Bottomless Mimosas — Blog — Brunchographers

Summer is finally here, and let me tell you, we are ready. We've been packing our calendars full with plans for outdoor movies and concerts, lazy days at the beach, and lots of dining al fresco. If you ask us, fresh-air dining need not be limited to barbecue lunches and dinners, either - you may not be surprised to learn that we’re big proponents of taking brunch outside, too. In fact, it’s hard to imagine anything more lovely than spending a warm summer morning in the backyard, sipping mimosas with friends... except, perhaps, if there was an entire mimosa bar, full of bright, fresh juices, crisp Prosecco, and plenty of colorful, in-season fruit. I ask you (as rhetorically as Ina Garten might), is there anything more delightfully summery than that?

Build-Your-Own-Mimosa Bar Party, featuring Mionetto Prosecco - Brunchographers

For our recent Mimosa Bar party, we knew we wanted to mix things up and offer a fun twist on the traditional mimosa (plain old orange juice and Champagne is just so expected, isn’t it?). To start, we turned to Mionetto’s Prosecco as the base for our bubbly bar (or should we say... #MioMosa bar? FYI, Mio in Italian means “My,” and that’s what MioMosa is all about – My Mionetto Miomosa is a personalized creation made entirely your way). And yes, we love the crisp, dry bubbly on its own, but it’s truly special when paired with a splash of fresh, tangy fruit juice and some colorful fruit garnish. And while we couldn’t in good conscience skip the old-standby OJ entirely, we knew we wanted to offer a variety of juices for our guests to choose from when concocting their cocktails - so we created a rainbow of juice around the orange with carafes of cranberry, grapefruit, and mango-orange juices. To round out the offerings, we stocked our little bar with a full spectrum of berries and citrus fruits. The cocktail-crafting possibilities were endless!

And because no responsible brunch host would serve only Mimosas, we made sure to stock our bar with some snacks and treats as well, sticking steadfastly to our rainbow theme. We plucked pretty little macarons from a local bakery, set out some delicious and not-too-sweet raspberry rugelach, and piled cake stands high with donuts from our favorite neighborhood shop (Donut Hut in Burbank, if you were curious). Did we have a sugar high afterward? Yes we did. Did we care? Decidedly not.

Are you hoping to throw a MioMosa party of your own this summer? Here's a bit of our best advice for building your very own beautiful (and delicious) Mimosa bar:

1. Start with the good stuff. Find a bubbly wine that you’d enjoy just as much when sipped on its own, and that’s not so sweet that it couldn’t stand up to a little added juice. For us, that was Mionetto Prosecco - Johnna’s favorite is the Rosé Extra Dry, while Veronica prefers the DOC Treviso Brut. Find your favorite and introduce it to your friends!

2. Get creative with mixers. Whether you take inspiration from classic cocktail combinations (cranberry + lime, anyone?), seasonal fruits and veggies, or a juice from your favorite juice bar, remember to think outside the classic mimosa! There’s a whole world of flavor combinations to choose from, and your guests will appreciate an opportunity to show their creativity.

3. Pick a color theme. Any party table will look best when a color theme is kept in mind, especially if you can carry that theme all the way through the food and drink you serve! We knew our Prosecco bottles would be orange and pink, so we chose a rainbow theme that emphasized yellow, orange, and pink.

4. Add some pretty details. Finally, for those who are crafting-inclined, consider tying your party spread together with a few charming, handmade touches. For this party, Johnna lent her calligraphy skills to create a gorgeous chalkboard sign, while Veronica got crafty with some colorful floral arrangements. And to help guests tell whose glass was whose, we made some quick little tassel charms in our color scheme and attached them to the champagne flutes. For us, these little projects were just the right level of Martha-ness - try spending a few minutes on Pinterest to find the perfect project for you!

This post was graciously sponsored by Mionetto USA. As always, all opinions are our own!

Every summer, residents of East Coast inland towns participate in a mass migration to the water. Packed minivans arrive in droves to little beach towns along the coast, their inhabitants eager to embrace the simple pleasures of summer vacation. The little towns are quaint but lively; people in bathing suits ride bicycles to the corner store to pick up some sunscreen, dinner is a shared Mac & Manco’s pizza eaten straight from the box on the boardwalk, and each day ends with a big, melty ice cream cone. Kids play past their bedtimes and parents laugh together over cold beers on the porch. Here, it’s all about fun, food, and family.

