Workplace Happiness
April 2026
Family Works: National Networks
April 2026
by Kerri Cooke
“Brunch, because mimosas.”
Chances are if you’ve eaten brunch at a restaurant, you’ve indulged in a mimosa, usually consisting of a combination of orange juice and champagne or a similar alcoholic drink.
For some, bottomless mimosas are an essential and necessary part of any brunch. What you probably didn’t know is the popular beverage has connections to both The Ritz Paris and Alfred Hitchcock.
The lore on mimosas is controversial. The one surety is mimosas are named after the flower due to their distinct orange color. The inventor of the drink is, however, up to interpretation. Buck’s Fizz was introduced to the public in 1921, but the champagne to orange juice ratio is 2:1. It’s largely believed the mimosa in its current form was invented by bartender Frank Meier in or around 1925. Meier worked at The Ritz hotel in Paris. Another origin story takes place in 1940s San Francisco. While Alfred Hitchcock might not have invented it, although there are rumors he did, he is responsible for making the drink immensely popular for breakfast in the United States. He was famous for ordering the drink, especially as Sunday Brunch emerged in the 1960s. Even Queen Elizabeth II made headlines for drinking mimosas.
There are variations of the mimosa which use different fruity flavors. (The Bekery offers frozé, which is a frozen cocktail made with rosé, Bayou Rum Pink, St. Germain, Aperol, lemon and strawberries.) Similar drinks include the poinsettia, made with cranberry juice; the lemosa, made with lemonade and blackberry syrup; the Vermosa, made with apple cider and usually served in Vermont; and the megmosa, made with grapefruit juice.
If you’re ready for some great food and drink, here are some of the top restaurants for Sunday Brunch with a side of mimosas:
—MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub, 417 Ann St.
—Luna Bar & Grill, 719 Ryan St.
—Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp, 723 Ryan St.
—Villa Harlequin, 324 Pujo St.
—The Bekery, 2024 E. Walnut St.
—Coffee:30, 3420 Ryan St.
—Rikenjaks Brewing Company, 3716 Ryan St.
—Lux Plates & Pours, 3939 Ryan St.
—Crying Eagle – University, 1165 E. McNeese St.
