NYC’s coziest spots to escape the cold weather

Winter is here, and New Yorkers are hunkering down for the cold and dark months to come. But regardless of how terrible the season can be, New Yorkers still want to go out and do things. Ahead, here are some of the city’s coziest places to spend the cold months ahead, from rustic bars with fireplaces to the Koneko cat cafe.

Cozy restaurants & bars
The Cabin NYC
205 East 4th Street, Manhattan
The Cabin is a rustic, cottage-like restaurant offering classic American dishes and creative cocktails. This Alphabet City outpost is adorned with wood-paneled walls, birch trees, and leather banquettes to make every guest feel warm and comfortable.

Alta
64 West 10th Street, Manhattan
Located within a 19th-century townhouse with high wood-beamed ceilings, mezzanine seating, and two fireplaces, Alta is a perfect spot to catch a cozy meal during chilly times. The Mediterranean tapas restaurant offers customers fresh fish, pasta, and a great selection of wine.

Image courtesy of One if by Land, Two if by Sea

One if by Land, Two if by Sea
17 Barrow Street, Manhattan
This romantic restaurant’s brick walls, stained glass, candlelight, and roaring fireplace make it the perfect spot for a cozy meal in the winter. The restaurant is located inside a historic, landmarked carriage house that was built in 1767.

Joyface
104 Avenue C, Manhattan
While slightly less intimate than some of the restaurants previously mentioned, this 70s-themed East Village bar is fitted with plush couches and a fireplace to have patrons feeling cozy during the coldest months of the year.

Achilles Heel
180 West Street, Brooklyn
This well-known neighborhood bar is highly regarded for both its drinks and food, housed within an unassuming corner spot in Greenpoint. They serve mainly American fare, and their food menu changes weekly. Their wood-burning fireplace is kept roaring through the winter months and adds to the space’s vintage appearance. Achilles Heel is another great option for those looking for a warm and cozy escape from the cold weather.

The Waverly Inn 
16 Bank Street, Manhattan
Housed within two attached townhouses, the Waverly Inn is an intimate West Village restaurant offering comfort food to be enjoyed alongside cozy decor and a fireplace. Menu options include truffled mac and cheese, oysters, and pot pie.

Image courtesy of Black Mountain Wine House

Black Mountain Wine House
415 Union Street, Brooklyn
Black Mountain Wine House feels more like a rustic retreat than a wine bar, with its country house decor, wood plank exterior, stained glass windows, and a roaring fireplace. The bar offers a wide selection of small-production vintage wines by the glass and hearty comfort food to match it.

Image courtesy of Té Company

Té Company
163 West 10th Street, Manhattan
There’s nothing like enjoying a hot cup of tea on a chilly day. Founded in 2022, Té Company offers a blend of teas sourced directly from Taiwanese tea farmers and handmade tea snacks. Located in the West Village, this compact shop is the perfect spot to seek refuge from the harsh winter weather.

Black Cat LES
172 Rivington Street, Manhattan
Here’s another tea and coffee spot to include on your cozy destination list. A beloved neighborhood shop, Black Cat is known for its calm ambiance that feels more like a living room than a coffee shop. Besides their food and drink menu, Black Cat offers patrons free Wi-Fi, printing services, and comfy seating on vintage lounge furniture. They also frequently host live music, comedy nights, movie nights, and even lectures.

Image courtesy of the Bowery Hotel and Annie Schlecter

Lobby Bar at the Bowery Hotel
335 Bowery Street, Manhattan
The Bowery Hotel’s lobby bar is one of the coziest spots in the city, with plush velvet couches, ornate tile work, and a fireplace. Specialty cocktails can be enjoyed in the calm setting, and hotel guests can order food from the adjacent Gemma restaurant.

Image courtesy of Elle Kenwood

Book Club
197 East 3rd Street, Manhattan
Located in the East Village, Book Club is an independent bookstore that offers customers coffee, beer, wine, and a cozy living room-like atmosphere. They maintain a diverse variety of books across many genres. The space transforms from a low-key bookstore and coffee shop to a bar at night. Book Club also hosts events like live music, workshops, and live music.

