Art of the business lunch: an insider's guide

Let's do lunch. Three little words that can mean so much. Across a small table, through and around wine glasses, salt shakers and dishes of oil and balsamic – power is on display. It is not overt but it sits like an extra guest at the feast as the art of the "business lunch" is performed.

"Property clients still have their steak and shiraz. Vlado's will never go away just because of that!" says Clemence Harvey, a Melbourne publicist who during the past 15 years has hosted more business lunches than most.

It's a setting where plots are born, wavering clients won over, and valuable employees embraced closer to the corporate breast.

"It may not be kicking like it was 10 years ago but it's alive," says Caterina Borsato, owner of Melbourne basement CBD eatery Caterina's Cucina e Bar, who recently saw one enthusiastic business luncher leave her premises at 7.30pm – so someone is flying the flag for tradition.

But what makes a good business lunch? "You want to have a semi-private area for your business lunch," says Rudi Michelson of Monsoon Communications, a business and finance PR specialist who often brings together chief executives, stockbrokers and investors.

"You can have a dedicated private room – keeps you away from prying eyes – but you might as well be in a sterile environment like a laboratory and we just don't want that."

Location, privacy, discretion, attentive staff and price all play a part, and these days the BlackBerry and iPhone sit beside the cutlery.

"It starts off when the guests arrive, and everything happens quickly," says Chris Morrison, sommelier for the Guillaume Group, whose flagship eateries are at the Sydney Opera House and at the Crown casinos in Melbourne and Perth.

"Because business people are usually on a clock and that's what we work against, for a business lunch we make sure everything happens seamlessly and in a quicker fashion than you would normally do, without compromising quality."

"When it comes to a venue, intimate versus an open setting, I think the most important aspect is to be able to hear each other," says Harvey, who will travel for the right venue and when she wants to impress is a fan of Newmarket Hotel in St Kilda, Town Hall Hotel in Fitzroy and Moon Under Water, also in Fitzroy.

Michelson likes to cast his net closer to Collins Street. "Because we deal in financial markets, we have fairly strict criteria, including the location, and we look at a band that runs from 101 Collins Street to 333 Collins Street and then measure the radius from there."

Michelson's favourite haunts for a business lunch include Pure South. "It has a semi-private room overlooking the Yarra but you still feel part of the energy of the restaurant." He also likes Bluestone and The Italian.

Come noon, The Italian is packed with suits, with owner Roberto Scheriani front and centre.

"We do simple lunches. We don't use creams. We do what people want – that's pasta. We don't do heavy foods. You look at French foods. People don't want to eat that sort of food for lunch – they can't, they'd fall asleep. Our food doesn't make you fall asleep."

Scheriani says he can decipher the strength of the stock market by the traffic in his dining room.

"Our restaurant is the perfect indicator of how business is going. I can tell you last year the stock market was crap the first nine months and it was bad for us. This year, January, the stock market started going up and people came back.

"And you know, people in the business – mergers and acquisitions, bankers and the like – they don't want to be seen going out to lunch when things aren't going well."

The Italian has a private area separated by a curtain just thin enough to invite in some of the rattle and hum of the restaurant but thick enough to keep the identity of diners and their business plans secret.

"We are very discreet. We don't interrupt. We like to serve our customers, make sure they have good service, good food, and they come back," he says. "We are too busy to eavesdrop!"

"They do like confidentially," says Morrison of Guillaume, "so your service has to have a very light touch."

Financial officers may despair at the bills but it's the sauces and soups that grease the wheels of business, and "the free lunch" is here to stay.

BEST MELBOURNE RESTAURANTS FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Flower Drum

The private room at the back of this premium Chinese restaurant is as grand as you can get when you want to impress a business guest or wow a client. Forget the food, simply an invitation to "the Drum" will get the pace quickening for many business people. On a stricter budget, eat in the main dining room but don't expect any anonymity. 17 Market Lane, city. http://www.flower-drum.com/

The Tea House

In Chinatown and nicknamed by many business people as the "poor man's Flower Drum" – perfect for when that killjoy in accounting won't let you blow a year's expenses in one lunch. But the food is immaculate and service fantastic. Ground floor, 11-17 Cohen Place, city. http://teahouseatchinatown.com.au/

Caterina's Cucina e Bar

It's one of Melbourne's few basement restaurants so you can remain hidden from sight, but it's also easy to lose track of time, especially with the charismatic Caterina working the room. Basement, 221 Queen Street, City. http://www.caterinas.com.au/

Pure South

Overlooking the Yarra, it has a private dining room that is still part of the main restaurant so you don't feel cut off from the rest of the world. River level, 3 Southgate Avenue, Southbank. http://www.puresouth.com.au/

Bluestone

Tucked away from Collins Street on Flinders Lane, a sensible mix of tradition and innovation. The scallop entree is well known up and down Collins Street. 349 Flinders Lane, City. http://www.bluestonerestaurantbar.com.au/

The Italian

At the base of Collins Street's "tower of power", 101 Collins, The Italian is HQ for some of the biggest business lunches in town. It's OK to tuck your napkin into your shirt – it saves explaining the stains to the boss later. 101 Collins Street (enter from Flinders Lane), city. http://theitalian.com.au/

Bottega

Top of Bourke Street, soft lighting, superb Italian food and a private dining room. Great for a business lunch or a secret romantic rendezvous. 74 Bourke Street, city. http://www.bottega.com.au/

Gaylord

Some say Indian is a bad choice for a business lunch but then some also say never eat seafood on a Monday. This is a favourite haunt for many business people. It also seems popular with the mining crowd. 4 Tattersalls Lane, city. http://www.gaylordindianrestaurant.com.au/

What's your pick of Melbourne's restaurants for a business lunch?