Marzapan Pancakes topped with fresh berries, bananas and Abuelita Chocolate ice cream at Cocina de Barrio, San Diego
By Kathleen Furore
Editor’s Note: With April, National Brunch Month, right around the corner, we thought it only appropriate to break down that daypart in anticipation of all the great brunching occasions coming in April and the spring/summer months that follow — Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduations, to name a few.
Brunch has moved beyond an occasion once reserved for holidays and special celebrations to a popular, often weekly destination for today’s consumers. That’s the assessment from the “Top Brunch Shop Trends: Trends and Statistics Shaping 2026” report from Toast.
“Brunch has evolved from a leisurely weekend indulgence into a vibrant dining occasion embraced by food enthusiasts everywhere,” information from the POS vendor and menu trend tracker says.
Not only is brunch popular with the dining-out set; it packs a punch where profits are concerned, too.
“Brunch can be a great addition to weekly sales,” says Izzy Kharasch, president of Chicago-based Hospitality Works. Kharasch says he sees more and more Mexican restaurants adding brunch to their weekend lineup. “It tends to be more profitable than the day-to-day menu because it focuses on eggs and breakfast items that carry a lower food cost.”
The Impact of Global Flavors
So, what is currently wowing customers when it comes to the brunch daypart?
Toast reports that global flavors are hot and lists chilaquiles as one example “of how international flavors are enriching brunch options.”
Mexican- and other Latin-inspired restaurants are in a prime position to capitalize on the popularity of global cuisines in ways that will give them an edge over competitors — as long as they use those flavors to create menus that make their brunch stand out in what has become a crowded field.
“In order to make their brunch different than the general American brunch, they should focus on interesting brunch items that may come from their local area of Mexico,” Kharasch stresses. “The restaurants most successful with brunch are those that focus on Mexican breakfast specialties, not just on typical American breakfast dishes.”
That’s just what Cocina De Barrio in San Diego and Jesús Latin Grill & Tequila Bar in Mishawaka, Indiana, are doing.
Cocina De Barrio's Sopes Benny
Cocina De Barrio’s Chilaquiles Verdes featuring the restaurant’s award-winning, 10-hour-braised beef birria, and the Sopes Benny — a global-flavors version of eggs Benedict that’s served with lamb birria, chipotle hollandaise and homemade sopes — are two dishes especially popular with brunch customers, according to corporate general manager Karen Valenzuela.
Jesús also offers eggs Benedict-style dishes that fit into the Mexican/Latin specialties category: the Arepas Eggs Benedict made with cochinita pibil, spinach, poached egg, and chipotle hollandaise; and the Cochinita Eggs Benedict with cochinita pibil-filled corn muffins, sunny-side-up eggs, Peruvian hollandaise, pickled fresnos and fresh herbs.
The Appeal of the Buffet
According to Toast, brunch buffets are making a significant comeback. The pros are many: They appeal to large groups, families, and diners seeking a multitude of menu options, and they are considered a value-driven dining experience.
But as popular as those buffets are, there’s a caveat to consider, too: While they “offer variety in a single meal” which “makes them a reliable option for restaurants looking to attract larger groups and family diners,” their popularity can fluctuate “based on health and safety concerns (as seen during the pandemic),” the Toast report cautions.
Kharasch concurs on the pros and possible cons buffets offer.
“I have a Mexican restaurant client who has added a limited buffet as an extension to the brunch menu, and that has been successful. The restaurant limits the amount of food items [on the buffet] so that there is very little waste,” Kharasch reports. “However, I would not recommend that restaurants go to a buffet-only format, as the waste typically is so high that it eliminates a lot of the profit.”
Tackling the Challenges
What should restaurants who are thinking of offering brunch consider before taking the plunge?
Cochinita Eggs Benedict at Jesus in Mishawaka, Indiana
First, realize that creating the perfect Mexican brunch menu is not easy, says Kharasch, who notes that a successful brunch menu should include “great, focused Mexican breakfast items” as well as “some lunch items for those guests who want that option.”
He goes on to offers tips for operators and chefs considering adding brunch:
“First, they should not only develop a great brunch menu but also taste test each item. The chef needs to prepare every dish and then have a tasting with the staff and management so that they can discuss the great new items with the guests. Also, the menu should not be too large, so that the kitchen can get the food to the guests without long waits,” Kharasch concludes, summing up ways restaurants can minimize problems while maximizing the impact brunch will have on their bottom line.
SIDEBAR: Trending Items on Brunch Menus
Breakfast sandwiches and dessert-inspired dishes are among specific menu items driving brunch sales, according to the “Top Brunch Shop Trends: Trends and Statistics Shaping 2026” report from Toast.
“Brunch has elevated the humble breakfast sandwich into a gourmet experience,” while indulgent, dessert-inspired dishes “appeal to diners who want the decadence of dessert during brunch hours, blurring the lines between savory and sweet,” the report notes.
Jesús Latin Grill & Tequila Bar in Mishawaka, Indiana is one restaurant that has taken the breakfast sandwich beyond the ubiquitous egg-and-cheese variety with its Breakfast Ciabatta — a ciabatta roll dipped in salsa roja, then filled with chorizo, pork belly, potato, aji panca aioli (a Peruvian condiment made from sun-dried red ají panca peppers), lettuce, queso fresco, sunny-side egg and fresh herbs.
Churros & French Toast at Cochina de Barrio
On the dessert-inspired front, Cocina De Barrio in San Diego offers the very popular Churros & French Toast with homemade dulce de leche ice cream, and Marzapan Pancakes topped with fresh berries, bananas and Abuelita Chocolate ice cream.
Tacos are another brunch menu option that is trending — they’re especially pertinent to Mexican/Latin foodservice operations that can easily create innovative versions that suit the spirit of brunch.
“Tacos, typically seen as a lunchtime or dinner option, have made their way into brunch, with variations featuring scrambled eggs, chorizo, avocado, salsa, and even sweet fillings like cinnamon apples,” the Toast report says.