Winter is coming, people. And while this fall has be unseasonably mild, forecasters are predicting a return of the dreaded polar vortex later this month, bringing with it frigid temperatures from the north. In preparation, the writers at DCist have put together this list of our favorite bars to post up on a cold winter night. These are the places where we like to warm up, occasionally in front of a fire, a hot beverage in our mitten-covered hands. As always, you can let us know your favorite winter weather haunts in the comments.
Photo by LaTur.
BOURBON STEAK: Bourbon Steak’s swanky bar inside the Four Seasons Georgetown Hotel boasts an extensive drink menu, including a selection of hot and boozy beverages. Warm up with a hot buttered rum spiced with vanilla and ginger, or freshly pressed apple cider laced with Buffalo Trace bourbon. For something more decadent, there’s the Warm “Milk” made with white chocolate and El Dorado aged rum. If it’s not too frigid outside, take your drinks out on the patio and enjoy them in front of the fire pit. —Alicia Mazzara
Bourbon Steak is located at 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
IRON GATE: Iron Gate has always been a favorite of mine—a place with charm, history, and a great new menu. With the evening temperatures dropping, Iron Gate has a bar and inner restaurant with a fireplace that invites you in to sample Chef Tony Chittum’s Mediterranean fare in a warm and cozy setting. This converted carriage house has a long, vaulted entry that now serves as a bar, with tables at either end. Jeff Faile’s cocktails and a decent wine list will certainly get you going. I love the swordfish meatballs with pine nuts and raisins, but there are many other excellent options like burrata, surryanno ham, pear, and vincotto. And the long carriage-way with giant flickering gas lamps and heaters adds to the sense of intimacy. The restaurant, located in a separate building, has a wood-burning fireplace which has always been a draw for Iron Gate diners. It’s pricey, but an elegant tasting menu of four, six, or eight courses is available at dinner. Most importantly, at after-dinner hours in the main dining room, you can sit in front of the fireplace and order drinks and small plates for a final nightcap. That’s a real deal. —Johanna Mendelson Forman
Iron Gate is located at 1734 N Street NW.
MARI VANNA: If there’s anyone who knows how to ride out a long, cold winter, it’s the Russians. So when the temperature drops, follow their lead and head to Mari Vanna. Inside, the warm lights and floral cushions make you feel as if you’ve stumbled into the cozy home of someone’s babushka—albeit a babushka with a very well-stocked bar. Pull up a stool and take your pick from the many house-infused vodkas—a shot of horseradish vodka will warm you right up. If the polar vortex has really gotten you down, you can order a whole liter of vodka (only $125!) and drink until sunnier days.—Elizabeth Packer
Mari Vanna is located at 1141 Connecticut Avenue NW.
Photo courtesy of Poste.
POSTE: When the weather turns chilly, Poste transforms their beautiful courtyard into an outdoor lounge replete with couches, fuzzy blankets, heat lamps, and fire pits. The Winter Lounge re-opens this Friday with hot beverages, meat and veggie skewers, and complimentary DIY s’mores. Warm cocktails riff on all your childhood favorites, with some decidedly more adult ingredients: choose from a tequila-spiked Mexican hot chocolate, a maple bourbon hot toddy, or salted caramel apple cider with rum. The lounge is open Tuesdays through Saturdays starting at 4 p.m. provided it’s at least 42 degrees outside. —Alicia Mazzara
Poste is located at 555 8th Street NW.
THE PUG: For me, the kind of bar I most want to retreat to in deepest throes of winter is the dive-y neighborhood hangout where you’ll only find devoted familiar faces. Also, something hot to drink. That’s why The Pug on H Street is the perfect cold-weather retreat. During the winter months, it’s usually sparsely populated with regulars, and there’s a kind of communal vibe of “hey, we’re going to get through this winter together.” Moreover, The Pug always serves a spiked hot cider that’ll get you drunk enough to forget how cold it is on the trek home. That is important. — Matt Cohen
The Pug is located at 1234 H Street NE.
ROOM 11: Tiny Room 11 is the definition of cozy on a chilly evening. There’s an outdoor fire pit with heat lamps and complimentary blankets if you want to brave the elements, or snuggle up to one of two bars in the warmly-lit interior. The cocktail menu changes frequently, but in the past they’ve featured winter favorites like hot cider and glogg, a spicy Swedish mulled wine. And they’re always happy to make you a hot toddy if you ask.—Alicia Mazzara
Room 11 is located at 3234 11th Street NW.
RURAL SOCIETY: The fireplaces here are for grilling meat, not for warming your hands, but the flames and the stacks of wood throughout the restaurant make Rural Society an enticing option on a cold day. There’s a generous happy hour, offered daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m., so grab a seat at the dimly lit, wood paneled bar and indulge in either a full-bodied Tempranillo or a plush Malbec, both on offer for $5 a glass. Add a cheesy Argentine style pizza, warm empanada, or flame-grilled chorizo to amp up the cozy factor. There’s also jazz music during happy hour on the enclosed outdoor patio, which is thankfully outfitted with many heat lamps. —Elizabeth Packer
Rural Society is located at 1177 15th Street NW.
RUSSIA HOUSE: Anton Chekhov said, “people don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.” So, in order to better not notice the winter doldrums, think Chekhov and head over to Russia House just north of Dupont Circle. Look out for Caps players as you warm up with traditional fare like Beef Stroganoff. They also have a selection of vodkas and caviars if you want the full experience. —Josh Kramer
Russia House is located at 1800 Connecticut Avenue NW.
SCIENCE CLUB: Situated near the corner of 19th Street and M Street NW, Science Club is a quiet, surreptitious, and unassuming bar that offers an environment that’s otherwise hard to find in Washington D.C. And despite being a great spot for drinks and conversation, it’s often overlooked due to some of the flashier and more popular bars nearby. However, this also means that Science Club is rarely overcrowded, making it fairly easy to grab a seat rather than having to stand uncomfortably in a corner. While you may sometimes find a DJ pumping out jams on the third floor, the ground and second floors offer a quiet, almost subterranean setting that makes you feel as if you’re sipping your libation in a warm and dimly-lit cave (in a good way). Ultimately, Science Club is a beautifully simple, no-frills establishment in which you’d be happy to find yourself passing the time when the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall. —Jordan Anthony-Brown
Science Club is located at 1136 19th Street NW.
TABARD INN: We can’t talk about D.C. wintertime standbys without a nod to the Tabard, where locals and visitors alike have been cozying up since 1922. With its sepia and mahogany color scheme, overstuffed sofas, and candlelit glow, the lounge exudes a shabby chic, gentleman’s hunting lodge vibe. Curl up in an armchair next to the fireplace (a real wood-burning one, not one of those gas-powered imposters), wrap your hands around a mug of spiked cider or a hot toddy, and let yourself forget you’ll have to brave the cold again when you leave. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights feature unobtrusive live jazz. —Jenny Holm
Tabard Inn is located at 1739 N Street NW.
TRYST: This cozy coffeehouse is a popular study spot, but it’s worth sticking around after the books are packed away. They’ve got a number of boozy “fall warmers” on offer right now, including several takes on the classic hot toddy (a personal favorite), honey bourbon chai, and spiked cider. Those looking for a sweeter treat should check out the (non-alcoholic) lavender hot chocolate. —Victoria Finkle
Tryst is located at 2459 18th Street NW.