In Los Angeles, summer isn’t as much of an event. It’s really not so different than any other time of year; the only sure identifiers of summer are thick layers of June Gloom clouds and marginally improved traffic flow once school lets out. But a nostalgic East-Coaster is not without hope; that small beach town magic can be found here if you know where to look - a great place to start is Manhattan Beach. A day spent here can recall that slow, relaxed feelings of summers past - meander through the boutiques and shops, play a game of volleyball on the sand, wander down to the end of the pier, grab a cone at Manhattan Beach Creamery, and of course, indulge in some delicious brunch. You’ll be in summer vacation mode before you know it.

Inside The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

Mimosas at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

On that leisurely stroll through Manhattan Beach's charming downtown area, you may stumble upon The Rockefeller, a lively, modern-industrial gastropub on Highland Avenue which will undoubtedly be packed with happy diners sharing a laugh over a round of technicolor mimosas. Huge open windows allow the gastropub's festive atmosphere to spill out onto the sidewalk, offering passersby a taste of all the fun they could be having - and a glimpse at the ever-so-tempting plates of delicious food. To further seal the deal, the Rockefeller serves brunch not just two days a week, but three. That's right, you can indulge in bottomless mimosas on a Friday. If that doesn't scream summer vacation, I don't know what does.

Guava Mimosas at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

The Rockefeller's brunch menu is broad and eclectic, offering modern takes on brunch classics to Mexican-inspired breakfast fare and creative, vacation-worthy seafood dishes. And of course, plenty of indulgent bar food to pair with the alcohol you're bound to indulge in. Speaking of alcohol, during brunch, there's a rainbow of bottomless mimosas at your fingertips: with flavors like guava, watermelon, peach, and classic orange, you can sip your fizzy cocktail all brunch long and never get bored (drunk, yes, but bored, no).

Donut Holes at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

Our recent brunch began with a little something to nosh on - when we visited, the sweet starter of choice was a perfect share-sized portion of donut holes. They were crisp and deep golden brown on the outside, soft and piping-hot on the inside, and just sweet enough that they paired perfectly with a bit of brightly flavored raspberry jam dipping sauce. With a very recent menu update, the donut holes were replaced by a shiny-new menu item: house-made butternut beignets with caramel sauce. If the donut holes were any indication, these folks can make a good donut, and those beignets are probably wonderful (don't worry, we'll be back ASAP to try those, too).

Chilaquiles and Chicken & Avocado Burrito at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

For entrees, we were feeling the call of the Mexican-inspired dishes, so we opted for Chilaquiles and the Chicken & Avocado Burrito. The Chilaquiles came loaded with sauce and toppings, the chips were saturated in creamy, spicy sauce and the egg was perfectly soft and yolky. The chorizo added a nice spicy kick that was balanced out by the lime crema and cheese.

Chilaquiles at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

Chicken & Avocado Burrito at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

We opted to have the Chicken & Avocado Burrito served wet (which is the correct choice, because why on earth wouldn't you want your burrito smothered in tangy, flavorful sauce and melted cheese?). Inside, it was stuffed with scrambled egg whites, chicken chorizo, black beans, avocado, and bell peppers. Both the burrito and the Chilaquiles were rich and delicious, and would satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.

Chicken & Avocado Burrito, Chilaquiles, and French Toast at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

A classic French toast was next on the roster: eggy brioche bread and macerated berries dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled in maple syrup. This was a spot-on version of a quintessential brunch dish that was pleasing on both the eyes and the palate. And hey, there's some fruit on it, so it's at least a little bit healthy, right?

French Toast at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

Rainbow of Mimosas at at The Rockefeller, Manhattan Beach, CA

The food at The Rockefeller is sure to please no matter what you choose (and for the record, next time we're planning to try that lobster-stuffed avocado), and its lively and welcoming atmosphere will lull you into a state of summertime bliss. So grab your friends or family, kick back with a cocktail, and take in that cool ocean air - you deserve a vacation.

The Rockefeller
1209 Highland Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

A Build-Your-Own-Mimosa Bar Party

The Rockefeller | Manhattan Beach, CA