Ladies who lunch are creatures of habit. They have their favorite table at celeb-laden Freds at Barneys, their favorite drink at Saks Fifth Avenues femme-friendly Cafe SFA and plenty of time for languid two-hour midday meals safely ensconced in the luxe egg chairs at Bergdorf Goodmans BG restaurant.
But department stores are shaking up peoples routines with a stable of chic contemporary cafes that give frenzied shoppers a respite, without all the pomp and circumstance of the shops flagship restaurants.
Bergdorfs 5F soda shop, Saks SnAKS, and Barneys newly opened Genes@Co-op cafe all cater to this younger, on-the-go crowd.
And talk about the future. Genes boasts Matrix-like tables embedded with extra-large touchscreens from which customers can order. SnAKS offers all of the food and none of the lines its big sister restaurant suffers from, while 5F is renowned for having one of the best low-cal fro-yos in town.
I cant tell you how many requests weve had since Freds opened asking, Is there anyplace we can go just to get a cup of coffee? Something quick, says Barneys chef Mark Strausman. I love Freds. But sometimes you just want a sandwich.
So in November Barneys opened Genes@Co-op, which has communal tables.
My mother will probably never go to Genes, admits Samantha Solmonson, 28, an Upper East Sider who works in digital media.
That may be the point.
Heres the skinny on the latest crop of cafes perfect for a quick bite while spring shopping.
Genes@Co-op at Barneys Location: Eighth floor View: The fancy-shmancy buildings of 61st Street
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