Mimosas Are Cheugy—But Here’s How to Make Them Cool Again

It’s National Mimosa Day (May 16, if you’re the type who tracks made-up-but-fun holidays), and yes, we need to talk about the elephant in the brunch: mimosas are kinda… cheugy. They had their golden era—usually involving bottomless brunches, flower walls, and captions like “brunch so hard”—but now? They’re giving “2016 influencer starter pack.”

And yet... we still love them. Because they’re bubbly. They’re easy. And with a little zhuzh, they can go from basic to brilliantly ironic brunch centerpiece.

Let’s fix your mimosa bar—and make it a little less “Live Laugh Love” and a little more “How is this actually delicious?”

First Up: Retire the Tropicana

We’re not here to pour supermarket OJ into André and call it a day. Let’s glow up your bar cart.

Upgrade your mixers:

• Fresh-squeezed OJ (you know, like from an actual orange)
  
  
• Guava nectar
  
  
• Grapefruit juice (pink preferred)
  
  
• Blood orange juice for ~ aesthetic purposes ~
  
  

Mix it up with purées:

• White peach (hello, Bellini energy)
  
  
• Mango
  
  
• Strawberry basil
  
  

And the bubbles?
Go for a dry Prosecco or Cava. You want something crisp and not too sweet. Bonus points if it comes in a bottle that looks good on the ‘gram.

Garnish Like You Mean It

Half the fun of mimosas is pretending they’re fancy. Garnishes do the heavy lifting here.

Try:

• Frozen berries instead of ice (functional and cute)
  
  
• Edible flowers for ✿ that ✿ brunch ✿ girl ✿ vibe ✿
  
  
• Fresh herbs like thyme or mint
  
  
• Dehydrated citrus wheels because you’re that girl
  
  

Three Recipes That Slay (And Aren’t Just OJ + Bubbly)

1. Hot Girl Summer Mimosa

She's fruity, flirty, and a little bit spicy—basically the it-girl of brunch cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz guava nectar
  
  
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
  
  
• 3 oz dry rosé sparkling wine or brut rosé
  
  
• Tajín or chili-lime seasoning
  
  
• Pineapple wedge or lime wheel for garnish
  
  

How-to:
Rim your glass with lime juice and dip in Tajín for a spicy kick. Pour guava nectar and lime juice into the glass, then top with chilled rosé bubbles. Garnish with a pineapple wedge or lime wheel. Sip slowly—or don’t.

2. Coastal Mimosa (aka Passion Fruit Glow-Up)

Recipe by Kiano Moju, from AfriCali: Recipes from My Jikoni

Tangy passion fruit turns your brunch drink into an all-day cocktail.

You’ll Need:

• 1 bottle (750ml) chilled dry sparkling wine
  
  
• 2 cups chilled orange juice
  
  
• ¾ cup passion fruit pulp (or frozen from a Latin market)
  
  
• Sugar (to taste)
  
  

How-To:

In a small saucepan, combine passion fruit pulp and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves (about 2 mins). Chill. When ready to serve, combine sparkling wine, OJ, and your passion fruit syrup in a pitcher. Garnish with fresh passion fruit halves and bask in your tropical glow.

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3. Aperol Mimosa

Like a Mimosa and a Spritz had a flirty brunch fling

Ingredients:

• Orange juice
  
  
• Aperol
  
  
• Prosecco, Champagne, or sparkling wine
  
  
• Champagne flutes or wine glasses
  
  

How-to:
Fill your glass ½ with sparkling wine, ¼ with orange juice, and top with 1 oz of Aperol. Stir gently. Serve in a flute, and pretend you’re at a Milanese rooftop brunch.

A Few Mimosa Bar Power Moves

• Use a chic tray to corral your juices and garnishes. No one wants to brunch next to a sticky juice jug.
  
  
• Label things, but make it cute—mini chalkboards, hand-lettered tags, or Canva templates printed like you're running a brand.
  
  
• Create a menu with suggested combos so your friends don’t panic and pour five juices into one glass.
  
  
• Add a mocktail option (sparkling water + juice + herbs) for your sober bestie or your pregame-turned-regret guest.
  
  

Bottomless Thoughts

Yes, mimosas are a little cheugy. But with the right crowd, the right bubbles, and a wink of self-awareness? They’re also perfect.

So on May 16, pop the cork, pour something fruity, and toast to the brunch drink we love to roast—but never actually stopped drinking.

Want more where this came from? Join the Partytrick waitlist to plan gatherings that are way cooler than your ex’s housewarming.

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