Here's to the drag queens who brunch!
You will find a restaurant or bar promoting a drag brunch in every neighborhood of New York City - many offering bottomless drinks as well. A powerful combination that implies guaranteed fun! However, there are a few bars famously known for hosting incredible brunches with super talented drag queens. We are here to help you!
What is a brunch?
The concept of brunch was first defined by the British journalist Guy Beringer in 1895 when he published an essay in Hunter's Weekly urging people to consider a different meal for Sunday. A meal that wasn’t as heavy as dinner, but more satisfying than breakfast -“To begin with, Brunch is a hospitable meal; breakfast is not. Eggs and bacon are adapted to solitude; they are consoling, but not exhilarating. They do not stimulate conversation. Brunch, on the contrary, is cheerful, sociable, and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper; it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow-beings. It sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.”
When did the drag brunch tradition begin?
It wasn’t until the early 1900s that drag queens and other performers became part of the brunch experience in the United States. Back then, the Vaudeville comedy, which often involved acts with clowns, musicians, dancers, and female impersonators, was peaking in popularity. Why not mix good food with great entertainment, right?
A century later, RuPaul was starting his new competition show for drag queens on VH1, and finally, female impersonators were getting the recognition they always deserved. RuPaul’s Drag Race became a worldwide phenomenon and, in New York, the drag queen brunches exploded!
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Best Drag Brunch in New York City:
Lips
Location: 227 E 56th St, New York
Get Directions |Website
Specials: All you can drink for $39, including an entree.
When: Sunday at 12PM, and 2:30PM
What to expect: Performances inspired by Broadway musicals.
Stella 34 Trattoria
Location: 151 W 34th St, New York
Get Directions | Website
Specials: They serve excellent Italian food, but you must buy a ticket to join the show.
When: Sunday at 12PM, and 2:30PM
What to expect: Everything from classic divas to Disney movies. Family-friendly brunch.
The Spot
Location: 599 10th Ave, New York
Get Directions |Website
Specials: $40 gets you bottomless drinks. You must buy a ticket to join the show.
When: Sunday at 12:15PM, and 2:30PM
What to expect: Pop music, and sexy performances.
The Deep End
Location: 1080 Wyckoff Ave., Ridgewood
Get Directions | Website
Specials: 30 for bottomless mimosas and a meal.
When: Check their Instagram for dates.
What to expect: Pop, artsy and fun performances.
Fresco’s Cantina
Location: 12-14 31st Ave, Astoria
Get Directions | Website
Specials: $35 gets you a bottle of sangria or mimosas, plus an entree.
When: Sunday at 12:15PM, and 3PM
What to expect: Latin divas, and spicy performances.
The Liberty
Location: 29 W 35th St, New York
Get Directions | Website
Specials: $10 moscow mules, and house wines and beers for $6.
When: Saturdays 1PM.
What to expect: Thematic performances, and iconic songs.
Just remember the golden rule of drag audiences: if you see something you like, tip your queen!
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In 2022, the NYC Dyke March’s theme is D4T: Dykes for Trans Liberation, focusing on T4T (trans for trans) relationships and love in a year when the trans community is being heavily targeted by right-wing groups and members of congress all over the United States.