Black Mountain Wine House This is the upstate cottage of your dreams, including shelves heaving with bottles of wine. The wood-burning fireplace in the back corner is a properly roaring affair to go with rustic fare of small plates like pork meatballs and truffle mac ‘n’ cheese. (There’s also fondue on Tuesdays!) Even though this is a wine bar, they’re not so precious about it that you can’t get a warm mug of mulled wine this time of year. The Press Lounge Ink48 Hotel has the ultimate winter coup: dinner and drinks in the same spot. After the elevated farm-to-table fare at downstairs restaurant Print., head up to the roof forseasonal cocktails and wine in the Press Lounge’s Sun Room.Retractable glass walls keep the 360-degree view of the city and Hudson River, while the sleek biofuel-burning fireplace lets youfeel the zen of a Japanese rockgarden without the risk of frostbite. The Ludlow Lobby Lounge Sinking into one of the mahogany leather sofas around the massive stone fireplace will thaw out eventhe deepest winter freeze. TheChai Matsuda (infused bourbon, Americano, cardamom, orangebitters) and Montecristo (Irish whiskey, crème de banane, amontillado, lime) cocktails help, too. And instead of waiting to get into the still-hot Dirty French, the restaurant serves a light bites menu fireside. Camp What better way to feel warm than imagining you’re back at summer camp? It’s always those sun-dappled lazy days inside the log cabin that is Camp, where on-theme drinks like spiked hot chocolate are served on tree stump-like tables next to the fireplace. If you didn’t score one of the prime seats near the crackling embers, you can order a miniature pot of flame tableside to roast marshmallows for s’mores. Clover Club There aren’t many excellent cocktail bars that also serve foodworth recommending, but Clover Club is special in many ways. For winter, swap the cozy brick walls of the main room and head back to find a wood-paneled hideaway with its own bar and a giant corner fireplace. The eclectic cocktail menu (when’s the last time you saw shiitake-infused Japanese whiskey on a list?)is helpfully grouped by styles to guide your evening.
415 Union St., Gowanus
653 11th Ave., Hell’s Kitchen
180 Ludlow St., Lower East Side
179 Smith St., Boerum Hill
210 Smith St., Cobble Hill