Ivy Room Piano Bar
420 Park Avenue South, Manhattan
Situated on the Royalton Rooftop in Nomad, this dimly lit piano bar is the perfect spot for a cozy outing. The restaurant and bar feature dark wood-paneled walls and furnishings, an outdoor rooftop fireplace with plush seating, and warm-colored lamps. The establishment features live music, creative cocktails, and delicious bar bites.

Rolo’s
853 Onderdonk Avenue, Queens
Nestled into a picturesque corner in Ridgewood, Rolo’s cozy ambiance welcomes patrons into its front bar space which during the day doubles as a bakery and cafe. The quaint restaurant’s interior features a fireplace, wood-paneled walls, exposed wood beam ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling bay windows which adds to its cozy aesthetic. Rolo’s main dining area is spread out around a large wood-burning oven and grill, producing heat that is sure to warm you up on a cold day. The restaurant is best known for its pork t-bone, polenta bread, and weekend brunch menu. 

Lucali Pizzeria
575 Henry Street, Brooklyn
Those who manage to secure a table at the famous Carroll Gardens pizzeria are guaranteed a cozy night out. The beloved eatery, known for its world-class pizza, features a warm industrial design with vintage wine bottles, wood furnishings, and an open kitchen centered around a huge brick oven.

Image courtesy of David Williams

Activities
Koneko Cat Cafe
26 Clinton Street, Manhattan
Nothing says warm and cozy like spending time with cats. Koneko first opened on the Lower East Side in 2016 with the mission of finding homes for cats at risk of being put down. All cats roaming the cafe’s three spaces are up for adoption. Besides offering valuable time with feline companions, Koneko also has a Japanese-inspired menu that includes homemade desserts, as well as beer, wine, and sake.

Y7 Yoga
Five locations throughout NYC
Known for its uniquely chill ambiance, Y7 yoga studio offers its guests a cozy way to work out, with candle-lit instruction and calming tunes. Y7 has five locations throughout the city, with branches in the East Village, Flatiron, Park Slope, Williamsburg, and the Upper East Side.

QC NY
Governors Island
New Yorkers can find a relaxing spa getaway just a five-minute ferry ride away from Manhattan. QC NY, a luxurious wellness spa, opened in March 2022 within three historic buildings on Governors Island. The getaway beckons guests to cross the chilly waters of the East River for a day of relaxation and bliss. QC NY features outdoor spa pools, relaxation rooms, themed saunas, infrared baths, steam baths, and other revitalizing amenities. For the colder months, the spa’s outdoor pathways and robe racks are heated. Other winter highlights include the Fireplace Room, which lets guests relax by the fire with a complimentary face mask, and the Scottish Room, a steam room with “eucalyptus and balsamic aromas that help to expel cold weather stress and toxins,” according to the spa.

Now through March 8, QC NY will host “QCirque of Wonders,” poolside performances featuring fire artists, stilt walkers, light performers, and more. The performances start at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and repeat every half hour until 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash 

New York Public Library’s Rose Main Reading Room
476 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
Cozy up to a nice book underneath warm lamp light and a breathtaking three-part mural painted by James Wall Finn at the New York Public Library’s Rose Main Reading Room. The Rose Reading Room is one of the largest uncolumned interior spaces in the world and provides the perfect space for book lovers, students, and visitors alike to sit down and better their knowledge.

Russian & Turkish Baths
268 East 10th Street, Manhattan
A great option to escape the cold is to relax at the Russian & Turkish Baths in Manhattan. Since 1892, the Russian & Turkish Baths have been the prime spa and wellness destination for New Yorkers, with its five saunas and steam rooms, cold plunge pool, roof deck, and restaurant. They also offer massage services and other relaxing treatments.

OStudio
366 Stockton Street, Brooklyn
OStudio is a well-known Bushwick spot regarded for its pottery lessons and dining experiences. OStudio offers lessons for everyone, whether you’re an expert or a novice. At night, OStudio turns into an intimate restaurant and bar. Each month the studio welcomes a new chef who brings their unique style and flavors to the kitchen. An adjacent cafe space hosts events like pop-up dinners, gallery exhibitions, and more.

Image via WikiCommons

Strand Book Store
828 Broadway, Manhattan
New York City’s most iconic bookstore is a great destination for escaping the cold weather. The famous East Village bookstore, whose official company slogan is “18 miles of books,” sells new, used, and rare books that span across a diverse selection of genres. Besides their main location in the East Village, Strand has another branch on the Upper West Side, as well as kiosks in Central Park and Times Square.

