New York's Waldorf-Astoria Raises Its Brunch To Even Higher Heights With Weekly Themed Brunches

The Sunday brunch served at Peacock Alley, located just off the lobby at New York's legendary Waldorf Astoria, is widely regarded as one of the best you'll find anywhere, with buffet stations brimming with a seemingly endless array of delights. But apparently you can improve upon perfection: They've rolled out a rotating schedule of themed entrées, desserts, and cocktails that will be featured as part of the brunch menu through the end of the year.

So far this season, themes have included Canadian Thanksgiving, International World Food Day, and Day of the Basque. Highlights from International World Food Day, for example, included stuffed poblano peppers, bouillabaisse, Moroccan bastilla, soba noodles with tofu and ponzu, jumbo shrimp in black bean sauce, lasagna, Southern fried chicken, Argentinian churrasco skirt steak with chimichurri, and  Indian chana masala. Basque offerings included bacalao, pisto (Basque ratatouille), jambon de Bayonne, chorizo de Pamplona, and an assortment of pintxos and Basque cheeses with crème Catalan, gateau Basque for dessert. Halloween-themed offerings will include borscht (blood red, of course), devils on horseback, apple and sausage-stuffed jack-o-lanterns, and devil's food cake.

Coming weekend themes include traditional Scandinavian cuisine, truffle harvest dishes, and Japanese-inspired dishes; a Thanksgiving-themed brunch will be served Nov. 24 and they'll also be serving a special Christmas brunch on Christmas Day.

We had the opportunity to experience the brunch on World Food Day, and it's truly a brunch you won't forget any time soon. Along with the aforementioned entrées and special desserts including Chinese egg custard tarts, baklava, tiramisu and tres leches cake, there's also an astounding array of other items: a huge raw bar with lobster, littleneck clams, Long Island oysters, shrimp, five varieties of house-smoked salmon, and four varieties of caviar; breakfast selections include pancakes, breakfast potatoes, thick-cut bacon, and made-to-order eggs Benedict; and roasted leg of lamb and beef Wellington are carved to order at carving stations. Desserts include Baked Alaska "lollipops," a dark chocolate fountain, Norman Love truffles, croissant bread pudding, and Limoncello tiramisu.

Brunch at the Waldorf is really an extravaganza, and it certainly isn't cheap at $125 per person (including a glass of Laurent-Perrier, a mimosa, or a weekly themed cocktail). But if you're in the mood for a celebration, there's nothing more festive than a blowout like this.