6 Cocktails At The Snug That Will Restore Your Faith in Brunch

A few years ago, nothing was more exciting than brunch.

Bottomless mimosas, avocado toast, and bacon-laced waffles felt exciting, fresh, and decadent. It was worth getting up early for on a Sunday, waiting in line, and wasting a  weekend afternoon snoozing off champagne. Brunch was the best meal of the week.

Personally, somewhere along the way brunch lost some of its thrill.  Maybe I’m just a brunch curmudgeon (brunchmudgeon? Curmbrunchgeon?), but the calories, mimosa hangovers, early hours, and predictable menus left me with serious brunch fatigue. I don’t think I’m alone either; if my Instagram newsfeed is a microcosm of Millennial culture (go with it), brunch doesn’t seem to have the overwhelming presence it once did.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the thing to get me excited about brunch again was a cocktail list. I visited The Snug to scope out out their morning cocktail offerings and by the time I was done, I’d already texted friends about make reservations next weekend.

Here are The Snug cocktails that would make me leave the house before noon on a Sunday, ranked by most to least brunch-y.

1. Bloody Mary

If you don’t like to get weird at brunch and want to keep things classic, this is a great option. It’s spicy, bright, not too rich, and best of all, it’s very personal to bar director Jacob Racusin because it gets its heat from his father’s sauce: “Papa Sam’s Snug Sauce.”

2) Brown Buttered Coffee

This might just be the best hot cocktail I’ve ever had (my arteries and I are in extreme disagreement on this point). It’s a decadent cross between a hot buttered rum and an Irish coffee and it’s topped with sweet amaro cream and plenty of salt.

It combines pretty much every legal vice and I’m already regretting the one I’ll order next weekend. RIP.

3) Horchata

While this cocktail sounds and looks like a pretty exotic alternative to typical brunch drinks, cocktail novices shouldn’t be scared off: it tastes mostly like cinnamon toast crunch cereal milk.

It wasn’t my favorite on the list, but if you want something sweet, mild, fun, and 100% Instagram worthy, you will not be disappointed.

4) Raspberry Fizz

If you don’t find this delightful you probably had a miserable childhood. It’s like something a Care Bear would drink.

(I mean that in the best way FTR).

The texture was delicate and airy, the tart raspberry wasn’t overwhelmed by the sugar, and the meringue cap nicely protects you from the scent of the egg as you sip.

5) Banana Hammock

The idea of starting the day with tiki sounds a bit intimidating. Like, where do you go from there?

However, this cocktail was light, fresh, tart, and fruit-forward enough to drink before noon. It wasn’t cloyingly sweet, the curry leaf was a welcome touch, and “salted banana” is an ingredient. And salted banana should always be an ingredient.

6) Breakfast

One part whiskey, one part glass, one part muffin. All part of a ~balanced~ breakfast.

…Let me explain why this qualifies as an appropriate pre-noon pour.

Bar director Jacob Racusin was inspired to put this on his brunch menu when he tasted the whiskey. Its notes of sweet vanilla, creme brulee, and fruit come together for a flavor profile that’s unmistakably blueberry muffin-esque. Once you try it, it all makes so much sense.

In conclusion.

As President Clinton once said, “There is nothing wrong with brunch that cannot be cured by what is right with brunch.”

Well, he said America. But close enough.