Some hotel restaurants are where deals get done. The lunch crowd reads as a who's-who. Tables are claimed at 12:30 by people who have been claiming them for years.
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NYC
The Polo Bar at the Ralph Lauren / Carlyle
NYC power-lunch tradition. Old-money clientele.
Patroon (Lever House), historically
The 21 Club closed but Lever House Restaurant maintains the power-lunch tradition.
Le Bernardin (not hotel), but Hotel Le Marlton nearby
Some power-lunch venues are restaurants, not hotels.
The Mark Restaurant
Madison Avenue, suit-and-tie clientele.
Café Boulud, hotel adjacent
Continental power-lunch atmosphere.
London
The Savoy, Restaurant 1890
The traditional London power lunch.
Claridge's
Mayfair lunchtime gravity.
The Connaught, Hélène Darroze restaurant
Three-star kitchen but lunch table works for deals.
Brown's Hotel, Donovan Bar / restaurant
Quieter London lunch tradition.
Tokyo
Aman Tokyo, Arva (one Michelin star)
Quiet luxury for deal-making lunches.
Park Hyatt Tokyo, New York Grill (not just a film)
Tokyo executive lunch tradition.
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Sense
Asian-tradition power lunch.
Hong Kong
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, The Mandarin Grill
Hong Kong power-lunch tradition.
Four Seasons Hong Kong, Caprice
European-Asian crossover power lunch.
The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Lobby
Tea-time-as-lunch tradition.
Frankfurt
Villa Kennedy
German banking lunchtime.
Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof
Old Frankfurt banking lunch.
Singapore
Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Cherry Garden
Singapore business lunch.
Capella Singapore, Cassia / Bob's Bar
Sentosa-side luxury lunch.
What to know
Booking timing
Power-lunch tables book 7-30 days ahead. Concierge access matters.
Dress code
Suit-and-tie standard at most power-lunch hotels. Business casual at progressive ones.
Price expectation
$80-$200 per person without wine. Wine list adds significantly.
Lunch length
90-120 minutes typical. Don't over-stay.
Tip pattern
15-20% standard. Tip the maître d' for table assignment.
Five rules
- Book through concierge, they have leverage
- Dress code is suit-and-tie at most power-lunch hotels
- 90-minute lunch, don't drift to dinner-length
- Tip the maître d' separately
- Repeat the venue, relationships matter
For more, see the business hotels pillar.
