In town for business? Impress your colleagues or boss with reservations at the best business restaurants in NYC. From the East Side to the West Side, here are our favorites.
Midtown East: Smith & Wollensky
Since it opened in 1977, Smith & Wollensky has been one of New York’s quintessential steakhouses. Alan Stillman—yes, the same man who created the T.G.I. Friday’s chain in the ’60s—quirkily named the restaurant by selecting two names at random from a NYC telephone directory. Today, there’s nothing random about the restaurant. Its USDA prime beef is dry-aged for nearly a month before being hand-cut by on-site master butchers. The raw bar with its fresh shucked oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail and seasonal stone crabs is also not to be missed.
Smith and Wollensky: 797 3rd Ave., 212-753-1530
Midtown West: 21 Club
A famous a speakeasy during the ’30s, 21 Club has played host to celebrity figures for nearly a century. At the club’s Bar Room restaurant, table #7 alone has seen the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger enjoy a meal. The celebrity clientele isn’t surprising—21 Club’s menu has an impressive range of dishes. Standouts include the Shellfish Tower—exactly what it sounds like, but somehow still appetizing— for $125, and the classic center cut filet mignon ($58).
21 Club: 21 W. 52nd St., 212-582-7200
Flatiron District: Eleven Madison Park
Eleven Madison Park makes ordering simple with all-inclusive multi-course seasonal tasting menus, which recently transitioned from exhaustive, ornate affairs into a more minimalistic one. It’s hard to nab dinner reservations here, but brunch is a great alternative. Go for the eggs Benedict with caviar and petite English muffins.
Eleven Madison Park: 11 Madison Ave., 212-889-0905
Financial District: Delmonico’s
Delmonico’s became the city’s first fine dining establishment in 1837. As the neighborhood outside transformed into the financial capital of the world, Delmonico’s became a central meeting hub for business leaders thanks to its private wine collection (the largest in the city) and signature Delmonico Steak. Another favorite is the ribeye ($65), served bone-in after being aged for 40 days.
Delmonico’s: 56 Beaver St., 212-509-1144
Brooklyn: Peter Luger
Way before Brooklyn was cool, Williamsburg restaurant Peter Luger brought visitors across the East River for quality steaks. Opened in 1887, it’s one of the city’s most beloved steakhouses—the Delmonico’s vs. Peter Luger debate can get heated—and Zagat has named it best steakhouse in the city for the last 32 years. The dry-aged Luger beef is the signature dish (and a steal, at an affordable $49.95). For a more casual lunch, the burger ($14) is also popular.
Peter Luger: 178 Broadway, Brooklyn, 718-387-7400
Hotel 48LEX: Lexington Brass
Guests at Hotel 48LEX don’t need to travel far to host a business dinner. Lexington Brass is our 100-seat American brasserie, serving popular dishes with locally sourced ingredients. Favorites include steak frites with watercress salad and parmesan truffle fries ($28) and the branzino, roasted with herbs ($29). When you stay here, the best business restaurant NYC is right downstairs.
Lexington Brass: 517 Lexington Ave., 212-392-5976