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Did you know?Two of brunch’s most popular components, mimosas and bloody marys, originated in Prohibition era of the 1920s, as they offered the upper crust ways to discretely consume alcohol during brunch, then typically enjoyed in clubs or private homes of the wealthy.
These days, brunch is more than just a mealtime. It is a phenomenon that pervades pop culture — from internet memes to quippy T-shirts (with “Turn down for brunch” and “Brunch over boys” being two of the more popular catchphrases). Yes, brunch has become a foodie subculture of sorts — driven, in part, by millennials, the generation born between 1982 and 2004.
Yet brunch was around long before milennials started Instagramming about their #sundayfundays. According to an article on Smithsonian Magazine’s website, the concept arrived to the U.S. in the 1930s and was popularized by movie stars who frequently partook in decadent, late-morning meals during transcontinental train trips.
Over the past 75 years, brunch’s fame has continued to mount. Miguel de Jesus, 1885 partner and manager and a 22-year veteran of the restaurant industry, said that over the course of his career, he has witnessed the brunch boom.
De Jesus defines brunch as a late morning, early afternoon weekend meal that features heartier fare than traditional breakfast or lunch options. For example, 1885’s brunch menu offers dishes such as steak and eggs, fried chicken and waffles, and North Carolina rainbow trout hash — recipes that have helped the St. Elmo eatery become a local brunch hot spot.
Another factor contributing to 1885’s brunch success is likely the fact that it does both a Saturday and Sunday brunch, whereas many restaurants do only a Sunday brunch. While 1885 offers the same menu both days, de Jesus said the crowds are surprisingly different. And those differences help illustrate brunch’s new driving force.
Saturdays, he says, the restaurant draws predominately millennials; while Sundays are a more classic crowd, composed of friends, families and church groups.
“When I moved to Chattanooga in 2006, you only had two, maybe three options of places to brunch. Now it’s everywhere,” said de Jesus, who was raised in New Jersey, where he said brunch was big long before he moved to the South. “Trends just seem to start in big coastal cities; they get talked about, they become familiar and then they work their way down South.”
Another theory on the local brunch upswing over the last ten years is that more millennials are turning 21 years old. And admittedly, whether it’s Saturday or Sunday, part of brunch’s appeal is that it’s an excuse to imbibe in the middle of the day. As one popular meme declares, “Mimosas: A socially acceptable way to start partying at breakfast.”