In these upscale stores, you can go from the sale rack to the rack of lamb as quickly as an escalator ride.

The holiday season is particularly busy in the corporate world—celebratory dinners, office parties and other business functions all compete for your time. And if you’re like most people, you’ve probably left your holiday shopping to the last minute. So, who has time to eat? Fear not: These elegant department stores, beautifully done up for the holidays, also offer convenient in-store dining facilities, so you can grab a bite while you’re on the hunt for seasonal goodies. You might even consider hosting a business lunch at one of the following restaurants—they’re sure to get you in the festive spirit!

BG

BERGDORF GOODMAN
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

754 Fifth Avenue (212-872-8977); bergdorfgoodman.com

One of New York’s most exclusive department stores, Bergdorf’s has several intimate dining spots where you can kick up your Jimmy Choos or Bruno Maglis—but its signature restaurant is BG, located on the seventh floor. This chic, four-roomed space, by renowned Los Angeles–based designer Kelly Wearstler, features soft blues, yellows and greens and boasts hand-painted chinoiserie wallpaper and sleek, high-backed chairs—not to mention stellar views of Fifth Avenue and Central Park. The contemporary American menu by chef Keith Williams features items like fois gras terrine, lobster salad, steak au poivre and oven-roasted duck breast. The restaurant also offers a full-service bar and afternoon tea, as well as a private dining room.

Zodiac

NEIMAN MARCUS
DALLAS, TEXAS

1618 Main Street (214-573-5800); neimanmarcus.com

This popular restaurant, helmed by executive chef David Crow, is located on the sixth floor of the store’s downtown flagship. After a day of shopping for exquisite gifts from designer clothing to fine jewelry, unwind in the in-house restaurant, which has been a Dallas tradition for more than 50 years. At lunch, start out with the famous popovers served with a sweet strawberry butter, followed by a sandwich or salad, including the signature mandarin orange soufflé. Those arriving at dinnertime can enjoy a martini in the bustling bar before tucking into dishes like braised pot roast with seasonal vegetables and seared Alaskan salmon with roasted fingerling potatoes.


Walnut Room

MACY’S
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

111 North State Street (312-781-3125); macys.com


Many local hearts broke when Marshall Field’s, the venerable 19th-century Chicago department store, became a Macy’s last year. But thankfully, the beloved Walnut Room on the seventh floor remains. This classic restaurant, lined with acres of walnut paneling and crystal chandeliers, has a distinctive Old World elegance. It’s most magical around the holidays, when guests dine “under the tree”—a fabulous 45-foot tree adorned with more than 15,000 lights is still a Windy City tradition. The American menu features comfort food like chicken pot pie and meatloaf, as well as more sophisticated fare like duck confit. For dessert, don’t miss the Frango mint-chocolate ice cream pie.





Nordstrom Grill

NORDSTROM
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

500 Pine Street (206-628-1620); nordstrom.com

This casual bistro in the Nordstrom flagship is an ideal choice for a meal, thanks to its central downtown location, friendly service and consistently good food. Stock up on presents in the At Home section, which is loaded with colorful blown glass, ceramics and silk pillows, then head to the Grill on the lower level near the men’s department. The decor is rich with mahogany, brass and etched glass, as well as historic black-and-white photos of the Nordstrom family and downtown Seattle. The menu features an array of soups, sandwiches, salads (two favorites are the Asian chicken and blackened salmon Caesar) and entrées such as rib eye steak with a shallot vinaigrette and fresh fish like wild salmon and halibut—and don’t miss the flourless chocolate cake for dessert.


Barney Greengrass

BARNEYS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

9570 Wilshire Boulevard (310-777-5877); barneys.com

Open for breakfast and lunch only, this Beverly Hills offshoot of the famous deli on New York’s Amsterdam Avenue is known for its smoked salmon, sturgeon, sable, caviar and other delicious (and pricey) delicacies. Located on the store’s top level, the always buzzing spot attracts everyone from tourists to Hollywood agents from nearby William Morris, who conduct power lunches on the breezy terrace. On the menu, you’ll find matzah ball soup, thick-as-a-phonebook pastrami sandwiches, scrambled eggs with Nova Scotia salmon and homemade cheese blintzes. This being Hollywood, the restaurant also features a marble-topped vodka-and-caviar bar.


If you plan to travel abroad around the holidays, here are a few other in-store restaurants to consider.


Toronto

Holts Café

50 Bloor Street West (416-922-2333); holtrenfrew.com

Located inside Holt Renfrew, Canada’s premier department store, this sleek Euro-style café is perfect for a post-shopping glass of wine or espresso. If you’re having lunch, try the tartines (open-face sandwiches) made with Poilane bread flown in from Paris.


London

Fifth Floor

109–125 Knightsbridge (+44-20-7235-5250); harveynichols.com

This chic eatery, with cuisine from executive chef Jonas Karlsson, is considered one of London’s nest restaurants. Choose from dishes like goat-cheese-and-leek tart, pan-fried Shetland cod and tournedos of Scottish beef. The bar is decorated with vivid contemporary murals, offers flavored vodkas and stays open until 1 a.m.


Paris

Laurier

40 Boulevard Haussmann (+33-1-42-82-34-56); galerieslafayette.com

The City of Light’s most famous department store, Galeries Lafayette, has numerous restaurants, including Maxim’s and Le Café Sushi—but its newest, Laurier, is garnering rave reviews for its Mediterranean cuisine from Andreas Mavrommatis. The Cyprus-born chef and his family also own several other Parisian restaurants.


Milan

La Rinascente Restaurants

Piazza del Duomo (+39-2-88-521); larinascente.it

La Rinascente, where Giorgio Armani once worked as a window dresser, recently unveiled a major makeover. Due for completion in fall 2007 are top-floor dining facilities that will feature a gourmet food hall and three restaurants overlooking the soaring spires of the spectacular Duomo cathedral.


Moscow

Bosco Cafe

3 Red Square (+7-495-929-3182); gum.ru

GUM on Red Square is the Russian capital’s most famous shopping emporium. After a day of splurging at its designer boutiques, unwind at Bosco, an elegant Italian restaurant serving dishes like lobster lasagna and mushroom risotto in a prime people-watching spot (the eatery’s outdoor terrace overlooks St. Basil’s).