Image by anielbaez0 from Pixabay

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
Escape the cold and wander through the Met Museum’s vast collection of art ranging from prehistory to modern works. You will become so fascinated with the museum’s astounding collection of art that you’ll forget it’s even snowing outside. Highlights include ancient mummies, an Egyptian temple from 10 B.C., and a collection of European and Asian armor. Admission is “pay what you wish” for New York residents and students in New Jersey and Connecticut. Ticket information can be found here.

Image courtesy of Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

Museum of the City of New York
1220 5th Avenue, Manhattan
Another great option for spending the winter months is visiting the Museum of the City of New York. MCNY has a vast selection of events, exhibitions, and programs they host regularly, each casting light on New York City’s history and the groups of people who played a critical role in shaping the way the city has come to be. Through July 21, 2024, MCNY is hosting This Is New York, an exhibit that celebrates the museum’s centennial and highlights what NYC has meant to generations of artists, musicians, writers, storytellers, and filmmakers who have captured the essence of the five boroughs through their work.

Image via WikiCommons

IFC Center Movie Theater
323 6th Avenue, Manhattan
Housed within the former Waverly Theater in Greenwich Village, the IFC Center is a state-of-the-art movie theater perfect for a winter outing. There are five separate cinemas to view showings in, and a vast selection of films, including documentary, independent, foreign, and more. Guests can also purchase drinks and popcorn, buy merchandise, and see vintage movie posters from around the world.

Photo by Seth Hoffman on Unsplash

Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center Plaza, Manhattan
Take a musical escape from the cold at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center. The whole complex is home to 11 separate arts organizations, so there is no shortage of music, theater, dance, film, and opera performances you can see. You can view a list of upcoming programming here.

Image courtesy of Julien Chatelain on Flickr

Blue Note Jazz Club
131 West 3rd Street, Manhattan
Sit back and relax to the sound of live music at Greenwich Village’s famous Blue Note Jazz Club. The intimate jazz club gives its audiences the rare opportunity to see some of the world’s most talented musicians up close and personal. Blue Note’s dimly lit interior, cool ambiance, and world-class musicianship make it a great choice for spending a cold night.

Kick Axe Throwing
622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn
Located in Gowanus, Kick Axe is a bar that gives patrons the unique opportunity to do some axe throwing. While it may seem like axe throwing and drinking alcohol don’t mix, Kick Axe makes sure their axe throwing experience is held to the highest safety standards and teaches participants how to play correctly. Their bar offers guests a wide variety of beverage choices, including beers, wines, and liquors.

Photo by Charles16e on Flickr

Chelsea Market
75 9th Avenue, Manhattan
Located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, the Chelsea Market is a food hall, shopping mall, office building, and television production facility. Its food hall is one of the best in New York City, offering food lovers a plethora of cuisines. Visiting the market is another great option on a cold and rainy day in NYC.

Photo courtesy of Park Deli
Shop small and support local NYC businesses
Park Deli
722 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn
It may be called a deli, but this Crown Heights shop is way more interesting than that. Founded in 2009, Park Deli is a family-owned skateboard, flower, and dry goods shop in a space formerly occupied by a German deli. They offer customers skateboard repairs, fresh-cut flowers, art supplies, men’s and women’s clothing, and much more.

Quality Goods
128 Wyckoff Avenue, Brooklyn
Located in Bushwick, Quality Goods is a curated neighborhood gift shop offering customers home goods and lifestyle products. They highlight the work of local artists and small businesses and offer a wide variety of gift options for every kind of person. You can be sure to find a quirky, unique item that your loved ones will adore.

180 The Store
180 Duane Street, Manhattan
Specializing in minimalist but luxurious fashion, Tribeca’s 180 The Store is a retail and event space that highlights brands, designers, and hand-crafted items all under the same roof.  They carry artisanal furniture, lifestyle items, pottery, and more. Founded by Denise Williamson, the space was originally meant to serve as a way to highlight brands Williamson worked with as a fashion P.R. agent. Over time, she brought in new brands that she loved and adored and wanted to expose her customers to.

RELATED:

• 10 cozy NYC bars to stay warm at all winter
• 17 things to keep you warm in your apartment this winter

Editor’s note: The original version of this article was published on October 21, 2022, and has since been updated.