There are plenty of things to appreciate about being back in the office – like using your dining table for dining again, socialising with colleagues in person and leaving video calls for when it’s absolutely necessary – it also means the unwelcome return of some classic office-worker problems. The one you can’t escape: what should you do on your lunchbreak?

We know that lunch al desko is at best sad, and at worst it adversely affects your productivity. Plus, we could all use a little more vitamin D and a little less sitting still. A well-spent lunchbreak can recharge the batteries and set you up to hurdle over the dreaded midafternoon slump. So, unless you’re in one of those lunch-and-learns, we have some smart suggestions for getting out of the office kitchen to make the most of lunchtime in Sydney’s CBD.

Relax al fresco at Ryan’s Bar or Bellucci Cucina

Ryan’s Bar and Bellucci Cucina, with their sprawling outdoor areas, both have well-earned reputations among the corporate crowd for being among the best CBD knock-off spots. But it’s well worth heading into either at midday for your lunchbreak: the pub menu at Ryan’s Bar segues neatly into lunch, while Bellucci Cucina has a former Fratelli Paradiso chef on the pans. If it’s a Friday or a special occasion, maybe even treat yourself to a cheeky lunchtime drink (after all, there are 25 taps to pick from at Ryan’s Bar and a generous by-the-glass wine list at Bellucci Cucina). The hard part will be coaxing yourself back to the office – you might be there until knock-off begins.

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Try one of the CBD’s best food courts

Look, we’ve all smashed a little bit more fast food than we should at a food court. But the more upscale offering at Australia Square shouldn’t induce any unwanted food comas. Whether you’re after Korean, Thai, poke, sushi, pasta, Chinese, big sandwiches, salads or some fish’n’chips, you’ll be well looked after here. And if it’s one of those days where you’re really under the pump, a big smoothie from Boost or a bowl from Guzman y Gomez are right there on offer.

Picnic at Barangaroo Reserve via The Rocks

Did you pack your lunch for work? If your office is north of Martin Place, you’ll have plenty of time to take that meal on the road with a scenic walk. Play tourist and cut through The Rocks, taking in Circular Quay as you go. Then eat and enjoy the great views from the terraced lawns at Barangaroo Reserve, a former industrial site that’s been rehabilitated with more than 75,000 native plants and even native bee colonies. Maybe once it’s warm and sunny, if you’re especially ambitious, you can bring your bathers with you and have a swim at sheltered Marrinawi Cove.

Wow the out-of-towners with lunch at O Bar and Dining

Anyone who works in the Sydney CBD inevitably becomes pretty familiar with the Australia Square Tower. Harry Seidler’s iconic design – one of the purest expressions of modernism in Australia, and the country’s first modern skyscraper – is still head-turning 60 years on. If you’re trying to wow some out-of-town clients, book in for a business lunch at O Bar and Dining. They’ll be hit by the one-two punch of seeing the circular tower, then ascending to level 47 for a meal at Sydney’s signature revolving restaurant. Enjoy fine dining while the room gently rotates, revealing unrivalled views over the city. And if your one-hour lunch break wasn’t enough, you can always come back after work for a cocktail or dinner.

Sweat it out and steam through the afternoon

If you can wolf down your lunch in time, then few things are better than squeezing in a gym session in the middle of the workday. Not only is it time you’re giving back to yourself in the mornings and evenings, it’s also a great way to break up the day, release all kinds of feel-good hormones, and get you primed for a productive afternoon. There must be a reason why the Sydney CBD has all those gyms, right?

Sneak in a midday shopping spree

Who cares if your co-workers see you strut back into the office swinging a bunch of shopping bags? Let them wonder what you bought. Exult in the attention. The fact of the matter is, lunch is a brilliant time for some retail therapy. Not only will the dopamine rush of shopper’s high get you through the rest of the business day, it’s less hectic than weaving through the late-night shopping crowds afterwards.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Australia Square.