I’ll be honest. Three years ago, if someone suggested Spanish food for a business lunch, I would’ve raised an eyebrow. Italian? Sure. Japanese? Absolutely. But Spanish? That seemed more like a Friday night thing than a Tuesday afternoon meeting.
How things change.
Last month, I watched a senior banker close a deal over patatas bravas and a glass of Tempranillo. The atmosphere wasn’t stuffy. Nobody wore their “business face” the whole time. And somewhere between the second tapas plate and the main course, what could have been another forgettable corporate lunch turned into an actual conversation.
That’s the thing about Spanish dining that nobody tells you. It works differently.
What Makes Spanish Dining Different for Business
Here’s what I’ve noticed after attending more business lunches than I care to count. Most corporate meals follow a predictable pattern. You order. You eat. You discuss whatever needs discussing. You leave. It’s functional, sure, but it’s also incredibly transactional.
Spanish food doesn’t really allow for that approach.
The whole concept of tapas means you’re sharing. Not in a forced, team-building-exercise way, but naturally. When a plate of gambas al ajillo arrives (those prawns swimming in garlic, chilli, and olive oil), everyone leans in. Someone always says “these look amazing” and suddenly the conversation flows easier.
I’ve seen it happen with colleagues who usually barely speak at regular meetings.
Location Actually Matters More Than You’d Think
Look, I know everyone says location matters. But until you’ve tried coordinating lunch for five people with back-to-back meetings, you don’t really understand how much it matters. Finding a decent restaurant that’s actually in the CBD isn’t just convenient. It’s the difference between a rushed meal and a proper break.
One Raffles Quay works because it’s genuinely central. You’re not asking people to trek across town or navigate complicated buildings. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, the Marina Bay area keeps growing as a dining destination precisely because it solves this problem. People want good food where they work, not a 20-minute cab ride away.
The Business Set Lunch That Actually Makes Sense
Most business set lunches feel like compromise meals. You get three mediocre courses for a “good price” that isn’t really that good when you think about what you’re eating.
Spanish places do it differently. Take a typical setup: two tapas, one main, dessert. S$46++. Sounds standard until you realise you’re getting actual variety. Maybe you start with mushroom croquettes and a kale tomato salad. Your colleague orders the burrata tostas. You’re both trying different things, which gives you something to talk about beyond work.
Then the mains arrive. Someone gets the seafood fideuá (it’s like paella but with noodles instead of rice). Another person chose the chicken paella. Someone ordered the seabass. Suddenly your table looks interesting, not like everyone ordered the same boring grilled chicken.
This flexibility matters more than people realise. I’ve lost count of vegetarian colleagues who are tired of sad salads at business lunches. When they can get proper dishes like asparagus and mushroom pasta with Manchego cheese, it changes how they feel about these meals entirely.
Wine Knowledge Is Becoming a Business Skill
Nobody talks about this enough. Understanding wine is increasingly part of professional credibility. Not in a snobby way, but in a “this person knows things beyond their immediate job description” way.
Spanish wines are perfect for building this knowledge because they’re not intimidating. You don’t need to memorise complicated French appellations or stress about Italian classifications. Spain keeps things more straightforward. Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat. These are manageable regions to remember.
Plus, Spanish wines offer incredible value. You can order a really good bottle without worrying whether you’re accidentally spending someone’s monthly entertainment budget. That matters when you’re the one suggesting where to eat.
Why Authentic Actually Beats Fusion Here
Singapore’s full of fusion restaurants. Some are brilliant. But for Spanish food, I think authentic wins.
Maybe it’s because Spanish cuisine already has such distinct flavours. When you taste proper paella made with bomba rice and Spanish saffron, cooked with marinated chicken, potatoes, and artichokes, you understand why people in Valencia are so particular about their version. It’s not gatekeeping. It’s just that the real thing is genuinely better.
Same goes for churros. You can get churro-inspired desserts all over Singapore. But actual Spanish churros with vanilla pastry cream and warm chocolate sauce? Different experience entirely.
How Hybrid Work Changed Lunch Culture
Here’s something I didn’t expect. When everyone started working from home during the pandemic, business lunches almost disappeared. Makes sense, right? Can’t have lunch meetings over Zoom.
But now, with hybrid arrangements, business lunches have become more important, not less. They’re one of the few times teams actually see each other in person. The meal matters more because the context matters more.
Spanish dining culture fits this shift perfectly. The emphasis on sharing, on taking your time, on actually enjoying the meal rather than rushing through it matches what people want from in-person gatherings now.
I’ve noticed teams using these lunches differently. They’re less about formal presentations and more about reconnecting. Sharing patatas fritas (those come with romesco sauce and tartar mayo, by the way) whilst catching up on what everyone’s been working on just feels more natural than a conference room check-in.
The Real Cost of Business Dining
Let’s talk money for a second. People worry about lunch expenses. Fair enough. But what’s the actual cost calculation here?
A mediocre lunch at a chain restaurant might save you S$15 per person. Congratulations. You’ve saved S$75 for a table of five. But if that lunch was forgettable enough that nobody felt any connection to the client or colleague they were meeting, was it really worth it?
Spanish cuisine at a quality restaurant isn’t cheap, but it’s not astronomical either. You’re getting fresh ingredients, proper technique, genuine atmosphere. The kind of meal people actually remember. That memory creates goodwill that extends far beyond the meal itself.
I closed a partnership deal three months after a business lunch. When we met again, the client mentioned remembering that meal, specifically the pulpo al brasa (chargrilled octopus) we’d shared. That’s return on investment you can’t track on a spreadsheet.
What’s Next for Business Dining
Watching how business dining evolves in Singapore fascinates me. We’re moving away from the old model where expensive automatically meant impressive. People see through that now. They want quality that feels genuine, not status symbols disguised as meals.
Spanish gastronomy fits this shift. It’s sophisticated without being pretentious. It’s shareable without being gimmicky. It offers exceptional value without cutting corners on quality.
The next time you’re planning a business lunch, I’d suggest thinking beyond the usual suspects. Your colleagues might be more tired of the same old options than they’re letting on. Finding a quality Spanish restaurant in Singapore might be exactly the change everyone’s been wanting without knowing how to ask for it.
Besides, life’s too short for boring business lunches. If you have to eat whilst talking about Q3 projections, you might as well enjoy what’s on your plate.
