The short answer: a brunch is a mix of breakfast and lunch, and it works best with a few, well-thought-out dishes and a table set for sharing. Prepare most of it the day before, and put warm and cold dishes out separately, so guests can help themselves to platters and bowls as they go.
Contents
A brunch isn't just about what's on the table, but also about how it's laid out. When the dishes are set out properly, guests can move freely around the table, and you can sit down yourself and enjoy the morning together with them.
Here you'll find ideas for a menu that can be prepared well in advance, and for how to set the table with platters, jugs, cups and bowls, so the brunch is both delicious and easy to enjoy.
The short answer on brunch ideas
A good brunch is built on three things: a menu with both sweet and savoury, preparation done the day before, and a table set for sharing rather than individual plates. When the dishes are placed in platters and bowls in the middle of the table, guests can put together their own plate, and you avoid being stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is seated at the table. Think of the brunch table as a small buffet on a smaller scale, where everything is within reach.
What is brunch?
Brunch is a mix of breakfast and lunch. The word comes from English and is a blend of breakfast and lunch. It's a big meal, often eaten at the weekend, either at home with family and friends or at a café. Precisely because brunch covers two meals at once, it makes sense to set aside plenty of time and let the table stay laid out for a while.
Menu ideas for brunch
A brunch menu typically consists of two parts: the sweet and the savoury. The sweet part can include bread, cheese, jam, pancakes, yoghurt and fruit. The savoury part can include eggs, bacon and sausages. Juice and milk also belong on the table.
- Bread, cheese and jam for those who want to start light
- Pancakes, yoghurt and fruit for the sweet part
- Eggs, bacon and sausages for the savoury part
Aim for a balance between sweet and savoury, so there's something for everyone, without overcrowding the table.
How to set the brunch table
For a brunch where the dishes are meant to be shared, platters and bowls matter more than the individual plate. Use serving platters for bread, fruit and pancakes, and serving bowls for yoghurt and jam. A Citron ceramic platter from &Klevering or an Appelsin ceramic platter from &Klevering can be used for fruit or bread, while also giving the table a fresh look.
For juice and milk, jugs are easy to use. An Appelsin ceramic jug from &Klevering or a Citron ceramic jug from &Klevering works well for juice, while an Italian fish-shaped ceramic jug in rainbow colours can add an extra touch to the table. Set out cups and plates out at the end of the table where guests naturally head when they want coffee or need to put down their plate.
Tip: Use a butter dish for the butter instead of setting it out directly. That way it stays cooler and fresher, even when the table is laid out for several hours.
Serving: how to keep track of hot and cold
Keep hot dishes like eggs, bacon and sausages separate from the cold ones, like yoghurt and fruit. This makes it easier for guests to find their way around, and the food keeps better throughout. Feel free to use dishes at different heights, so the table doesn't look flat, and there's still room for jugs and bowls in between.
Butter and jam look lovely set out in smaller bowls or in a butter dish, so they stay fresh throughout the morning. A Ko butter dish in stoneware from Quail or a Heart butter dish in ceramic from Rice can be left out the whole time without taking up much space, and makes it easy for guests to help themselves.
Find dishes and jugs that can carry a whole brunch from morning to lunchtime.
See serving dishesBrunch for a crowd
If the brunch needs to serve lots of guests, a buffet setup is the easiest solution. Set out the dishes in the order they're meant to be eaten, so the savoury comes first and the sweet last, or the other way round, depending on what suits your table. Distribute the dishes and bowls so there isn't a queue in one spot, and guests can approach several parts of the table at once.
It's a good idea to plan most of it the day before: lay the table, set out jugs and bowls, and get ready whatever can sit in the fridge overnight. That way you'll only need the morning for what genuinely has to be done at the last minute, and you'll have time to sit down yourself when the guests arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What is brunch?
Brunch is a mix of breakfast and lunch, and the name comes from the English words breakfast and lunch. It's a big meal that's often eaten at the weekend, at home or in a café.
What do you serve for brunch?
A typical brunch consists of bread, cheese, jam, pancakes, yoghurt, fruit, eggs, bacon and sausages, ideally with juice and milk to drink.
How do you lay the table for brunch?
Set out dishes and bowls for sharing rather than individual plates, put out jugs for juice and coffee, and make sure cups and plates are easily accessible for all guests.
What do you need on a brunch table?
A brunch table typically needs serving dishes for bread and fruit, bowls for yoghurt and jam, jugs for drinks, plus cups, plates and ideally a butter dish for the butter.
How do you make brunch for a crowd?
Set out the dishes as a buffet, spread dishes and bowls across several spots on the table, and prepare as much as possible the day before, so the morning is manageable.
How do you plan a brunch at home?
Choose a menu with a balance of sweet and savoury, lay the table and get everything ready the day before, and only bring together the dishes that need to be hot just before the guests arrive.
Summary
A good brunch is about a few well-thought-out dishes and a table that's easy to approach. With bread, cheese, jam, pancakes, yoghurt, fruit, eggs, bacon and sausages on the table, spread across dishes and bowls with jugs for drinks, guests can put together their own plate while you enjoy the morning with them.
Read also
- Table setting: How to lay a beautiful table
- Jugs for every occasion: From coffee to cocktails
- Trays and dishes: Function and decoration in one
- How to store butter so it lasts longer
Lay your next brunch table with the right kit
From dishes and jugs to bowls and butter dishes: find what you need to lay a brunch table that guests can approach from several sides.
See table setting