A word that arrived in the late nineteenth century
Brunch combines breakfast and lunch, but the modern word has a traceable history. The New Orleans Historic New Orleans Collection recounts how Madame Begue served a late-morning meal to workers in the French Market in the 1860s. That local tradition is an early example of a substantial meal between breakfast and lunch; it is not evidence that one person invented the practice worldwide.
The English word “brunch” is commonly connected to British writer Guy Beringer, who argued in an 1895 essay for a relaxed Sunday meal after a late start. Beringer helped popularise the term and made a case for the meal; describing him as the sole inventor oversimplifies a longer history of mid-morning eating.
Why the meal travelled
The format suits days when people wake later, meet friends or combine several meals into one. Restaurants adopted brunch as a weekend service, while home traditions developed around local ingredients and schedules. The menu differs widely: eggs, bread, fruit, pastries and savoury dishes appear in many places, but no single menu represents brunch everywhere.
In New Orleans, the meal is associated with the city’s particular market and hospitality history. Elsewhere, late-morning meals may be shaped by religious calendars, work patterns or regional foods without using the word “brunch.” These differences are a reminder that a global food trend often adapts to local culture rather than replacing it.
More than a menu
Brunch has become a social occasion as much as a time of day. Its appeal lies in flexibility: it can be a simple meal at home or a longer gathering. The history is therefore not a neat story of one invention, but an evolving mix of local customs, changing schedules and a catchy word that travelled.