It’s not quite breakfast, no. That word itself, despite pleasant associations with bacon, is a dead weight on my shoulders telling me that it’s the start of the day, and that I have no excuse not to get my sh*t together.
It’s not lunch either. That means half the day has passed, and is therefore a signal of failure if I haven’t managed to get anything done yet (which, personally, is the case 75% of the time).
But breakfast and lunch got together and employed dinner as a surrogate mother, blessing the world with the perfection that is brunch—also known as the happy hour for adults, when done right.
What’s ‘done right’, you may ask? For starters, brunch doesn’t even need to try. It’s breakfast food at a later hour of the morning, defying the standards that society has imposed upon breakfast. So it’s chill. But then, how about bacon and orange juice and champagne? Right?

Or, you know:

It’s quite amazing how the addition of alcohol automatically elevates brunch. But really, you’re not eating at 8:00 a.m., and it’s 5:00 p.m. somewhere in the world, so I don’t see why a lot of places don’t offer mimosas just yet—a #ChampagneCampaign something I was recently discussing with one of my best friends and fellow maybe-alcoholic Charlene.
Well, the liquor deities have heard our pleas, and Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s Sunday Brunch+ is their gift to mankind.
At its heart, Sunday Brunch+ is still the Café Marco buffet we all know and love. But then on Sundays, there’s Buffet Only at Php 1,450 nett which is just as good minus the booze (but where’s the fun in that?), and then there’s Brunch n’ Bubbles. That’s the buffet, plus free-flowing wines, cocktails and standard drinks for Php 1,800 nett.

Oh, and right. Actual food:





And because at the Marco Polo, Sunday brunch is a lifestyle:
- There are local acts to play music while you dine (adding to the major chill vibe).
- You can opt for a complimentary five-minute treatment at the Wellness Zone until 2:30 p.m. (so don’t wait too long after dessert if you really want this, like I did).
- Kids can enjoy activities such as face painting, balloon twisting, and cooking classes (except no one offered to teach me balloon twisting, despite my kid height).
- You can bring your swimsuits and jump straight into the pool!
- Have more mimosas! 😀
Brunch is a thing rarely done right this side of the world, but thank you to Marco Polo Plaza Cebu for making brunch matter—and that’s why it does.
Sunday Brunch+
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills | Facebook