New York ( CNN ) -- If a way to a man 's heart is through his stomach , then what 's true in love is true in business too . At least , it is in New York City . With some of the most upscale eateries and trendy downtown diners in the world , where you decide to take a client for lunch can be just as vital as what you talk about between bites in the Big Apple . Indeed , it 's widely believed the term `` power lunch '' itself was first coined in a 1979 article by Lee Eisenberg , the then-editor-in-chief of Esquire Magazine , while writing about a new lunch scene that had popped-up in midtown Manhattan . And while the food may have changed , it seems as many deals are brokered over the buffet counter as ever before . Although individuals are generally spending less on eating out , corporate spending is currently the largest driver of growth at fine dining and casual restaurants across New York , according to American Express . Tim Zagat is the co-founder and CEO of the influential Zagat restaurant survey . He says that even during the peak of the financial crisis , lavish power lunches -- involving food bills as outlandish as the transactions on the table -- were still commonplace . `` I could tell you 30 or 40 restaurants in New York off the top of my head , where you would find a full house , and nobody is spending less than $ 100 for lunch , '' he said . Suffice it to say ; the man knows a thing or two about the refined art of power lunching . So from big-spenders to penny-pinchers , here Zagat picks a spot to suit every budget . Watch Richard Quest power-lunching in New York . The Four Seasons . Set away from the bustle of Times Square in Midtown Manhattan , this perennially fashionable restaurant - where a plate of crab-cakes alone can set you back a cool $ 55 -- gained iconic status among Wall Street big-shots and movie producers in the high-flying days of the 1980s . According to Zagat , it 's still the only place to go if money is no object . `` $ 100 dollars for lunch ? It 's no big deal if you 're trying to make a million dollar deal , '' he reasons . `` If you 're talking business and it 's going to be paid for by somebody else , really ( the price ) does n't make much difference . '' But it 's not just the expensive fare , modernist dÃ©cor and silver-service that are set to impress , in fact it 's your fellow diners who are really the main draw . `` Everybody in the place is somebody your guest will recognise , '' explains Zagat . `` Lunch there is like going through a bunch of front pages of Time magazine . '' Jean-Georges . For those without bottomless pockets , New York City has abundance of super-stylish eating establishments offering fine dining at an affordable price . According to Zagat , many of the city 's best restaurants are now offering pre-fixed price menus at lunchtime , aimed squarely at business people . Top of the pile , says Zagat , is the three Michelin-starred Jean-Georges , situated near to Central Park in the Trump International Hotel . For a relatively modest $ 38 , aspiring tycoons can scoff a two-course meal of sea trout and oyster scallop Carpaccio and a plate of crispy sweetbreads with spring onion and hibiscus -- to name just a few of the establishment 's signature dishes . `` I 've eaten more meals here in the last five years than at any other single restaurant , '' reveals Zagat . The Standard Grill . While the midtown restaurants aim for the more established crowd , downtown aims for the upcoming software titans in t-shirts and jeans . This is the `` most funky , fun area in New York , '' says Zagat . At the uber-trendy Standard Grill - where mains run around $ 15 , your client is impressed - and your expense manager even more so . Situated amid the industrial chic of a former meatpacking district , the restaurant serves up a one-page `` American Bistro '' menu where artisanal saucissons and hams comfortably sit alongside the Yankee staples of Ranch burgers and steaks . `` We definitely have a younger clientele - very sexy , fashionista , very cutting edge '' boasts manager Michael Bailey .
New York City is enjoying a resurgence of the 'power lunch ' , where big deals are brokered over fine food . The 'Big Apple ' is home to some of the world 's most fashionable restaurants , so picking the right one is essential . Tim Zagat , co-founder and CEO of the esteemed Zagat restaurant survey gives us his top three choices .