Apr 9

Apr 9 Boozy Brunch: DTLA’s Other Extreme Sport

We all, at one point in our lives, have been personally victimized by a boozy brunch. The all-day event may start innocently by offering an array of breakfast-lunch mashups and freshly squeezed juices accompanied by hangover coaxing libations. But few brunch spots know how to tap into millennial weaknesses: 2-for-1 specials, bottomless mimosas and natural lighting for the perfect #nofilter, filtered selfie. As one drink leads to another, chatter and cheers clash in incoordination and before we know it we’re wine drunk on a patio asking ourselves, “where to next?” at eleven in the morning. Brunching has evolved into an extreme sport where the strong survive and the weak call it a night before sundown.

Preux & Proper checks all the boxes for an ideal boozy brunch. The beautiful flatiron building on the corner of Spring and Main Street features two levels of breezy, light-filled seating busy with gaggles of girlfriends, birthday celebrants, and couples whose dates continue from the night before. Owner Joshua Kopel and executive chef Sammy Monsour have crafted an environment and menu inspired by the energy of New Orleans but without regrettable Mardi Gras behavior.

Their brunch menu is offered on Sundays between noon and 4 pm, providing four ample hours to take advantage of $15 bottomless mimosas, bacon-infused bloody marys, and frozen daiquiris that can dually cause brain freeze and a stiff buzz. This goes to show that brunching has evolved into an event that is no longer about curing the hangover but creating the hangover. “Brunch is all about getting dressed up and day drinking with your friends. If I woke up hungover then I’d stay home and order Postmates” says Karen, a fellow bruncher at Preux & Proper.

Like all good Cajun and Creole cooking, Preux & Proper’s menu will have patrons loosening the buttons on their Sunday best. Try the Braised Collards with roasted pork shoulder and Fresno hot sauce, or order the Crawfish Roll with Louisiana crawfish and red remoulade on a toasted brioche. Other brunch favorites include Fried Chicken and Waffles with buttermilk cornbread and honey, the always faithful Baked Mac & Cheese, and an Avocado Toast with maitake mushrooms, charred leeks and kale sitting on a toasted bread that’s as big as a bottle of champagne. All dishes are served family style, allowing diners to explore flavors like it's a tabletop buffet.

For brunch spots with free-flowing drinks, pant-stretching meals and shoulder-shimmying music, it's not uncommon for patrons to carve out a small space in a restaurant and claim it as their own personal dancefloor. And that's quite alright because sometimes, brunching is about creating memories you'll hate to remember. Here are a few other Downtown LA favorites where you can booze up and brunch: