Fig's by Todd English, in The Gardens Mall, offers creative dishes such as this prosciutto and fig pizza. (Photo: Chris Salata)

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from previous holiday seasons, it’s this: Shopping makes us hungry.

So, if you’re headed to the malls this weekend — and who isn’t? — here’s a little cheat sheet on where to eat. We’ve incorporated some of our favorite places based on past visits to these restaurants (in the case of chains, the visits might have been to other locations).

The Gardens Mall, Palm Beach Gardens

For a sit-down meal: The new Figs by Todd English (lower level adjoining Macy’s, 561-775-2384) is our idea of the perfect mall eatery. It’s casual, but it’s also quite good — think food in a Mediterranean vein, but with creative touches. Among our favorite items: the roasted beet salad and the fig pizza (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).

For a quick bite: Fig pizzas are all well and good, but what if you just want a plain ol’ slice of New York-style pizza? As chain pizza goes, you can do no better than Sbarro (food court).

CityPlace

For a sit-down meal: The problem with CityPlace is that it gives you too many dining options. But we still go with an old standby — Brewzzi (upper level, 561-366-9753) — that works on many levels.

Large tanks for brewing beer were unloaded at the site of the Brewzzi restaurant at CityPlace prior to its opening in 2002.

As its name implies, it brews its own beer on site, from a refreshing lager (Boca Blonde) to a hearty brown ale (Black Duke). But Brewzzi is also a solid eatery, with an Italian restaurant-meets-sports bar theme. For a very satisfying meal, go for the gorgonzola chips and meatball sandwich.

For a quick bite: The sour yogurt craze is starting to take off in South Florida — and few places do it better than Iceberry (near The Harriet theater, 561-296-1270).

This is yogurt that tastes the way it should — tangy and refreshing.

Mall at Wellington Green

For a sit-down meal: The California Pizza Kitchen (lower level near Nordstrom, 561-793-1601) is the place to go. We’re partial to its wild and whacky pizzas — the Thai chicken, especially — but salads (go for the Original Chopped salad) and pasta dishes are also consistently good.

California Pizza Kitchen's Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad is a good complement to the pizza.

For a quick bite: Chick-fil-A (food court) gets our vote — for the great chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and lemonade. (Put all three together and you have the perfect lunch.) The chain also recently added milkshakes to its menu — try the peppermint chocolate chip for a holiday treat.

Boynton Beach Mall

For a sit-down meal: The pickings are slim — namely, just one restaurant. But who doesn’t like TooJay’s (near Sears, 561-740-7420), South Florida’s answer to the New York deli? We love the health-minded but zesty turkey pastrami, but whatever calories we save are usually spent on one of TooJay’s excellent desserts, including the aptly named, chocholic-worthy Killer Cake.

Ready for a shopping break? Killer Cake is one of many delicious desserts at TooJay's.

For a quick bite: We don’t usually find a Dairy Queen (near food court) located inside a mall, so that’s what makes Boynton special in our book. If it’s been a while since you’ve had DQ’s signature treat — the Blizzard — now is a perfect time to reacquaint yourself with it.

Town Center at Boca Raton

For a sit-down meal: The Cheesecake Factory has become a familiar name in our parts, but what about Cheesecake’s cousin, the Grand Lux Café (near Macy’s, 561-392-2141)? The Town Center can claim the only one in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. It’s much the same formula as Cheesecake — big portions of imaginatively prepared dishes — but it has its own signature items, from a chicken pot pie to New Orleans-style beignets.

Roasted pineapple upside down cake is among the treats at Grand Lux Café at the Town Center in Boca.

For a quick bite: How about a spot of tea? You’ll find plenty of options at Teavana (near Saks, 561-417-5506), which offers more than 100 varieties. Have a cup while you’re there or purchase an exotic tea to prepare at home.

Treasure Coast Square, Jensen Beach

For a sit-down meal: Another mall with only one option, but fortunately it’s a good one — namely, Ruby Tuesday’s (772-692-2974). We go mainly for the first-rate salad bar, where the items are always fresh (love the spinach leaves) and the prepared salads show a surprising degree of gourmet smarts.

For a quick bite: We’re always a sucker for a freshly made pretzels. And Wetzel’s Pretzels (food court) turns out some terrific ones.