Get Cozy This Winter in One of Brooklyn's Best Fireplace Bars
Judging by the summer we experienced this year in New York City (i.e., not that hot), this winter is going to be a cold one (or maybe the temperature’s just starting to neutralize all round thanks to global warming). Regardless, when the city streets turn into wind tunnels, there’s only one place you’ll really want to be—by the fire, preferably with a Hot Toddy in your chilly hands. Assuming the fireplace in your apartment has been out of order for decades, here are a few bars that offer such refuge:
Boat Bar
Boat Bar has a cozy feel even in the summer time. A great place to throw an intimate birthday or going away party, this bar boasts comfortable style and reasonably priced drinks. There’s plenty of seating, so you and your friends can all hunker down after coming in from the cold, and the working fireplace in the back serves as the cherry on top. Actually, no—the board games do, because playing them by the fireplace creates a living room feel that’s hard to achieve elsewhere in the city. (175 Smith St.; 718-254-0607)
Camp
Literally just down the road from Boat Bar, Camp is appropriately “campy.” The décor will make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon some amazing, winter cabin in the midst of Brooklyn, but it’s the s’mores that will really put you in the fireside mood. Though you’ll roast marshmallows at your own table as opposed to the bar’s actual fireplace (imagine the mess, and the fire hazard), that won’t detract from the feeling of being in the woods. The mounted deer heads and the hot chocolate also help. (179 Smith St.; 718-852-8086)
Iona
It may not exactly count for a bar with a fireplace but, just step into Iona Bar and tell me it doesn’t feel like there should be one lurking around the corner. This bar mostly makes it onto the list because the relatively expansive (for NYC, that is) backyard is heated in the winter, providing a cozy, fireplace-like feel. The wooden structures surrounding you out back, along with the evergreen foliage, will make you feel like you’re at a European Christmas market…almost. (180 Grand St.; 718-384-5008)
Black Mountain Wine House
In addition to the majestic fireplace, Black Mountain Wine House offers a comfort food menu that’s oddly upscale. The mac n’ cheese features wild mushrooms, Gruyere, and truffle oil, but that doesn’t mean it won’t warm you up from the inside out. The house Panini also includes Polish bacon. The wine list, meanwhile, presents affordable but solid, tasty options. (415 Union St.; 718-522-4340)
Spritzenhaus
Obviously boasting a German flavor, Spritzenhaus offers a variety of wurst and a far more impressive selection of dipping sauces for your Belgian fries. Large tables and a big, open space makes for a great place to travel as a pack and drink the bar’s much-lauded Left Handed Milk Stout. The woodpile in the corner and the golden glow will make you feel truly at home in the winter months. Of course, there’s also a hearty beer selection. (33 Nassau Ave.; 347-987-4632)
Clover Club
Cobble Hill loves its fireplace bars. The third in the area on this list, it’s also the classiest, departing from kitsch to attain mixologist-level cocktails and the kind of place where you could imagine bringing your grandparents. The fireplace is of the useful rather than showy variety (no logs piled in the corner here), and the drink menu divides into categories like “Sours & Cobblers” and “Our Rye Whiskey Obsession,” all for about $12 to $13. (210 Smith St.; 718-855-7939)
Dynaco
Often referred to as a “hipster” bar, Dynaco came with such a crowd to Bed-Stuy...and, most importantly, it brought a fireplace. The space is very dimly lit (not a bad second/third date spot) and made largely out of wood with a laidback atmosphere and an unassuming entrance—it’s not trying to attract super large crowds, but it might on a Friday or Saturday evening. Overall, there’s good whiskey and warmth. What more do you need when it’s cold in New York? (1112 Bedford Ave.)
Photo via Black Mountain Wine House
