The Best Restaurants for a Business Lunch in Toronto

The best restaurants for a business lunch in Toronto have you covered when it comes to ambiance. These spots are pros when it comes to serving business patrons, leaving screaming babies and hokey dish names to the guys next door. Many of these restaurants offer smart wine lists and sophisticated seasonal menu options (allowing you to show off your food and drink savvy, of course) and let you book a lunch table ahead of time to avoid a last-minute business lunch scramble.

Here is the list of the best restaurants for a business lunch in Toronto.

See also:

The best wine bars in Toronto
Private dining in Toronto
The best event venues in Toronto
5 under-the-radar event venues in Toronto

Canoe

This place just feels like big business. Maybe it’s the view off the 54th floor or the company of the professional and smartly dressed, but it’s clear that many a deal has been signed over a lobster clubhouse or roasted Alberta lamb. Just hope you’re not the one unfortunate patron who shows up in jeans during the lunch hour. More »

Reds Wine Tavern

Sleek but certainly not stuffy, Reds Wine Tavern has revealed itself anew after a recent renovation. A shuffleboard area, bare tables, and eclectic furniture tell you it’s ok to undo your top button, while pads and pencils on the tables and premium options on the menu serve to remind of that handshake you’re after. More »

Buca

Buca on King West boasts an impressive wine list, allowing you to woo your dining partners with your recently Googled knowledge of Italian wines. Many Toronto chefs rank this as one of their favourite places to eat in the city and after sampling Rob Gentile's innovative rustic Italian menu you're bound to see why. More »

Bymark

Excellent service and a winning patio make Bymark an easy call for movers and shakers on Wellington. The infamous $35 Bymark burger might serve well as an icebreaker, while the extensive wine list will surely help lubricate the conversation. The décor speaks to a more sophisticated crowd, while the lobster grilled cheese offers a (jazzed up) take on nostalgia. More »

Nota Bene

Nota Bene during lunch is not uniformly made up of Bay Street banker types, allowing for some ladies-who-lunch comic relief and artsy professional types to break up the scene. The menu of seasonal, familiar options offers a little something for everyone, while the $20 mains ensure that Queen West teens playing hookey generally saunter on by. Steps from Osgoode Station is an accessibility boon. More »

Hawthorne Food + Drink

Innovation was built into the plans for Hawthorne Food + Drink, so it’s no wonder that Richmond Street business types dine here to break bread over a little innovation of their own. Designed by Chef Eric Wood and with a mandate for incubating local chef talent, the not-too-pricey menu here includes plenty of sharing plates and Chef Wood’s signature "four square" meal. More »

Lucien

For a lunch that feels like an intimate dinner head to Lucien on Wellington St. East just steps from the Financial District. Dim and cozy, even at noon, this is the place to whisper about office politics over a shared charcuterie board or housemade pasta. Prices here aren't wallet friendly so this is probably a meal for the company card. More »

Strada 241

A bit of an anomaly in the heart of Chinatown, Strada 241 offers a more casual (entry-level, budget-friendly) option for a downtown business meeting. With a long communal table for groups and a simple menu of rustic Italian favourites, Strada keeps the atmosphere laid-back in a way that housemade crunchy peanut caramel corn often can. More »

Origin Liberty Village

Swarmed with Liberty Village startups, media powerhouses and forlorn Liberty Noodle fans during the week, Origin began introducing the area to its take on tapas in the middle of 2012. The generous square footage means you’re more than likely to run into an adversary in accounting when the flock heads over during lunch, but the constant chatter humming throughout the space means you can probably get away with gossip without being overheard. More »

Asuka

If you’re in the mood for sushi and don’t think your dining partner will be impressed with soy sauce stains on the menu, Asuka is a great choice. Enveloped in a sea of suits during the weekday lunch, this always packed spot is the place to go for Sexy Rolls and Rainbow Rolls before returning to the office. Better yet - they take reservations and there's always a tatami room if you need a bit of privacy. More »

Terroni Bar Centrale

Steps from Summerhill Station, this Terroni caters to a more upscale crowd over its Queen West sister, but the Panino Vincenzino is delicious all the same. Terroni Bar Centrale does take reservations, allowing you to avoid that awkward business-meeting-shuffle when you show up to find the lineup out the door. And nothing says “let’s make a deal” like mascarpone crème brulé split between acquaintances, right? More »

E11even

Leaf fans will surely feel at home hashing out business at the MLSE owned E11even. The drink list arrives on an iPad (because paper is very 2005), the service is prompt and attentive, and the screens showing game recaps will surely help to lubricate the conversation. The business diner wanting to convey seriousness, however, should probably steer clear of the $16 Kosher frank. More »

Tutti Matti

If you want to seduce your acquaintances with a charming Tuscan-style lunch, Tutti Matti is your best bet. Right in the midst of the Entertainment District, those in the know opt for Tutti Matti’s $17 prix fixe lunch, which offers three courses of insalata mista, pasta al ragu, and other restaurant favourites. Good value and great quality. More »

John & Sons Oyster House

For an upbeat business lunch that can tolerate a little noise. John & Sons on Temperance (formerly Rodney's by Bay) is a little more intimate than its midtown counterpart, but it seems to garner the same lively atmosphere that accompanies lobster poutine and shared cheese plates. Just off Richmond and Bay, reservations here are welcome. More »

Swan Restaurant

Swan is not just for brunch! Granted, Swan Restaurant is a far cry from the sleek sophistication of some of the other spots on the list, but if your business lunch is casual enough to call for booth seating and braised short ribs, you won’t be disappointed. Its spot right by Trinity Bellwoods Park means you’re apt to encounter a pretty diverse crowd. Reservations accepted. More »