Here's one of the little things that will confuse you for some time, until you work it out, then you'll embrace it with both hands.
Brunch!
We've been eating it our whole lives and then you move to the U.S. and what you used to believe was BReakfast and lUNCH has now become “Getting pretty tipsy after 1pm on a Sunday”.
Brunch in the U.S., (and New York City especially) is all about bottomless drinks and sometimes even bottomless food for a period of hours for a set price. The most important thing to know is that while you might have been used to 10 or 11am start times, you're now going to find that brunch doesn't start until at least 12pm and more likely 1pm.
Some places will take bookings, and if you've got a group of 4 or more I would always recommend contacting the venue (same goes for any meal). The closer to 1pm, the busier it gets, and the more difficult it will be for you to get a table quickly, so come prepared.
So things to remember:
- Brunch starts at 1pm;
- It's breakfast-y food, but after lunch time;
- Alcohol is (can be) a big part of it;
- Eat breakfast beforehand.