Just because you’re about to sign a deal or need to talk logistics over lunch doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy what’s on your plate. These Edmonton restaurants offer an ideal environment for doing business without sacrificing taste or pleasure - and, they're speedy, too. [Image credit: iStock.com/nicolebranan]
Located inside the City Centre Mall, Lazia is an ideal place to escape from the office for a quick, delicious lunch. There’s an assortment of booths and tables, plus several private areas, where you can talk business without being interrupted. The menu is fusion, with an array of small plates, soups, salads, sandwiches and delightful entrees, including Thai green curry, butter chicken, pad Thai, nasi goring and Pacific wild salmon. The best part is the efficient service: You’ll be eating within 15 minutes of arrival, with time for coffee after your meal. Boom – back at work in under an hour.
There’s a private room adjacent to the main floor of the dining room. It seats six people, so it’s ideal for small but sensitive meetings. The menu is also an incentive – it changes seasonally but the schnitzel sandwich, steak frites and nasi goring seem to be mainstays (and are super tasty).
Conveniently located at Manulife Place, Zenari’s is the ideal neutral spot for a tête-à-tête, as it is central to almost every business downtown. The café-style seating keeps things casual, while the carefully curated Italian menu keeps things delicious. The soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and risottos are served deli-style, so there is never a long wait, but there’s still a decent wine list to give you incentive to stick around even after you’ve signed on the dotted line.
The French know efficiency, and it shines through at The Marc. The servers are polite and fast but don’t rush guests. When you go to The Marc for a business lunch, it tells your guests a few things about you and how you operate. The atmosphere hints that you like the finer things in life, while the amazing food confirms that you expect quality.
With panini, pastas, salads and some enticing entrees on the menu, this restaurant is a good call when entertaining a fussy business partner or potential client. There’s enough variety that even the pickiest eater won’t go hungry, and, what’s more, they’ll actually enjoy their grilled eggplant bundle or grilled piri-piri chicken. Sabor is located in the heart of downtown, giving business peeps easy access.