Let the good times flow: Eight of Melbourne's best bottomless brunches

If there's a surefire way to feel like the weekend's arrived, bottomless brunch is surely it. Whether you like yours with a kick of hot sauce or in the key of South-east Asia, Melbourne's cafes and restaurants have the menu for you.

Mejico

Other places do bottomless brunch; this playful Mexican eatery's spin is Sangria Saturdays. Along with the namesake drink, you'll be sitting down to tuna tostadas, grilled corn glazed with miso and showered in queso fresco and rotisserie chicken with jerk birria sauce. That's just some of the $79 classic menu. Live it up with the deluxe menu ($92), which features brisket empanadas, cochinita pibil (Yucatan-style smoked pork) tacos and margarita cheesecake. Sat 11am-4pm, 1 Pink Alley, Melbourne, mejico.com.au/melbourne

Farmer's Daughters

Move quick: Farmer's Daughters, the Melbourne restaurant that celebrates Gippsland produce, is only doing bottomless brunches until the end of May. Each Saturday, the venue's covered rooftop terrace pours Mimosas, Bellinis, beer and wine for two hours while you sample Baw Baw trout rillettes, the restaurant's signature soda bread and sweet treats like macarons ($90). Saturdays until May 28, 11.30am-2pm, 95 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, farmersdaughters.com.au

Half Acre

If you're looking for beautiful brunch content for your feed, make tracks for Half Acre, where natural light and greenery are as abundant as the drinks from the seltzer spritz bar. The spread ($69) leans Middle Eastern, with grilled za'atar flatbread, the Turkish favourite cilbir (poached eggs on yoghurt) and spiced potatoes with green hummus. Finish on a high note with chocolate nemesis, inspired by River Cafe's signature dessert but accompanied here by salted tahini caramel. Drinks include cocktails like Aperol Spritzes or infused vodka with your choice of mixer. Sat 10.30am-12.30pm, Sun 11am-1pm, 112 Munro St, South Melbourne, halfacre.com.au

Poodle

Plan ahead for the monthly luxe offering ($89) at this ultra cool Fitzroy bistro. The team might dish up Yarra Valley Caviar crumpets, cured trout tartare or roasted cauliflower with Café de Poodle butter. Toast to endless good taste with wine, bubbles, peach Bellinis and blood orange vodka seltzers. It happens the first Sunday of most months, with the next brunch scheduled for July 3. (For future dates, check the website.) Sun 11.30am or 2pm, 81–83 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, poodlefitzroy.com.au

The Firehouse

Where there's fire, there's smoke: smoked meats to be exact. The specialty of The Firehouse is southern American dishes including half-chicken from the smoker or trout which is cold-smoked and layered on bagels. Weekend brunch ($65) involves whichever dish tickles your fancy plus bottomless cocktails for an hour and a half. Saddle up. Sat and Sun noon-4pm, 253-257 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, thefirehouse.com.au

Hotel Jesus

Kick off the weekend early and head to Hotel Jesus on Friday for 90 minutes of salsa roja and corn chips, an array of tacos, crunchy tostadas and grilled corn showered in tangy white cheese. The bottomless brunch deal, also available on Saturdays, includes endless Mimosas, frozen grapefruit margaritas, Micheladas (think beer, tomato and lime with a spicy-salty rim) and Sangria ($69). Fri and Sat noon-3pm, 174 Smith Street, Collingwood, hoteljesus.com.au

Bang Bang Rifle Club

If you're not spending your weekends chatting with friends over popcorn cauliflower or cheeseburger roti, are you really living? The Rifle Club is your remedy to any FOMO you might have. Its boozy brunch features snacks like these, along with kingfish sashimi and tamarind lamb ribs. You can also have your fill of Mimosas, Spritzes, gin and juice, wine and beer for $65 or upgrade to champagne and French rosé for an additional $45. Sat and Sun noon-4.30pm, 294 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick, bangbang.com.au

The Smith

At this Prahran watering hole, brunch comes with no tea, no shade. Well, maybe just a little. Drag Brunch Sundays ($65) are all about wine, women and song, with DJs Kali Forni-Kate and Baby Slutxo on tunes. Two hours of bottomless spritzes, house wine and tap beer are included, plus a delicious line-up of brunch choices from the kitchen. A lobster and prawn roll, perhaps? Berry hotcakes? There's something for all personalities – as long as you like your brunch in your face. 213–219 High Street, Prahran, thesmithprahran.com.au