But work lunches can be fun, depending on where you go. We recently went to Patrino’s in Canmore, and the laid-back pub, friendly service and good food helped take the “work” out of our work lunch.

Patrino’s has two sections: the dining area and the pub. We chose the pub for our midday meal – the relaxed atmosphere and huge windows meant I could stare out at the beautiful mountains surrounding Canmore while pretending to pay attention. Perfect!

The pub was quiet, with only one or two other patrons enjoying a late lunch. The large TVs showed the latest curling and hockey. Does it get any more Canadian than that? Our server was prompt as she got us waters, drinks and menus. It didn’t take us long to figure out what we wanted. After all, we were here for work.

I went with my usual: a clubhouse sandwich with yam fries. I like to think of myself as a bit of a connoisseur of this dish, since I order it so often. Patrino’s rendition of my favourite lunch was right on par: the sandwich was hearty and served on a fresh bun and the yam fries came with a spicy mayo that added some heat to my afternoon. There was a lot of food! I ended up having leftovers for lunch the following day. That’s two lunches for the price of one! Nice.

My associate had the special: lasagne along with a starter salad. It looked good, and he managed to finish the whole thing, although I suspect many people would have had two meals out of that as well. It was probably too delicious to split in two.

As for the work part – well, we got ‘er done.

Next time you’re looking for a midday lunch break, or you want a nice place to enjoy a sit-down dinner, stop by Patrino’s in Canmore.