Everybody loves brunch. It's all the bacony, eggy, pancakey, greasy glory of breakfast with none of the early rising, plus a side of lunch items and a wink to happy hour. In South Florida, with beautiful weather year-round, it's a great excuse to get out in the sun and dabble in a little day drinking -- and throw back some fabulous breakfast fare -- before the workweek grind begins again.
New Year's Day presents the perfect opportunity to keep the previous night's buzz going (or recover with some hair of the dog) as you celebrate the first day of 2015. So set the tone for the next 365 days of eating with a delectable brunch buffet, a mimosa in hand, and maybe even a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.
The following ten Broward and Palm Beach restaurants have everything you need to make January 1 a fresh start.
See also: Ten Best New Year's Eve 2015 Parties in Broward and Palm Beach Counties
10. NYY Steak
NYY Steak will be open for New Year's Day and will feature a number of brunch specials along with the restaurant's regular menu. Like what? Like NYY Steak's own rotisserie porketta, a flame-roasted pork belly wrapped boneless loin with potato hash and smoky greens, or a banana fluffernutter bacon sandwich complete with a Yoo-hoo float. NYY Steak is open on New Year's Day from 5 to 11 p.m. 5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek; 954-935-6699.
9. Steak 954
Steak 954, the luxury boutique oceanfront steakhouse at Fort Lauderdale's W Hotel, will be serving its regular à la carte brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year's Day. That means delectable dishes like homemade pop tarts, gourmet omelets, and short rib eggs Benedict. Or start 2015 with a special sandwich: You can also try the 954 Cheesesteak, a combination of Australian Wagyu rib eye, truffled Cheese Whiz, and foie gras on a fresh-baked brioche roll -- served alongside a glass of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial. 5550 NW 40th St., Coconut Creek; 954-935-6699. 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-414-8333.
8. City Cellar
Big Time Restaurant Group will celebrate the start of 2015 with an extended New Year's Day brunch on Thursday, January 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at each of its restaurants, including City Cellar Wine Bar in West Palm Beach and City Oyster and Sushi Bar in Delray Beach. City Cellar at West Palm Beach's City Place will be celebrating the start of 2015 with an extended New Year's Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Standout dishes can be ordered à la carte from the standard brunch menu and include the restaurant's house-made fresh pastries like spiced brioche doughnuts or giant "Truckstop" cinnamon buns. Not quite sure if you want breakfast or lunch? Try the Breakfast Margherita Pizza topped with applewood smoked bacon, mozzarella cheese, scallions, a cracked egg, and a spicy hollandaise sauce. City Cellar will also be offering a $12 unlimited mimosa and endless bloody mary bar -- the perfect remedy for your New Year's festivities. 700 S. Rosemary Ave.; West Palm Beach; 561-366-0071.
7. The Cooper
After the all-night celebrating has slid into a "do not disturb" slumber and the all-you-can-drink champagne has been drunk, it's time to wake up and do it all over again at the Cooper from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Cooper, located at PGA Commons in Palm Beach Gardens, is offering a postrevelry feast on New Year's Day, complete with bottomless mimosas and an all-you-can-sip bloody mary bar. On New Year's Day, the rustic, farm-to-table restaurant is ushering in a clean slate on a big plate with enough sweet-and-savory goodness to please every palate. The Cooper Eggs Benedict with Serrano ham over braised kale and Swiss chard and topped with smoked paprika hollandaise is a house favorite. Get your liquid fix with a lip-smacking craft cocktail, or stay traditional and fill up on $10 bottomless bloody marys and mimosas. 4610 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561-622-0032.
6. Max's Harvest
Max's Harvest will serve brunch on New Year's Day -- and on Friday, January 2 -- as from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., offering up dishes like Nutella- and ricotta-stuffed French toast made with Nancy's lady fingers, bananas, candied hazelnuts, and topped with a butterscotch sauce. Or try their famous lobster Benedict, poached heritage hen eggs, potato latkes, sautéed spinach and mushrooms, and truffled hollandaise sauce served with a red potato hash. The regular brunch menu will be available all day, along with some specials to ring in the New Year. And don't forget the unlimited, create-your-own mimosa and bloody mary bar. 169 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach; 561-381-9970.
