Best Lunch Restaurants Midtown NYC

The business lunch is often seen as a thing of the past, conjuring up images of suit-clad men discussing million-dollar deals over oysters and martinis. In New York City, however, arguably the most ambitious and food-centric city in the world, the “power lunch” is here to stay. NYC is crawling with restaurants perfect for combining work and dining, especially in the central neighborhood of Midtown. Here are the best Midtown restaurants for your next mid-day business meeting.

1. Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant

Speaking of oysters and martinis, you can’t beat the iconic Grand Central Oyster Bar when it comes to location and reliability. Despite being situated within one of the busiest train stations in the world, noise is not an issue, especially during lunchtime. Rest assured that your meeting at this restaurant will go undisturbed from the hustle and bustle of Midtown.

89 East 42^nd Street
oysterbarny.com

2. Gabriel Kreuther

Conveniently located across from Bryant Park, Gabriel Kreuther is a sophisticated yet accessible Midtown business lunch spot. The prix-fixe, two and three-course lunch menus make ordering simple and quick – perfect for a no-nonsense business meeting.

41 West 42^nd Street
gknyc.com

3. Marea

“The crowd in Marea at lunchtime is a who’s who of Wall Street, media, business, and New York politics,” wrote Business Insider. You’ll impress your power lunching partner by ordering the bone marrow and octopus fusilli, a quintessential yet adventurous New York dish.

240 Central Park South
marea-nyc.com

4. Quality Italian

This modern, Italian-American steakhouse near Central Park makes for a relaxed Midtown business lunch spot. Whether you’re dressed up or down, you won’t have to worry about looking out of place. Healthy pours of wine will keep the creative juices flowing.

57 West 57^th Street
qualityitalian.com

5. Nobu Fifty Seven

Steakhouses are a great Midtown power lunch go-to, but for lighter, more exotic fare, Nobu Fifty Seven is your best bet. Not to mention, nothing communicates poise and dexterity more than knowing how to properly use chopsticks.

40 West 57th Street
noburestaurants.com/fifty-seven

6. The Capital Grille

Proximity to Grand Central Terminal and quick, impeccable service make The Capital Grille one of the best Midtown restaurants for business meetings and for lunch in general. “It offers great old school ambience (dark woods, but with lots of natural light), well-executed standard dishes, and is quiet enough to hear one another, but with just the right amount of background noise,” wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer.

120 West 51^st Street
thecapitalgrille.com

7. Keens Steakhouse

It doesn’t get more classic than Keens, one of the best steakhouses in NYC, for a good old-fashioned Midtown business lunch. It’s located just a couple of blocks from Penn Station, meaning an easy commute for all parties. You’ll have plenty of time to discuss business while chowing down on one of their hefty steaks.

72 West 36^th Street
keens.com

8. The Grill

Eater NY calls lunch at The Grill “the iconic see-and-be-seen midday meal,” full of powerful men in suits and women in heels. The Midtown restaurant famously does not play music during lunchtime, creating the ideal atmosphere for getting stuff done.

99 East 52^nd Street
thegrillnewyork.com

9. 21 Club

What started out as a Prohibition-era speakeasy is now one of Midtown’s most renowned business lunch spots. Although a reasonable dress code is enforced, the collectible toys hanging from the ceiling and checkered tablecloths create a playful vibe.

21 West 52^nd Street
21club.com

10. Michael’s

Michael’s has been serving the Midtown power lunch crowd, from standard white collar New Yorkers to billionaire investors, for over 25 years. So much so, in fact, that the seating is carefully arranged according to which power players are expected to show up that day. The restaurant remains approachable, however, and lunch reservations aren’t hard to come by.

24 West 55^th Street
michaelsnewyork.com

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