Best Lunch Meeting Spots In OC

As a corporate event planner by trade, I am always on the lookout for great restaurants to host meetings. Since the sales force is usually from different parts of the country (and international), coming up with the perfect balance of food and conducive meeting space can sometimes be a challenge. With many companies having their headquarters in Orange County, the challenge of finding a lunch meeting spot comes down to choosing one. We have so many great choices for restaurants here with great spaces, menu selection to appease even the pickiest appetites or adhering to dietary restrictions (like gluten-free, vegetarian, low-fat, low-carb, etc.), and centralized locations where it is convenient for everyone to meet. Here are some great restaurants to try for your next lunch meeting.

Anepalco (inside ALO Hotel)
3737 W. Chapman Ave.
Orange, CA 92868
(714) 456-9642

Chef Daniel Godinez amazes guests with modern Mexican culinary imagery at Anepalco. Chef Daniel utilizes a style of Mexican cooking known as Cocina de Autor, a rare find in Orange County. It is can also be classified as BajaMed or Mexiterranean cuisine. His restaurant is located just off the 5 Freeway at Chapman Avenue in Orange, inside the ALO Hotel. The restaurant has a spacious patio and its upscale, recently remodeled interior allows guests to experience California’s sunshine indoors or out. Lunch specialties include Pork Belly Tartine, Ceviche, Chilaquiles, and Huitlacoche Burger.

BRIO Tuscan Grille
774 Spectrum Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 341-0380

Courtesy of BRIO Tuscan Grille

BRIO Tuscan Grille just recently introduced its new “Moderno” menu of food and drinks which is ideal for professionals seeking a restaurant to hold a lunch meeting with colleagues and/or clients. The new menu features: 13 new entrees, enticing small plates for two, a renewed drink selection, and a chic menu design. Some new menus items include a Crab Crusted Salmon, Sicilian Cauliflower, Balsamic Braised Short Ribs, and Roasted Tomato Basil Fettuccine. BRIO not only has comfortable indoor seating and a beautiful patio area, they also offer guests a private area that can be reserved for groups of 20 to 40 attendees.

Settebello
7864 E. Coast Hwy.
Newport Coast, CA 92657
(949) 715-2072

Courtesy of Settebello

Settebello is located in Newport Beach’s Crystal Cove Shopping Center offering delectable food, craft cocktails, and a spectacular setting, day or night. Inspired by the Naples region of Italy, Settebello centers on pizzas with hand-tossed, thin crusts topped with farm-fresh artisanal ingredients. 5,000 square feet of dining space includes a large central bar, lounge seating, and dining room studded with olive trees and open ceiling. Other than pizza, they also serve delectable entrees like Cotto E Funghi Crostini and Salmon Focaccia. This a great place to get away from the office and transport yourself to Italy, at least for an hour or two.

Boudin SF
333 Bristol St. Space 1000
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 689-2253

Boudin SF offers a unique dining experience with its Boudin SF concept, a fast-casual restaurant. It is known for its comfortable and casual ambience, quick service and diverse menu, offering a wide range of items from fresh, satisfying salads and sandwiches to heartier comfort fare such as their signature, Baguette Burger. With both indoor and outdoor seating, roomy booths and well-lit dining rooms, Boudin SF is a centrally-located restaurant offering busy professionals a convenient haven for intimate business engagements or alternatively, with its mobile ordering option, the ideal spot for lunch on-the-go dining. They also offer an extensive catering menu, ideal for in-office meetings and corporate gatherings.

Bistango
19100 Von Karman Ave.
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 752-5222

Courtesy of Bistango

Bistango is a renowned for its diverse menu of fine American cuisine. The setting has an airy atmosphere with large umbrellas suspended from the ceiling to create a more intimate experience. Executive Chef Timothy Doolittle holds the reins of the kitchen using his experience learned from master chefs, Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. The restaurant interior was designed by internationally renowned architect, Michael Carapetian, and is the perfect backdrop to the restaurant quarterly-rotating art exhibitions. Along with its 500-bottle wine list, Bistango offers an extensive menu of classic and specialty cocktails and 30 craft beers by the bottle.

If you enjoyed this blog post, check out these:

• Seasons 52 unveils their autumn menu in Costa Mesa, California
• Anepalco showcases “Cocina de Autor” cuisine in Orange, California
• BRIO Tuscan Grille: New “Moderno” Menu at Irvine Spectrum Center
• FIG & OLIVE celebrates the spring bounty with new menu in Newport Beach, California
• Have a D’Vine Mediterranean experience in Fullerton, California