Pre-COVID, “power lunch” typically meant C-level executives stepping out of the office for light bites and heavy conversation at a white-tablecloth restaurant. But workplace shifts during the pandemic have transformed what it means to power lunch. In 2023, power lunches are back in a big way.
The front bar of The Hideaway
“The atmosphere here midday is everything you could ask for as a restaurant owner,” says tech and media entrepreneur Jonathan Skogmo, an investor in one of L.A.’s busiest restaurants, The Hideaway. On any given day, you’re likely to catch Skogmo taking back-to-back meetings over The Hideaway’s coffee, fresh seafood, and later, beautifully crafted cocktails.
Unlike power lunches of the past, today’s power-lunch crowd is made up of fewer buttoned up, suit-and-tie executives, and more casual-leaning entrepreneurs, creators, and startup founders. The return of in-office work has increased foot traffic at The Hideaway during lunch, but it’s the handcrafted food and inviting atmosphere that gets people to stay.
The interior of The Hideaway
Stepping into the restaurant is like teleporting to another timeline. Just a short elevator trip below ground, The Hideaway boasts an atmosphere as elegant and chic as it is cozy. Around the restaurant you’ll find tucked-away tables lined with comfortable leather booths, dim accent lighting, greenery, and old-Hollywood movie posters sure to evoke nostalgia. There’s a grand fireplace, rustic iron seats with perfectly worn-in pillows, and beautifully tiled flooring reminiscent of coastal Mexican haciendas. Needless to say, it’s the perfect place to convene for great food, drinks, and long conversations.
“It’s amazing to see the rebound of power lunches in a new way,” says partner Sylvain Bitton, hinting at the massive influx of both business meetings and social meetups at The Hideaway over the past few months.
The patio of The Hideaway
Aside from young hustlers meeting over mezcal margs and mango slaw, The Hideaway has been a hotspot for celebrity sightings. Since opening in August, The Hideaway has seated and served celebrities like Elton John, Selena Gomez, Nicole Scherzinger, and dozens more. The owners and investors behind The Hideaway, in addition to Bitton and Skogmo, include celebrities, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs, namely ATL actor and son of Diana Ross, Evan Ross, Jeffrey Best of Best Events, Ken Jones, Ryan Phillippe, JT Torreniani, David Jarrett.
The Lobster Avocado Salad at The Hideaway
The Hideaway is open daily at 11 a.m., stays open late, and is located at 421 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills. Crowd favorites include pescado zarandeado (branzino), wasabi-infused guacamole, and The Hideaway’s house margarita.
If you haven’t been yet, here’s a link to its Instagram page, as well as a link to book your next power lunch.
