Fireplaces at New York bars: seven toasty hearths to warm you
When it’s so cold outside that drinking cocktails, beer or wine isn’t enough to warm you, the fireplaces at these New York bars should do the trick.
Tue Nov 6 2012
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Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson
New York bars with fireplaces
Union Hall
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Photograph: Alex Strada
New York bars with fireplaces
Black Mountain Wine House
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Photograph: Jeffrey Gurwin
New York bars with fireplaces
Black Rabbit Bar
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Photograph: Cinzia Reale-Castello
New York bars with fireplaces
Alewife NYC
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New York bars with fireplaces
Lobby Bar at the Bowery Hotel
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Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson
New York bars with fireplaces
Le Barricou
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Photograph: Jolie Ruben
New York bars with fireplaces
Lantern's Keep
New Yorkers are a tough breed, but when the winter chill really sets in, you’re bound to see bargoers flock to a few specific NYC bars—namely, those with fireplaces. These seven New York bars are our favorites. When it’s time to depart, there are still plenty of fun things to do and eat (including essential ramen dishes and decadent hot chocolate) to help you forget that it’s freakin’ cold out there.
RECOMMENDED: New York bars and cocktails for winter
Union Hall
- Price band: 1/4
- Critics choice
This cavernous, bi-level venue may not fit the textbook definition of intimate, but the flickering stone fireplace is damn cozy. Commandeer the plush couch or one of the chairs near the hearth and settle in for the night with a hot Irish Nut (Bailey’s, amaretto coffee; $10).
- 702 Union St, (between Fifth and Sixth Aves)
Black Mountain Wine House
- Price band: 2/4
- Critics choice
On weekends when escaping the city isn’t a viable option, head to this cabinlike space for a rustic retreat. Your objective: Snag a seat around the wood-burning brick hearth. Though the wine list offers a wide variety of options, sip the mulled vino ($8) to eradicate any chill left in your bones.
- 415 Union St, (at Hoyt St)
Black Rabbit Bar
- Price band: 2/4
Hightail it to the back of this long, narrow space to secure your spot by the gas fireplace. If the hearthside benches are already filled, you’ll still feel the festive spirit as you sit in a carved-wood booth beneath strings of colorful, twinkling lights. Wash down the traditional German bratwurst sandwich ($6.50) with a whiskey-laden hot toddy ($8), which riffs on the recipe from an erstwhile bartender’s Scottish granny.
- 91 Greenpoint Ave, (between Franklin St and Manhattan Ave)
Alewife NYC
- Price band: 2/4
- Critics choice
The white-brick mantel gives the gas-fueled fireplace at this two-story beer bar a homey feel, even when the place is packed. Brewhounds can hunker down with one of the 100-plus international beers by the bottle or one of 28 on tap, but we recommend going with one of the hot punches (often mulled wine or spiked cider), served in a teakettle and ideal for sharing with a friend or romantic flame ($18).
- 5-14 51st Ave, (between Vernon Blvd and 5th St)
Lobby Bar at the Bowery Hotel
- Price band: 4/4
- Critics choice
You’ll have to battle the hotel’s out-of-town guests to score a seat in the Art Deco–inspired environs, but it’s well worth it if you can secure one of the overstuffed couches or chairs by the gas furnace. Arrive early, pretend like you own the place and enjoy a stiff Negroni ($14), crafted with Bulldog gin, Antica Formula and Campari.
- 335 Bowery, ( at 3rd St)
Le Barricou
- Price band: 1/4
As pleasant as it is to dine in the front room of this bistro
and nosh on coq au vin, the best seats in the house are hidden in the cozy back room, where you’ll find lounge furniture and a vintage cast-iron stove. Warm up by the wood-burning device and mull the affordable, all-French wine list; nine selections are offered by the glass, 60 by the bottle. We’re partial to the Cahors malbec (glass $11, carafe $32, bottle $44), a spicy, medium-bodied red with hints of cranberry.
- 533 Grand St, (between Lorimer St and Union Ave)
Lantern's Keep
- Price band: 4/4
Ease into a seat near the gas-powered, black-laquered hearth and scan the list of tipples, including the frothy New York Harvest (bourbon, applejack, lemon, egg white, red wine; $15). The bar often has limited hours and can be rented out for private parties; be sure to call ahead and make a reservation so you’re not left out in the tourist-ridden streets of Midtown.
- The Iroquois New York, 49 W 44th St, (between Fifth and Sixth Aves), 10036
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