Bites: The latest hip lunch spot? Why, it's your local department store

Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, Peter Jones, Selfridges

Harvey Nichols, Forth Floor Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie, Harvey Nichols, 30-34 St Andrew's Square, Edinburgh (Switchboard: 0131 254 8388)

Three years in the making, the Edinburgh Harvey Nichols opens on 15 August, having been built from scratch to designs by Lifschutz Davidson. The Forth Floor restaurant, brasserie and foodmarket occupy the top floor behind a glass front, with a balcony and a fine view. So far, more is known about the design than the food but expect it to make local produce finger-on-the-pulse fashionable. Bookings taken from 8 August.

House of Fraser, Albert Roux Café, House of Fraser, 21-59 Buchanan Street, Glasgow (0141 221 3880).

Put down those shopping bags and prepare to be waited on in the restfully sombre Albert Roux Café. Located next to the china department in the Glasgow store, the kitchen adds finishing touches to food cooked under Albert Roux's auspices in London. Dither between asparagus soup, blackened chicken Caesar salad (£9.95), and croque monsieur (£5.25).

Peter Jones, Top Floor at Peter Jones, Sloane Square, London SW1 (020-7730 3434).

The landmark of Modern architecture at the epicentre of Sloanery has had a make-over. Up on the sixth floor, the tables are arranged in a ring around the atrium and glass walls give you an overview of Chelsea. Help yourself to salads and sandwiches (no clingfilm here), cakes and desserts made on the spot, or wait while grilled tuna niçoise on tagliatelle, warm green chilli squid salad or Thai fishcakes are cooked to order.

Selfridges, The Gallery, Selfridges, Oxford Street, London W1 (020-7629 1234).

The Gallery is perfect for a lunchtime rendezvous, offering the buzziest vantage point overlooking the handbag section. The menu comprises the kind of groovy brasserie food favoured by all discerning fashionistas, such as marinated chorizo salad with guacamole and pine nuts. Or maybe bresaola, melon and roquette with a Japanese cucumber salad on the side. Meanwhile, the two-courses-for-£10 deal is almost a steal.