10. City Tavern, 101 W. 22nd St. At this historic-feeling Freighthouse dining room, powerbrokers can imagine what it felt like to be Tom Pendergast.
9. Garozzo's Ristorante, 526 Harrison. Come for the chicken spiedini; stay for the negotations.
8. Extra Virgin, 1900 Main. Said to be the playground of downtown developers; all we know is we try to look good here, because everyone else is doing the same.
7. Pierpont's, 30 W. Pershing Rd. The 25-foot ceilings and stone floors of this Union Station restaurant lend an air of sophistication or gravity to the most mundane table conversation. Thus, it's a natural draw for bigwigs being wined and dined.
6. Courthouse Exchange, 113 W. Lexington, Independence. If pubs are where the real business gets done in Washington D.C., why should Independence, Missouri, be any different? Just steps from the courthouse, this is where the city's powerful come to hold court from a bar stool.
5. First Watch, 1022 Westport Rd. We once called this the best place to be seen while hungover. But it's sobering how many movers and shakers we run into at this breakfast joint.
4. Milano Italian Dining, 2450 Grand. In Crown Center, it's just a few steps away from Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP and Lathrop & Gage LLP. Enough said.
3. Cascone's Grill, 17 E. Fifth St. Throughout its 50 years of slinging pancakes and eggs, Cascone's has seen a host of different regimes at the head of Kansas City. And Gloria's right: By lunchtime, everyone will know what you had for breakfast -- and what your dining companion ate.
2. Capital Grille, 4740 Jefferson. Expensive steakhouses and old-boys' networks. A cliche, but one that still holds true.
1. The Classic Cup, 301 W. 47th St. The original Classic Cup in Westport was edgier, drawing a crowd of politicos, artists, hipsters and people hoping to join those groups. Being on the Plaza has lent a bit of starchiness to the popular lunch locale, but it remains the top destination for those looking to be noticed.
[Image via Flickr: internets_dairy]
