Where to eat on Christmas Day?

Still recovering from the Thanksgiving cooking marathon? Relax. Let one of these restaurants do the cooking and cleaning for your Christmas Day meal. Reservations are essential, and the sooner the better. Tables are sure to fill up fast.

Bel Gusto
2800 Campus Walk Ave., in the Millennium Durham Hotel, Durham.
382-5024
Buffet, noon to 2 p.m.

Carolina Crossroads
211 Pittsboro St., in The Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill
918-2777
http://www.carolinainn.com/
Buffet, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Crabtree Grill
4500 Marriott Drive, in the Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley, Raleigh
781-7000
Buffet, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Fairview
3001 Cameron Blvd., in The Washington Duke Inn, Durham
493-6699
http://www.washingtondukeinn.com/
Buffet, seatings at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Fearrington House
2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro
542-2121
http://www.fearringtonhouse.com/
Prix fixe, noon to 3 p.m.

Flights
4100 Main at North Hills St., in the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, Raleigh
278-1478
http://www.flightsnorthhills.com/
À la carte, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Grove Café
421 S. Salisbury St., in the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh
834-9900
www.sheraton.com/raleigh
À la carte, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Herons
100 Woodland Pond, in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary
447-4200
http://www.theumstead.com/
Prix fixe, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Il Palio
1505 East Franklin St., in the Siena Hotel, Chapel Hill
918-2545
http://www.sienahotel.com/
Prix fixe, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Irregardless Café
901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh
833-8898
http://www.irregardless.com/
À la carte, noon to 8 p.m.

Phi
151 Tatum Drive, in the Hotel Indigo, Durham
474-3000
À la carte, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Piney Point Grill
2515 Meridian Parkway, in the DoubleTree Suites hotel, Durham
361-4660
À la carte, seatings start at 5 p.m.

Posta Tuscan Grille
500 Fayetteville St., in the Marriott City Center, Raleigh
227-3370
http://www.postatuscangrille.com/
Buffet, 7 a.m-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

Shula's 347
1 Europa Drive, in the Sheraton Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
969-2157
http://www.donshula.com/
À la carte, 5 to 10 p.m. (note: serving the regular menu only)

Windows
311 W. Franklin St., in the Franklin Hotel, Chapel Hill
442-9000
http://www.franklinhotelnc.com/
À la carte, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. (note: serving breakfast only).