5. Beauty & the Feast
This New Year's Day, Beauty & the Feast is celebrating with its own 2015 Polar Bear Plunge, the restaurant's name for its first brunch of the year. The party kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with a plunge in the ocean at lifeguard Tower 11 on Fort Lauderdale Beach. The horn will blow, and everyone with the right attire (or maybe even the attire from the night before) will run into the ocean for a real wake-up call. The entire ordeal will be followed by the restaurant's prix-fixe brunch. The hotel will be offering a special area designated for people to change before dining in the hotel (look up the polar bear club). Like it's regular "Boozy Brunch" specials on bottomless mimosas and bloody marys will abound, and small plates and feast dishes will be available. 601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-567-8020.
Farmhouse Kitchen
Want to start the new year off with a healthy kick? If so, head to Boca Raton's newest Rack's family restaurant, Farmhouse Kitchen. It'll be open for New Year's Day brunch starting at 10:30 a.m. and serving a number of delicious, healthy, and responsibly sourced (gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan too) fare. The regular brunch and lunch menu will highlight dishes and specialties like the cracked wheat toast with ricotta cheese, crushed avocado, and olive oil; the buffalo burger; a hummus trio crudity; and a nut- and seed-crusted chicken. The bottomless mimosa bar for $14 per person will let you toast to the start of a fabulous (and fit) 2015. 399 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-826-2625.
3. Rok:Brgr
Known for its weekend Hangover Brunch parties, the Fort Lauderdale Rok:Brgr location will be hosting its regular Sunday brunch à la carte menu on New Year's Day. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rock out to tunes provided by a live DJ, and enjoy the restaurant's full, chef-driven menu with favorite dishes like lobster corn dogs, breakfast mac 'n' cheese with maple pepper bacon and a blend of American and cheddar cheese topped with a fried egg, and braised short ribs plated up with a heaping pile of biscuits and gravy. Ladies, listen up: You drink free mimosas all day. 208 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-525-7656.
2. Tap 42
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year's Day, the ever-popular craft beer bar and restaurant Tap 42 will be hosting its weekend brunch with a bang to kick off the new year. That means the bottomless brunch drink specials will be flowing all day with $15 for all-you-can-drink mimosas, bloody marys, and Harpoon UFO White on draft. Next up, the food: appetizers, brunch bites, and gastrogrub-style dishes. That means you can start your day off with crispy Asian calamari; the hangover breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, chicken apple sausage, and white cheddar served between French toast buns; and a golden quinoa seafood salad with mixed greens, Brussels sprouts, Mandarin orange, green apple, cranberries, almonds, feta cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette. 1411 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-463-4900.
1. American Social
If you hit Las Olas Boulevard all night long on New Year's Eve, you won't have to stray far to keep the party going. Whether you're looking to start 2015 off with a bang or just want to hold off last night's hangover, American Social's brunch can help. It'll offer an all-you-can-eat buffet from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for $22.95 per person. The brunch buffet table will have an omelet and waffle station, prime-rib-carving station, fried chicken, snow crab legs, smoked salmon, along with two types of breakfast sausage, bacon, roasted potatoes, biscuits, and gravy. More interested in the boozy side of things? An unlimited bloody mary and mimosa package will keep you drinking for $10 per person (with the purchase of a brunch buffet). If you're feeling adventurous, you can try the restaurant's own "Angryosas" -- Angry Orchard cider with orange juice -- for an unconventional brunch cocktail. For $15 per person, you can upgrade your drink package to have Stoli vodka and Nicolas Feuillatte champagne instead of the house-brand options. 721 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-764-7005.
Nicole Danna is a food blogger 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 Clean Plate's Instagram.
href="https://twitter.com/CleanPlateBPB" class="twitter-follow-button"
data-show-count="false" data-lang="en">Follow @CleanPlateBPB
