When snowflakes start to fall and temperatures plummet, the prospect of dining fireside takes on special appeal. Fortunately, fireplaces are crackling in some of the best restaurants across the Valley. It’s an appealing way to warm up after a brisk day on the slopes (or, less glamorously, shoveling snow). You’ll get a warm welcome — literally — at these toasty spots, whether you enjoy a meal before the hearth or simply stop in for drinks and a small bite.
Blackbarn Hudson Valley
Saugerties
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Farm-to-table fireside dining makes Blackbarn Hudson Valley a destination. Connected to the luxurious Diamond Mills Hotel, the restaurant sits perfectly between the Hudson River and the Catskills. The hotel is a gateway for many other winter-based activities, and the eatery is where people who try those out warm up afterward. Hudson Valley charcuterie starts off any occasion properly, while the artisanal flatbreads are perfectly sharable.
Butterfield
Stone Ridge
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Inside Hasbrouck House’s luxury hotel lies Butterfield, a farm-to-table restaurant inspired by the cuisine of the Hudson Valley. Named after the surrounding lands, which are so rich they’ve been compared to fields of butter, this eatery puts an aesthetic spin on its hearth décor. Adorned with tall candles instead of logs, the fireplace glows brightly in the center of the dining room for all to enjoy. Sit down for a hearty helping of pasta, oysters, or a roasted chicken, and order a classic cocktail to accompany your meal. Note that the restaurant in closed for winter break until February 1.
Charlotte’s
Millbrook
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A quaint little spot just outside the heart of Millbrook on Route 44, Charlotte’s includes an eclectic mix of Mediterranean and American cuisine centered around seafood and prime cuts of meat. Start with veggie soup to warm you up, just like the crackling fire; if not, Maryland crab cakes and loaded mac and cheese should do the trick. In the summer, the outdoor seating overlooks a picturesque garden, but for the cold months, Charlotte’s has two fireplaces in the public dining areas (and another two in the private banquet room), so whether you’re nursing a cocktail at the bar or savoring a three-course meal, the warmth of the fireplace is never far.
Harvest on Hudson
Hastings-on-Hudson
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Choose to sit in the greenhouse or the garden at this farm-to-table restaurant, but dine inside the main dining room for cozy fireplace views in the winter months. Options like grilled octopus, whipped ricotta, fig and prosciutto pizza, or cauliflower steak are the stars of the show at this Hudson-side restaurant, while the ambiance is a close second.
Hoffman House
Kingston
Registered on the National Landmark of Historic Places, Hoffman House has been a local favorite for decades. Its stone architecture and dark wood interiors create a warm, welcoming colonial atmosphere, heightened by the three fireplaces in the dining rooms. On the menu, start with classics like French onion soup or bacon-wrapped scallops before moving onto the entrees, which consist of crowd-pleasers from a variety of cuisines.
Il Fresco
Orangeburg
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Within the sandstone walls of this historic pre-Revolutionary War building is an Italian trattoria. Il Fresco has seen many different owners over the years before becoming what it is today, all of which gave the eatery its charm and character. Now, Il Fresco curates classic Italian dishes out of its cozy kitchen in Orangeburg. Grab a seat fireside for antipasti, insalata, and pasta, along with entrees like pollo parmigiana or scallopine alla saltimbocca.
The Maker
Hudson
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While The Maker offers a restaurant, cafe, juice bar, and lounge, you’ll want to book a table at the latter for moody fireside vibes. The hotel’s lounge features an intimate cocktail bar house in a converted 19th-century carriage house. The grand walls and ceilings are just a part of the locale’s appeal, while candle-lit tables, a captivating bar, cushy chairs, and a hand-carved fireplace further add to the space. Enjoy specialty cocktails and bar-side bites like truffle and parmesan fries, East Coast oysters, blistered shishito peppers, burrata, beef tartare, and more delicious eats in the lounge.
Northwood Inn
Mahopac
For traditional Polish dishes and American favorites fireside, Northwood Inn is the destination of choice. Here, the food remains true to owner Zygmunt Pastuszka’s Polish roots, with a great cocktail selection and ambiance to match. Dig into Polish specialties like beef goulash with potato pancakes, hunter’s stew, Golabki, pierogi, shepherd’s pie, and more, or order a classic burger, steak, seafood, or entrée like chicken Cordon Bleu.
Ship Lantern Inn
Milton
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In this intimate atmosphere, the Ship Lantern Inn serves contemporary American continental cuisine in Milton. The building itself dates back to the Revolutionary War and has been family-owned and -operated since 1925. Here, you’ll find comfort food in the company of a roaring fireplace. Explore menu options like oysters, beef tenderloin carpaccio, escargot, gnocchi Bolognese, and Maine lobster risotto, and finish off your meal with crème brulee, lava cake, or bananas foster.
The ’76 House
Tappan
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George Washington himself used to warm his bones and knock back a drink or two at this colonial stalwart, which dates from 1668 and lays claim to being the oldest in New York State. By far the taproom is the most popular spot here, where two original fireplaces still roar to life in cold weather. There is also a fireplace in the André room (named for the British spy John André, who served prison time in this very spot during the American Revolution) and the lounge, where you could enjoy a drink before the fire while waiting for your table. You can’t miss the pork chops with whipped sweet potatoes and an apple-brandy glaze. For additional fireside dining opportunities, the Sunday brunch entices with eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, and delicious omelets— not to mention the mimosas.
Related: Where to Order Fantastic Fondue in the Hudson Valley
