Where to eat with people you email
I solved team dinner.
“Team Dinner” was a relatively foreign concept to me until about a year ago, when I was scheduled to attend my very first work dinner with my small, but mighty, group of colleagues. Two of the four people in my little work ecosystem are a flight away from New York City. That means, when they are in town, the all-important team dinner requires a new degree of tactility. Not only do I have to find a reservation for a group that is geographically convenient for all of us (me in Brooklyn, coworkers at hotels, boss taking the train back to Connecticut), but it also means I am responsible for one of very few dinner opportunities my coworkers will have in New York. This is one of the more difficult, and potentially high-stakes dining decisions to make in the city, and if you, like me, have been tasked (or assigned yourself) the job of booking a reservation for your colleagues and bosses, you know that it can feel like a never-ending pursuit and, sometimes, a total crapshoot.
Bringing it back to right on Franklin basics this week after a few departures from the oddly-specific scenario recommendations, to provide the answer to all of your team dinner questions, no matter the circumstance, vibe, or location. If you have a specific factor to plan around that I didn’t touch on…send it my way. I will have ideas.
My requirements for a team dinner are as follows:
Possible to book (Torrisi is not on this list)
An a la carte menu with options
Shouldn’t be predicated on shareability
Not too loud
Not too dark
Not too sexy - the venn diagram of first dates spots and team dinner spots should have zero overlap
Plenty of elbow room
Somewhat formal, even if relaxed
Above average food
All mentioned places will be added to the right on Franklin map, as always!
An idea for every occasion…
The boss who loves Thai food
This is my boss, and it is such a fun journey to find a new (and amazing) Thai restaurant that he hasn’t been to yet. I’ve done a good job so far.
Fish Cheeks - So good, very convenient, just hard enough to get into that it feels like a treat to snag a table. Took my boss here last winter and he still talks about it.
Bangkok Supper Club - The inspiration for this week’s letter—this is where I have us booked for next Monday and I am really looking forward to it. My mouth is already watering at the grapefruit and kumquat salad.
For the coworker who doesn’t eat vegetables
We all have one. It is okay. Give them a bowl of pasta and move on.
Ci Siamo - Professional and in the epicenter of work-outings in NYC, and maybe the only reason you should go to Hudson Yards for dinner. I think about that tagliatelle regularly.
L’Artusi - Slightly harder to book, but will impress your higher-ups. Frankly, the vibes are so weird inside (anti-date spot, IMO) but lends itself well to chatting about future projects and hinting at a raise. Stay for the olive oil cake.
The group that can’t go below 14th street
Within good reason—having to take the Metro-North home after a late evening is reason enough to stay within a stop of Grand Central.
Union Square Cafe - I still haven’t been for dinner but their lunch service sold me. Plus, it is full of people with briefcases doing business deals, or whatever people in suits do at 1pm over a bottle of red.
Borgo - Okay, veering on too moody, but most importantly, SPACIOUS. Also a reliably good meal. Your boss will be impressed by the cocktails, your coworkers will think you are cool for getting the table, and everyone will freak out over the delicata squash. Promise.
A Brooklyn-based team
I don’t even know if these exist, but just in case.
Le Crocodile - Perfect laid-back:formal ratio. Food is delicious. Just dark, loud, and busy enough.
Gage & Tollner - It is so bright in there and I love it. If it weren’t for a birthday party, it would have to be for a team outing. I can’t quite explain it, but this dining room was built for slightly celebratory, slightly mandated, slightly formal, slightly booze-heavy dinners.
A group cognizant of cost
I am not in the business of booking exorbitant dinners on someone else’s dime.
Ops - I don’t have much to say that J. Lee hasn’t already. Ops is the blueprint of what a fun, easy, delicious dinner can be without throwing away your utility bill budget. And, all three of my wine-expert friends sung the praises of their wine list. The new East Village location means you can eat delicious pizza and drink fabulous wine without dragging your coworkers to Bushwick.
konban - My backup plan in case Bangkok Supper Club isn’t appealing to any parties involved. A laid back, yet still special spot for soba-cha tea and katsu. All my favorite things.
The expense account is a free-for-all
Some companies ball out, and I am here to help you live your dream.
Keens - Self-explanatory. Many rounds of martinis and steaks in this dining room could bring anyone closer. Share some cheesecake with your coworkers. Live a little.
Crevette - There are so many other places you could go for an over-the-top dinner, but if it is up to me, this is absolutely what I am booking. I like the big Crevette tables for a work group, I like the long menu for excessive ordering, and I like a well-rounded cocktail list. Ribeye, turbot, and oysters for all.
Your team is only 4 people
More room for a harder table and to lean into a cozy neighborhood restaurant.
Lord’s - A no-brainer, and a reservation I have booked several times for co-workers. On the verge of being too dark and intimate, Lord’s is a perfect table for a four-top. There is plenty to try, the food and service are top-tier, and it is just sophisticated enough without being stuffy. A fun and mildly adventurous meal!
Joseph Leonard - Okay major shock factor that I haven’t been here, but I would blindly book this table for a work dinner without a second thought. I trust this restaurant group, the menu is balanced and accessible, and seems generally very low risk.
A work dinner means 8+ heads
Good to know where you can pull together a large table without reserving an entire dining room.
Thai Diner - My team is too small for a Thai Diner reservation, so a coveted table is subject to a very long (and risky) wait that I don’t want to deal with when I am feeding my employers. However, it is a hot tip that you can book tables for big parties.
agrees.COQODAQ - My roommate Liora threw this one into the ring; she went right as they opened with her Resy colleagues (she didn’t like it) but a fried-chicken-filled booth is the perfect light-hearted atmosphere for a little shop talk, no?
Last minute reservation
Sometimes you need a miracle.
La Mercerie - I am not sure I like La Mercerie but it does feel primed for a work dinner. AND you can get in. The space is nice, the crowd is not too young, and the food is good enough.
Txikito - I haven’t been to Txikito but I am a fan of their Brooklyn spots, and have only heard good things about the Chelsea sister. Most importantly, I could book a table for 6 for tomorrow.
A VERY chill group
Know your audience!!
Superiority Burger - Walk-in only but, these days, a safe bet for a table. Good every time. The yuba verde and collard greens sandwiches are truly something special. Maybe you have to get the full dessert spread.
Yellow Rose - Nothing like a michelada to build a rapport with office-mates.
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xo Olivia
Makes me wish I had a job, sort of.
you mean you don't want to see 6 hinge dates while you're on team dinner?