s been good enough for all the kings and queens of Europe since Henry VIII, it is certainly good enough for your most exalted houseguests. 

If you have a firm grip on the rules of pastry making, handling the butter at the correct temperature, honoring the flour’s timing, and having a steady enough hand to turn out beautiful crème puffs and eclairs, do it. Home-made pastries are sure to awe and delight your guests, as long as they don’t look too rough and ready. 

When in doubt, let your local baker’s patisserie skills shine. Pastries should be a joy to look at and bite into. So, if you are serving pastries, do it right. 

Protein Variety

Chances are, your brunch will be your guests’ first meal of the day. Help them feel good and ready for the rest of their afternoons with plenty of protein. Go with a classic egg dish or two, like quiche, strata, or devilled eggs. Provide some texture and flavor variety with one or two meats that can stand on their own, such as a nicely carved ham or a sausage that is good for nibbling.

One Surprise

Brunch is a hybrid and thus, naturally begs for creativity. Since so much of the rest of the meal is so simple to prepare, throw your energy into one dish to make your visitors exclaim. The perfect brunch reactions are “Oh, yum!” and “Wow, I’ve never had that before!” Even if all you do is elevate a classic, like a salad or flatbread, with something unexpected, like roasted tomatoes or a gorgeous sauce, that little something extra will make your simple brunch feel subtly luxe and special.

Add Color

The overall visual presentation of your meal matters and will likely be one of the main impressions your event makes. If everything on the table is golden brown, no matter how delicious it all tastes, the meal will be a bit of a letdown. Fortunately, it’s very easy to add vibrancy and luxury to the color palette of your spread. Just make sure you have some fruits and vegetables scattered throughout, either in the dishes themselves, as separate plates of food in and of themselves, or as garnish. Even a clear pitcher or two of simple juices, like orange cranberry juice, will brighten up the table and make the meal feel complete and beautifully planned. 

A Signature Cocktail

If you choose to let guests make do-it-yourself cocktails, be prepared to lose counter space and gain mess. You’ll actually make your guests’ experience feel more special and comfortable if you prepare a pitcher of a special cocktail ahead of time. Believe it or not, many people enjoy having an adult beverage for a festive occasion, but they don’t know how to make them well. 

Having a pitcher ready to pour serves three functions. It allows the guests to just relax, without doing any work. It gives an understated element of elegance to the gathering. Lastly, it looks more attractive and makes the meal feel less crowded.