The Power Lunch: an age-old institution meant to grease the wheels of a business deal through some fine food in a first-class atmosphere.

Whether the meal is with an employer, investor, or client, picking the right venue is invaluable — it reflects the importance of the meeting and the value you place on the individuals who are joining you. Crucial to any successful power lunch are an impressive setting, respectable food and, above all, impeccable service. If these elements are done right, a restaurant can help you seal the deal.

Some places were made just for this purpose, just as CityHour app has been made to arrange such meetings and establish new connections. Below you’ll find best restaurants for business meetings in New York City. Did we miss one? Let us know in comments.

La Esquina

For those with an edgier agenda, an alternative to traditional staid business lunch venues is ultra-cool Mexican cafe La Esquina.

If you need to really impress your lunch partner by proving how connected and cool you are, there is no better choice than their dungeon-like brasserie beneath the cafe. It takes a certain amount of know-how to make it into the subterranean dining room, but once you’re there, it’s worth it.

La Esquina is clearly not your typical power lunch – but that might be exactly what you’re going for.

Balthazar

Lockhart Steele, co-founder of Eater, recommends Balthazar as a go-to choice for a power lunch — simply because “Balthazar should be on every list, ever.”

The brasserie’s notable presence in virtually all NYC restaurant guides is a testament to its quality. The solid combination of its bustling atmosphere, great service, location in fabulous SoHo, and trendy clientele has definitely cemented its place as a New York mainstay.

The consistently delicious French food doesn’t hurt, either.

Michael’s

Michael’s has been an establishment meant to impress clients, seal deals, and generally see and be seen for 30 years; it’s where “media moguls rub shoulders with publishing insiders over haute California cuisine,” reports New York Magazine.

The management functions accordingly, seating diners throughout the dining room based on their place within the hierarchy of the media world. According to Forbes, it is “the intuitive service that, time and again, makes it the right place to close the deal.”

One should note that “food is no longer the point of Michael’s, which functions primarily as a power lunch and power breakfast spot, a Midtown nexus of influence and affluence and fodder for Page Six,” warns New York Times food critic Frank Bruni.

Essentially, you don’t go Michael’s for the cooking – you go for the scene.

Cipriani Wall Street

One of five Harry Cipriani outposts in New York City, Cipriani Wall Street is perfectly located for an ultimate FiDi power lunch. Modeled closely after the original Harry’s Bar in Venice, the restaurant offers up delicious traditional Italian plates in a setting seemingly designed for important business transactions.

On warm days, you and your lunch partners can even grab a mid-day cocktail on the gorgeous outdoor terrace overlooking the Street.

The other Cipriani venues, ranging from SoHo to Central Park, are great for business lunches as well.

Nobu New York

Featured as one of the most important restaurants of the past 40 years, as chosen by Gael Greene, Nobu has become a Manhattan institution and a gold standard for Japanese-fusion cooking.

The Tribeca location is the flagship of the Nobu New York trio. Its soaring, zen-inspired dining room, modern and innovative take on Japanese food, and high-wattage clientele are perfect for a power lunch.

About the Author –

CityHour helps you easily locate and meet with other professionals based on commonalities. Refine your search around specific industries, meeting goals, locations, or dates & times. For more information, visit -http://cityhour.com/