Love it or hate it, brunch has become a lifestyle. Personally, we’re all for it because it’s the only time when drinking booze before you’ve even had breakfast is totally socially acceptable. If you’re the brunch-loving type who likes to travel the country, however, you may have realized that not all states are made equal when it comes to Sunday’s most popular meal. That’s because the time that alcohol can be served at Sunday brunch varies greatly depending on where you are. So to avoid a nasty disappointment when you’re traveling out of state — or prep you for an even earlier round of bottomless Mimosas than you’ve ever attempted — this is the only guide you’ll ever need for brunching around the United States.
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How Early You Can Start Drinking at Brunch in Every State
Note: Some states allow individual counties to set the time that alcohol can be served. The website LocalAlcoholLaws has a county-by-county breakdown of when alcohol can be served in each state. In general, however, these are the times that every respectable brunch-loving human should keep in mind.
Alabama: 10 a.m.
Alaska: 8 a.m. in most areas, 10 a.m. in Anchorage.
Arizona: 6 a.m.
Arkansas: 10 a.m.
California: 6 a.m.
Colorado: 7 a.m.
Connecticut: 10 a.m.
Delaware: 10 a.m.
Florida: Varies by county but generally 7 a.m.
Georgia: 11 a.m.
Hawaii: 6 a.m.
Idaho: 6 a.m. for beer and wine only. Liquor sales not available on Sunday in most counties.
Illinois: 11 a.m. in most cities.
Indiana: 7 a.m.
Iowa: 8 a.m.
Kansas: 6 a.m.
Kentucky: 1 p.m.
Louisiana: Varies by county. Some areas have no time limit; others begin at noon.
Maine: 9 a.m.
Maryland: 10 a.m.
Massachusetts: 10 a.m.
Michigan: 7 a.m.
Minnesota: 8 a.m.
Mississippi: 7 a.m. for beer, 10 a.m. for liquor in some counties. As late as 1 p.m. or prohibited in other counties.
Missouri: 6 a.m.
Montana: 11 a.m.
Nebraska: 6 a.m. with some counties not allowing liquor sales until noon.
Nevada: No limit in major counties.
New Hampshire: 6 a.m.
New Jersey: 9 a.m.
New Mexico: 11 a.m.
New York: 10 a.m.
North Carolina: 10 a.m.
North Dakota: 11 a.m.
Ohio: 5:30 a.m. for beer, 10 or 11 a.m. for wine and spirits.
Oklahoma: 8 a.m.
Oregon: 7 a.m.
Pennsylvania: 11 a.m.
Rhode Island: 10 a.m.
South Carolina: 10 a.m.
South Dakota: 7 a.m.
Tennessee: 10 a.m.
Texas: Noon.
Utah: 11:30 a.m. for restaurants, 10 a.m. for clubs and banquets.
Vermont: 8 a.m.
Virginia: 10 a.m.
Washington: 6 a.m.
West Virginia: 10 a.m.
Wisconsin: 6 a.m.
Wyoming: 6 a.m. 