The power lunch obituary gets written every few years—usually by someone who’s never closed a deal over Dover sole or a mound of Petrossian. Here’s what they miss: Manhattan’s midday theater isn’t fading. It’s just gotten more strategic and, as the kids say, “aesthetic.” Sure, twenty-somethings on social media might pan these old-school establishments, but step inside and you’ll find the same mahogany-paneled dining rooms, the same waiters who remember your usual order from four years ago. The difference? The real dealmaking has spread throughout the city like smart money chasing returns.
Midtown still draws the corporate card crowd—those places with the dramatic tableside Caesar salads and rolling dessert carts that give you something to look at while discussing hostile takeovers. But pay attention to where the actual decision-makers go these days. You’ll find venture capitalists in NoMad’s boutique hotel restaurants, creative directors stealing talent in Hudson Square bistros and private equity types discovering Haitian cuisine in Financial District hot spots.
The new rules are simple: ideally there’s wifi that doesn’t cut out mid-pitch, lighting that makes everyone look closable and service that knows when to disappear. Whether you’re interviewing someone you’ll lowball, celebrating a deal you almost lost, or sitting down to the lunch that determines if you’ll need to update your LinkedIn, these 15 New York City restaurants still drive more business decisions between noon and two than any boardroom in Manhattan. The legendary three-martini lunch can still be found—though it might have evolved into a bottle of organic Sancerre, and the server probably already knows about your nut allergy.
