With a little over a month to go before winter ends (thankfully), we’re savoring all the warm and cozy New York restaurants while we can. After all, when you step out in below-freezing temperatures it’s either for a fashion show or a world-class meal. So if you love white truffles or a pasta dish that warms you inside out, here are nine warm and cozy restaurants that are worth a winter outing.
The Riddler
San Francisco’s infamous The Riddler has graced the streets of New York’s West Village—a fitting neighborhood for the upscale champagne bar. Here, guests will find a warm atmosphere surrounded by luxe touches such as brass finishes and white Carrara marble countertops. The menu includes favorites from the San Francisco flagship including tater tot waffles and caviar service. However, the addition of a full kitchen allows diners to indulge in burgers, risotto and seared halibut. You can’t go past the oysters— after all, champagne and oysters make the perfect pair. Speaking of champagne, the list is endless and from around the world and we couldn’t be more impressed. Even though it’s cold outside, escape to The Riddler and forget about winter altogether.
Call 212.741.5136 to reserve a table.
Verōnika
Photo Credit: Corry Arnold
Stephen Starr’s latest venture, Verōnika is a European-inspired restaurant inside New York’s newest gallery, Fotografiska and takes diners on a journey from Paris to Budapest. The opulent space, located on the second floor of the gallery is adorned with brass fixtures, 20-foot ceilings with cornices and archways, velvet blue banquettes and rotating framed photographs. Step inside and you’ll forget about the temperature outside. Serving dinner only, diners will find a menu that pays homage to the White Russians in Escoffier-era France as well as Vienna’s grand cafes and new takes on Eastern European food. Start with potato pierogi hors D’oeuvres or escargot before finding a selection of mains such as lamb goulash, chicken kiev, wiener schnitzel and many more show-stopping dishes. There is also a selection of caviar, served with traditional accouterments and a dessert menu presented tableside or on a trolley.
Visit here to reserve a table.
Mister French
Mister French, the Bowery’s newest hotspot by Chef David Burke, is the perfect downtown destination to escape the cold this winter. Diners have a choice here. The eight-seat chef’s counter lets you get up and close to the action while the bar area is great for after-work drinks. Mister French is somewhat known for its craft cocktails, which are captivating and amusing or delicate and floral. There is also a tableside service where cocktails are mixed tableside for a touch of royalty. As for the food, you will find a selection of dishes from Fromage for two to duck waffles and oysters gratinèes. The mains are just as ambitious with a 26.oz lafrieda dry-aged tomahawk, a saint Jacques, which is sea scallops with mussel provencal sauce or flétan with lobster, halibut in a bisque topped with caviar. From Tuesdays at 9 p.m and Fridays at 10:30 p.m, you’ll even find a cheeky burlesque show in the dining room.
Visit here to reserve a table.
Bluebird London
Photo Credit: Bluebird London
Head to Bluebird London, a modern British brasserie for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The all-day café, wine bar and cocktail lounge overlooks a snowy Central Park and has a menu that can warm-up even the coldest of days. Diners can start with a selection of oysters, before diving into a main of fish and chips, Peking duck breast or the Berkshire pork schnitzel, which comes with a drizzle of saffron caper butter sauce. For dessert, nothing warms you up more than a sticky toffee pudding. There is also a winter afternoon tea served daily from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., which includes sweet and savory treats such as chocolate-covered strawberries, cranberry scone and smoked salmon with caper créme fraîche. Accompanying the treats is a selection of teas and optional bubbles.
Call 347.682.2100 to reserve a table.
Cathédrale
Escape to the Mediterranean coast at Cathédrale, the recently opened restaurant in Moxy East Village. Here, guests will be transported to the warm coast of Southern France, with touches of Italy, Spain and Greece—where we’d rather be. The staggering setting evokes warm tones with a soaring cathedral inspired ceiling and makes for a great place to cozy up to this winter. The menu includes winter squash, Faroe Island salmon, roasted Maine lobster, octopus grillé, Fettucine with shaved truffle and much more. There is also an option to opt-in for a veal porterhouse, 36.oz. prime-aged côte de Beouf or a bouillabaisse ‘Tetou’. Cathédrale also offers a selection of aperitifs including April in Paris, Barcelonette, Zou Bisou and Scarborough Fair. For dessert, treat yourself to seasonal fruits, apple beignets, an opera layer cake or a warm chocolate torte.
Call 212.888.1093 to reserve a table.
Nami Nori
Photo Credit: Nami Nori
Newcomer Nami Nori made its West Village debut last October and has since impressed with its taco-shaped handrolls. The casual temaki bar sports bare bricks painted white and all blond woods to create an atmosphere that evokes the relaxed comfort of a beach house. The best seats are definitely at the sushi bar, where diners can watch the chefs make the specialized open-style sushi hand rolls. The menu features signature temaki, including crunchy varieties, takes on the classics and even has a vegan section. The Japanese-inspired snacks and appetizers include shishito peppers, nori chips, calamari, a nami nori salad and much more. Perfect for a work lunch or after-work dinner, Nami Nori is a great casual spot to pop into and escape the windchill.
Call 646.998.4588 to reserve a table.
Nowon
Photo Credit: Nowon
There’s a new Korean restaurant in the East Village and it’s unlike any other. Nowon, which opened in November, is a non-traditional Korean American restaurant bringing a favorite new cuisine to the neighborhood from Chef Jae Lee. Known for his stint with Chef Dale Talde, Lee’s restaurant has a hip-hop vibe and breaks the rules when it comes to dishes. Diners will find an exciting menu including honey butter tater tots, mung bean pancake, chopped cheese rice cakes and a crowd-pleasing kimchi mayo burger. Described as Korean-inspired with New York Swag, Nowon boasts a 24-seat dining room and a 10-seat bar surrounded by ’90s to 2000s hip-hop songs and artwork. If you’re looking to escape the cold and try something new, Nowon is the place to be.
Visit here to reserve a table.
Portale
Nothing makes you feel warmer than Italian cuisine on a cold winter day. Chef Alfred Portale, from Gotham Bar and Grill, announced his highly-anticipated restaurant opening, Portale last year and has since become a favorite. Diners will explore Italian cuisine with a fresh spin served in a relaxed and convivial setting in the heart of Chelsea. The restaurant, which was once a carriage house, combines raw materials including limed whitewashed reclaimed timber and painted raw brick to create a sleek metropolitan feel with a warm and inviting homespun comfort. Indulge in a selection of antipasti and small snacks such as crostini to start. For main, opt-in for a warm and cozy pasta including cavatelli, Campanelle, lumache with short rib or risotto with hedgehog mushrooms. If you don’t like pasta, don’t worry there’s branzino, duck breast, steak and much more.
Visit here to reserve a table.
Kochi
Photo Credit: Melissa Hom
Another new Korean restaurant, Kochi serves traditional dishes using French and Japanese techniques from Chef Sungchul Shim—a veteran of Per Se. Kochi, which translates to skewer is a great option for diners looking to escape to a warm respite in Hell’s Kitchen. Diners will experience a nine-course tasting menu of skewered dishes including pork belly with kimchi and pickled radish, slow-cooked truffle chicken terrine with winter vegetables, grilled branzino and crispy sweet potato. Even dessert comes on a stick in the form of a black sesame ice-cream pop. However, there is a dish that is not skewered—Myungran bibimbap. This dish is inspired by traditional festival cuisine of the Korean royal court and is made up of spicy pollock roe, candied anchovy, toasted Seawood puree, egg yolk sauce and brown soy butter rice.
Visit here to reserve a table.
