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15 Places to Eat and Drink By the Fireside

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As the temperature drops and the nights grow longer, you can resort to turning up the thermostat and curling up on the couch, or you can head out and enjoy fireside warmth, accompanied by a seasonal drink or hearty meal.

A number of DC restaurants and bars keep the fire going as you sip and dine. Whether you're looking for an outdoor fire with hot toddies, flaming volcano drinks garnished with real flames or a fireplace to toast marshmallow s'mores, you can escape cabin fever and enjoy all that the winter season has to offer.

Eater DC explores 15 fireside dining and drinking options for what has been --so far-- a pretty mild winter. Knock on wood.
—Tim Ebner

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Art & Soul

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Art and Soul features outdoor fire pits on the front patio. If it’s too cold outside, you can stay put at the bar and taste their latest cocktail creation, the Stayin’ Put. The drink is for President Obama’s January inauguration and combines champagne, black forest berry syrup and D.C.’s very own Green Hat gin.

Bourbon Steak Washington DC

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Bourbon Steak brings the heat, offering portable space heaters and circular fire pits outside. While sitting by the fire, sample the kitchen’s "12 Days of Truffles" celebration. One of the dishes, the black winter truffle and parmesan french fries, may just be the snack to fight-off Old Man Winter.

Poste Moderne Brasserie

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Poste is keeping its courtyard open year-round. The restaurant is serving warm drinks, like the “Smokin' Bacon” hot chocolate, and snacks, like cheese fondue.

The restaurant uses a fire and ice motif with white marble at the bar and a rectangular fireplace behind the bar. And if you’re not a fan of ice or snow, order up an Acai Breeze or Dark and Stormy.

The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown

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At the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown there are free marshmallow s’mores served daily at the lobby’s wood burning fireplace. Camp out from 6:30-7 p.m. to fulfill your childhood obsession, then head to Degrees to enjoy an adult beverage by the fire.

Farmers Fishers Bakers

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The newest addition to the Georgetown Waterfront, Farmers Fishers Bakers, also features an outdoor patio and sushi. To really keep warm try the Scorpion Bowl, a tropical drink for two with a flaming volcano garnished with fire pits. The view overlooks the waterfront’s ice rink.

The Tombs

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The center of this basement restaurant and Georgetown University haunt features a large fireplace and hearth that can keep you warm through the coldest winter nights. Visit the bar between semesters when the students head out of town. And, be sure to try study snacks, served daily from 3-5 p.m. and late night, except Fridays.

Pizzeria Paradiso

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When the weather drops below freezing, what else do you need besides beer, pizza and a warmth? Pizzeria Paradiso’s basement hearth will keep you warm and the dozens of pizzas and seventeen beers on-tap will do the rest.

CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC

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Walk into CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and there is a wall of fire to greet you. Aside from the pyrotechnics, the bar has a special tasting menu with hearty dishes, like puree of cabbage soup, crispy red snapper and white chocolate brioche.

Tabard Inn

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The antique furniture, wood beam ceilings and crackling fire may cause you to linger at the Tabard Inn’s Lounge, just outside the restaurant and bar. There’s also live jazz every Sunday night from 7:30-10 p.m.

Daniel O'Connell's Bar & Restaurant

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Enjoy a pint of Guinness and hearty Irish stew alongside one of four fireplaces at Daniel O’Connell’s. The dim lighting and plethora of fireside options makes this one of Old Town’s best winter retreats.

L'Auberge Chez Francois

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Walk into L'Auberge Chez François in Great Falls and you are transported to an "auberge," a French country inn. The main dining room has a corner, wood-burning fireplace. For extra warmth order from the six course, prix-fixe dinner, ranging from $62.00 to $74.00

Black's Bar & Kitchen

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Happy hour at Black’s Bar & Kitchen features steeply discounted seafood. From 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, steamed shrimp are $.50 each and Chesapeake Bay oysters are two-for-one for $1.99. Outside, the patio fire pits will keep you warm when the temperature drops.

