These unique morning eateries mean business.

When talking about business meetings in restaurants, you probably think of the two-martini lunch (which seems to be back in vogue) or a decadent dinner at the latest celebrity hotspot, but breakfast meetings are also on the rise. Of course, the power breakfast-whose home is usually the elegant dining room of a business-oriented hotel-has long been commonplace, but now corporate types are also enjoying their eggs and OJ at more relaxed spots, like old-fashioned diners. So, the next time you plan an early-morning meal out with clients, consider the following restaurants.

Norma’s, New York, New York

118 West 57th Street, 212-708-7460
While the Regency hotel on Park Avenue may have a lock on the New York power breakfast, attracting moguls like Donald Trump and Mayor Bloomberg, the patrons at Norma’s at Le Parker Meridien hotel are having all the fun. This modern space, with high ceilings and cherry wood-and-leather seating, offers the most delicious and decadent breakfast menu in the city. The crowd is a mix of hotel guests and businesspeople (from CBS, Time Warner, etc.) who happily tuck into heaping plates of blueberry pancakes with Devonshire cream, crunchy French toast smothered in warm caramel sauce, and mango-papaya brown butter cinnamon crêpes that practically melt in your mouth. Egg lovers will appreciate the croissant stuffed with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, eggs Florentine with applewood smoked bacon or the lobster frittata (add an ounce of sevruga caviar and the price skyrockets to $100-a dish undoubtedly created for the expense account).

Lou Mitchell’s, Chicago, Illinois

565 West Jackson Boulevard, 312-939-3111
While you wait to be seated, you will receive a free basket of piping hot donut holes at this bustling ’50s-style diner in the Loop, on the edge of the financial district. The Board of Trade and the iconic Sears Tower (the country’s tallest building) are just blocks away, so there is always a steady stream of corporate types joining the tourists and locals who vie for seats at the counter, in a booth or at one of the two communal tables. Eggs are their specialty: Fluffy omelets are served in skillets, along with generous portions of hash browns and sides of bacon or sausage. Other favorites include Belgian waffles, plate-sized banana pancakes and creamy oatmeal-and don’t miss the homemade raisin bread topped with orange marmalade (courtesy of the house). And in case you didn’t eat enough, a mini cup of soft-serve ice cream is presented at the end of your meal.

Bistro Moderne, Houston, Texas

2525 West Loop South, 713-297-4383
Located in the trendy Hotel Derek near the posh Galleria Mall and numerous office towers, Bistro Moderne is a contemporary French restaurant that has been impressing Houstonians since it opened a little over a year ago. Helmed by French-born chef and co-owner Philippe Schmit (formerly of New York’s La Goulue and Orsay), the bistro serves a dinner menu rich with classics like steak frites and tuna tartare-but breakfast (starting at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays) is becoming prime business-meeting time. The space is beautifully designed, with an open kitchen, blonde wood floors and iron chandeliers; there’s also a more informal café. A few of the sun-up specialties include pancakes with seasonal fresh berries, brioche French toast topped with a spicy apple compote, a stuffed crêpe with wild mushrooms and cheese, and a Spanish frittata with chorizo and basil.

Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington, D.C.

675 15th Street, 202-347-4800
Beyond a Beaux Arts facade lies one of D.C.’s most famous restaurants, the Old Ebbitt Grill. It’s been around since 1856-Presidents Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt were regulars. Today, the cavernous space with numerous dining rooms and bars is filled morning till night with politicians, lawyers (there are several firms in the building), journalists and tourists fresh from a White House tour (it’s a half block away). The Victorian design features mahogany and velvet booths, brass and beveled glass accents and tiled floors. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m., and the tables fill up quickly. The menu features such classics as French toast with Vermont maple syrup, steak and eggs, buttermilk pancakes and, in a nod to health-conscious diners, oatmeal and granola. And the coffee is strong-a necessity when you work in the Beltway.

Silver Skillet, Atlanta, Georgia

200 14th Street, 404-874-1388
Everybody in Atlanta loves this old-school diner. On some mornings, it seems that half the city is crammed into the small space, either at the one of the avocado-and-pumpkin-colored upholstered booths with Formica tables or at the no-frills counter, where no-nonsense waitresses put in orders to the kitchen. You might spot a group in business suits hunkered down over a stack of contracts (think of it as a power breakfast, good-ol’-boy style), professors from nearby Georgia Tech grading papers, and blue-collar workers, all of whom enjoy the diner’s laid-back vibe and good, inexpensive food. The fare is traditional southern: eggs, grits, country ham as thick as a phone book, freshly baked buttermilk biscuits with gravy. But this being Atlanta, the home of Coca-Cola, many opt to get their morning fix of caffeine from the soda fountain, rather than the coffee pot.

Laurel Court Restaurant, San Francisco, California

950 Mason Street, 415-772-5000
The Laurel Court is located in one of the City by the Bay’s historic hotels, the Fairmont, just minutes from the Financial District and Union Square. The hotel dates from 1907, but was extensively remodeled in 2001. One of the most spectacular spaces is the Laurel Court dining room. Design elements include crystal chandeliers, Corinthian marble columns, a wraparound mural and three ornate plaster-and-gold-leaf ceiling domes. While diners can order à la carte, most opt for the breakfast buffet. There are stations for made-to-order eggs and waffles, smoked salmon and cured meats, artisan cheeses, yogurt parfaits and pastries. And if you have free time, sample the Laurel Court’s afternoon tea, where scones and sandwiches are served on three-tiered silver trays while a harpist plays-breakfast or tea in this majestic room is like stepping back to a more genteel era.

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jill fergus is a freelance writer based in New York. Email Jill at editor@executivetravelmag.com.