Five Most Outrageous Brunches in Broward and Palm Beach

Ah, #brunchlife: The late morning meal that's one part breakfast and one part lunch (and one of the only times it's acceptable — and even encouraged — to drink before noon).

For many South Floridians, there's no better way to spend a weekend morning or afternoon than brunching. And while almost any brunch will do — some eggs Benedict or a pile of pancakes washed down with a couple mimosas — there are a few brunches out there so ridiculous, so lavish, so crazy that they can make you feel like you're royalty (or simply partying the night away in the middle of the day). 

When it comes to brunch in South Florida. you either have to be the best — or different from the rest. That's where this list comes in. For these places, the more outrageous the offerings, prices, and drink specials, the better the brunch.

5. SanTo's Modern American Buffet & Sushi
3400 N. Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Call 561-923-9378, or visit santosbuffet.com.

Why it's outrageous: All-you-can-eat international stations.

For those days when you just can't decide what type of food you're hankering for, the sprawling buffet at SanTo's Modern American Buffet & Sushi in Boca Raton (there's also a Coconut Creek location) has the perfect solution. From 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the restaurant's all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch buffet expands to offer its usual a range of cuisines with over 50 selections to include a number of breakfast offerings. The menu covers it all: everything from the raw bar and salad bar to a meat carving station and more than 20 types of sushi rolls and sashimi — all for $16.95 per person. On Sunday, you can keep it all-American with traditional breakfast options that include pancakes, organic scrambled eggs, French toast, and a make-your-own omelet, waffle, or crepe station. A full liquor bar also offers endless drink options with mimosas and bloody marys, but sake, wine, beer, and mixed drinks are also available. The best part? You can enjoy it all in unlimited quantities for as long as you like.

4. NYY Steak
5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek. Call 954-935-6699, or visit nyysteak.com.

Why it's outrageous: Order NY Strip as part of your brunch buffet.

The signature Sunday brunch served from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at NYY Steak in Coconut Creek isn't just good — it's outrageous. As one of the area's most popular steakhouses, you know the options here are guaranteed to be top notch. For $75 per person you get access to bottomless mimosas and a bloody mary bar, both of which just so happen to go perfectly with the raw bar, omelet, and carving stations, and an array of desserts. Or order up the housemade bacon and sausage with your eggs — and maybe a plate of the best creamed chipped beef with sausage gravy around these parts. Feeling extra fancy? The restaurant's signature NY Strip is available as part of the buffet, too. There's even live music to accompany your meal.

3. The Breakers
1 S. County Rd., Palm Beach. Call 561-655-6611, or visit thebreakers.com.

Why it's outrageous: This high-class brunch buffet includes Alaskan king crab and caviar. (So, so fancy.)

If you're all about brunching in style, a brunch at the Breakers might be more your speed. The Palm Beach hotel's elaborate Sunday brunch has been a tradition for more than 25 years. Served in The Circle every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., this stunning dining room offers panoramic ocean views from perfectly set tables manned by expertly-trained staff beneath a breathtaking hand-painted ceiling. For $105 per person, you can expect this buffet brunch menu to be a step above the rest. It features some of the finest ingredients presented by a wide variety of chef-attended stations. Traditional breakfast favorites include Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict, cereals, fresh baked pastries and muffins, breakfast sausages and potatoes, bacon, and a made-to-order omelet station. Sunday brunch also offers a wide variety of fresh salads, imported cheeses, pâtés, and baked breads. Another highlight: a full raw bar that includes Alaskan king crab legs, shrimp, a sushi bar, and a domestic caviar station. Additional stations offer pasta, fresh fish, baby lamb chops, carved ham, and beef tenderloin. To satisfy your sweet tooth, the Breakers’ very own pastry shop presents a full display of treats, while a harpist strolls from table to table to add to the elegant setting. 

2. BC Cafe
4801 S. University Dr., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-801-4123, or visit bctacos.com.

Why it's outrageous: You can order everything on the brunch menu for one price.

What will it be? You can order a pancake-toppedbreakfast burger (topped with a sweet potato pancake, egg, cheese, and bacon) or a killer breakfast ramen (served with a scallion pancake, pork belly, sausage, and a sunny-side-up egg). There's a divine Bananas Foster French toast, too. And chicken-and-waffle sliders prepared with a cayenne maple syrup will make you crave them all week. Then it hits you: It's a frustrating situation coming upon a brunch menu with so many great options that it's hard to choose just one. But at BC Cafe in Davie — and the new Coral Springs second location — you don't have to. Instead, the eatery offers a unique solution during weekend brunch served Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with its sampler platter, a half-portion of each menu item delivered to you on a giant plate. Finish it up with the addition of the $12 bottomless booze be it a mimosa, bellini, or the restaurant's own cranberry punch. It's probably the easiest decision you'll make all day.

1. Salt 7
32 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach. Call 561-274-7258, or visit salt7.com.

Why it's outrageous: Poppin' bottles and pricey punch bowls turn the restaurant into a nightclub by 2 p.m.

There's brunch, and then there's a Salt 7 brunch. Every Sunday since January 2016 the restaurant has been hosting a daylong boozy brunch party that's unlike anything else in the area. Known simply as "The Brunch," this midday meal's sole purpose is to provide a supercharged brunch bash with an alcoholic fervor ordinarily reserved for wee-hour festivities. In other words, it's nothing short of clubbing during daylight hours, available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It starts with the biggest bottle of rosé you’ve ever seen; bottles of champagne popping left and right; a sea of sparklers; girls decked out in their finest club attire; and bass-thumping house music. Although reservations begin at 11 a.m., try to get there around 2 p.m. when the automatic curtains begin to block out all natural daylight, interior lights dim, the music intensifies, and jets of fog roll out to create a clubby vibe. Thirsty? Try any of the giant punch bowls perfect for sharing among friends, arriving via an entourage of sparkler-swirling servers with plenty of fanfare. Yes, of course there's food, but you're really here for those Sunday Communion punch bowls where $190 to $240 will get you something like the Quaalude (a rainbow-hued Swedish Fish and Gummy Bear-studded fishbowl made with Russian Standard vodka, Malibu rum, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice, and club soda). At the end, the check may be all the sobering up you'll need — but it will all be worth it.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram