Mimosa Bar Recipe

Chill and Juice

Ensure all sparkling wines and juices are well chilled (at least 2 hours prior). If using fresh fruit, squeeze oranges, blood oranges and grapefruits to yield the amounts listed. Strain juice through a fine-mesh sieve into pitchers to remove pulp and seeds for a smoother pour.

Prep Garnishes

Slice oranges, blood oranges, peaches and pineapple into wheels or wedges. Hull and slice strawberries. Rinse raspberries and mint sprigs and pat dry. Place garnishes in shallow bowls or small trays so guests can pick.

If you plan to rim glasses with sugar: spread sugar on a small plate. Run an orange wedge around the rim of each flute then dip rim lightly in sugar. Set glasses upright to dry briefly.

Arrange flutes or coupes, ice bucket with chilled bottles, and pitchers of juices in a row. Label each juice pitcher with a small card (Orange, Blood Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Peach Nectar, Cranberry) so guests can easily choose. Place optional liqueurs and simple syrup in small bottles with labels and small spoons or pourers.

Place garnishes nearby with tongs or picks. Set out a small ladle or measuring cup (about 3–4 fl oz) for guests to portion juices if desired.

Start with chilled flute: pour about 3–4 fl oz (about 90–120 ml) of the selected juice into the bottom of the glass (roughly one part juice).

Top slowly with sparkling wine: gently pour about 3–4 fl oz (90–120 ml) of chilled Champagne or Prosecco (roughly one part) to fill the glass, allowing the bubbles to settle. For a lighter drink, substitute half or all of the sparkling wine with club soda or sparkling water.

Optional: add a small splash (about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp) of elderflower liqueur, Cointreau or peach schnapps for aroma/sweetness. For sweeter tastes, add 1/4–1/2 tsp simple syrup and stir gently once with a bar spoon.

Garnish: finish with a chosen garnish — an orange wheel on the rim, a few raspberries dropped into the glass, a peach slice threaded on a pick, or a mint sprig tucked into the flute.

Serve immediately so the drink remains effervescent. Provide small napkins and a discard bowl for used fruit picks if needed.

Bellini-style: replace orange juice with 1–2 fl oz peach nectar and muddled ripe peach (or use peach puree). Start with 1 part peach nectar/puree and top with sparkling wine. Stir gently to combine.

Color/Flavor Twist: add a splash (1/2–1 oz) cranberry or pineapple juice for a pink/orange hue. For a blood-orange mimosa, use blood orange juice as the primary juice.

Alcohol control: offer club soda alongside sparkling wine and let guests choose their ratio to make a lower-ABV mimosa.

Make-ahead: juice and chill juices up to 24 hours ahead. Keep sparkling wines chilled and only open bottles as guests arrive to preserve bubbles.