Fire Works Pizza

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There are wood-fire pizzas cooking inside and a giant fire pit burning on the patio. Plus, new seasonal casks are being served: Delirium Noel, Great Lakes Christmas Ale, and Peak Organic Winter Session Ale.

For a warm cocktail, try A Bar’s heated patio. The bar serves mulled wine, hot toddies and other warm cocktails. Fire pits and couches add to the ambiance.

Art & Soul

Art and Soul features outdoor fire pits on the front patio. If it’s too cold outside, you can stay put at the bar and taste their latest cocktail creation, the Stayin’ Put. The drink is for President Obama’s January inauguration and combines champagne, black forest berry syrup and D.C.’s very own Green Hat gin.

Bourbon Steak Washington DC

Bourbon Steak brings the heat, offering portable space heaters and circular fire pits outside. While sitting by the fire, sample the kitchen’s "12 Days of Truffles" celebration. One of the dishes, the black winter truffle and parmesan french fries, may just be the snack to fight-off Old Man Winter.

Poste Moderne Brasserie

Poste is keeping its courtyard open year-round. The restaurant is serving warm drinks, like the “Smokin' Bacon” hot chocolate, and snacks, like cheese fondue.

OYA

The restaurant uses a fire and ice motif with white marble at the bar and a rectangular fireplace behind the bar. And if you’re not a fan of ice or snow, order up an Acai Breeze or Dark and Stormy.

The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown

At the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown there are free marshmallow s’mores served daily at the lobby’s wood burning fireplace. Camp out from 6:30-7 p.m. to fulfill your childhood obsession, then head to Degrees to enjoy an adult beverage by the fire.

Farmers Fishers Bakers

The newest addition to the Georgetown Waterfront, Farmers Fishers Bakers, also features an outdoor patio and sushi. To really keep warm try the Scorpion Bowl, a tropical drink for two with a flaming volcano garnished with fire pits. The view overlooks the waterfront’s ice rink.

The Tombs

The center of this basement restaurant and Georgetown University haunt features a large fireplace and hearth that can keep you warm through the coldest winter nights. Visit the bar between semesters when the students head out of town. And, be sure to try study snacks, served daily from 3-5 p.m. and late night, except Fridays.

Pizzeria Paradiso

When the weather drops below freezing, what else do you need besides beer, pizza and a warmth? Pizzeria Paradiso’s basement hearth will keep you warm and the dozens of pizzas and seventeen beers on-tap will do the rest.

CityZen at Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC

Walk into CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and there is a wall of fire to greet you. Aside from the pyrotechnics, the bar has a special tasting menu with hearty dishes, like puree of cabbage soup, crispy red snapper and white chocolate brioche.

Tabard Inn

The antique furniture, wood beam ceilings and crackling fire may cause you to linger at the Tabard Inn’s Lounge, just outside the restaurant and bar. There’s also live jazz every Sunday night from 7:30-10 p.m.

Daniel O'Connell's Bar & Restaurant

Enjoy a pint of Guinness and hearty Irish stew alongside one of four fireplaces at Daniel O’Connell’s. The dim lighting and plethora of fireside options makes this one of Old Town’s best winter retreats.

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Walk into L'Auberge Chez François in Great Falls and you are transported to an "auberge," a French country inn. The main dining room has a corner, wood-burning fireplace. For extra warmth order from the six course, prix-fixe dinner, ranging from $62.00 to $74.00

Black's Bar & Kitchen

Happy hour at Black’s Bar & Kitchen features steeply discounted seafood. From 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, steamed shrimp are $.50 each and Chesapeake Bay oysters are two-for-one for $1.99. Outside, the patio fire pits will keep you warm when the temperature drops.

Fire Works Pizza

There are wood-fire pizzas cooking inside and a giant fire pit burning on the patio. Plus, new seasonal casks are being served: Delirium Noel, Great Lakes Christmas Ale, and Peak Organic Winter Session Ale.

A BAR

For a warm cocktail, try A Bar’s heated patio. The bar serves mulled wine, hot toddies and other warm cocktails. Fire pits and couches add to the ambiance.

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