26 Cozy Restaurants in NYC to Beat the Winter Blues

Even in the most frigid New York weather, you can always post up in a cozy restaurant and make a night out of it. Whether you're in the mood for a warm and friendly ambiance, delicious comfort food or an intimate atmosphere, there are plenty of eateries, bars and hybrids of the two that you should check out this season. (Did I mention one is Taylor Swift-approved?) From homey American diners and inviting French bistros to contemporary Asian concepts and off-the-radar food halls, there's a snug corner to suit every taste. Here are 26 of my favorite cozy restaurants in NYC for escaping the cold, treating yourself to a delicious meal, flirting with a server, and perhaps even overstaying your welcome.

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• Location: 40 Clinton Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: burrata, cheese pastry, mamliga

I was introduced to Oti (and the brilliant owner-chef, Elyas Popa) by a mutual friend a few years ago and have gone multiple times since they opened their tiny (but charming!) permanent East Village space 2023. Billing itself as a “contemporary Romanian restaurant,” Oti’s menu is a tapas-style fever dream, with delicacies like my personal favorites: zakuska (fire-roasted eggplant, tomato and onion dip), burrata stuffed with Romanian Telemea cheese and mici (a beef and lamb combo with garlic and miso-infused fermented mustard). Foodie friends have raved whenever I have brought them here, and the narrow space, dim and flickering in the candle light, is the perfect place to duck inside on a cold evening—but the patio is also a can’t-miss in the summer. No matter the season, each time I stop in the food and drinks are comforting but exciting. Order the whole menu; you won’t be disappointed.

• Location: 320 W. Broadway
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: buttermilk pancakes, baked mac & cheese, grilled cheese & tomato soup, roast beef sandwich

I am obsessed with Wes Anderson and Soho Diner on West Broadway makes me feel like I’ve stepped straight onto a movie set. Deep orange hues, quirky and comfy booths, a real jukebox—I swear I’m waiting for him to walk inside and call, “Action!” While “diner” is in the name, it’s far from a grubby hole-in-the-wall. (Though, like its counterparts, it is open late—until 2 a.m. some nights—sequestered in the Soho Grand Hotel. This is my in-a-pinch watering hole.) Think all your classic diner faves, elevated. I recommend the buttermilk pancakes, baked mac & cheese, grilled cheese and tomato soup…or the roast beef sandwich if you’re after something heartier. If you have space (though I highly doubt you will), you can round out the meal with a decadent milkshake from the soda fountain, or order a molten peanut butter banana split. And unlike your diner down the block, this one has an excellent cocktail menu.

• Location: 115 Allen Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: chicken sandwich

This inconspicuous establishment has a cult following and, heads up, reservations are competitive. But if you enjoy fried chicken and want a unique dining experience, Double Chicken Please might just be worth the hoops you must jump through to get there. The space is intimate and chic; the centerpiece of the wood-panelled room is the bar. Patrons crowd into plush booths around tiny tables for the privilege of one of the famed chicken sandwiches, available in four iterations: Hot Honey, Salted Egg Yolk, Bolognese Grilled Cheese and Mochi Donut. Accompany it with one of tne of the eclectic cocktails. (Personally, I’d go for the Mango Sticky Rice: rum, mango, sticky rice tea, wakame, cold brew and coconut.)

• Location: 7 E. 17th Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: any ceviche

PureWow Food Editor Taryn Pire and I visited Mission Ceviche while reporting on Asian-Latino fusion food, and I’ve thought about chef and founder José Luis Chavez’s creations ever since. He recently opened a Union Square outpost, and the menu reflects Chinese and Japanese influences, the latter notably in the preparation of the ceviche, which borrows from the sashimi traditions of preparation and quality. That being said, it’s an absolute must if you drop by; I don’t care if you order anything else. When we visited the Upper East Side location, we sampled the mahi mahi tiradito, yellowfin tuna tartare and mixed seafood ceviche…but I don’t think you could go wrong with any pick.

• Location: 601 W. 26th Street
• Reservations: no
• What to Order: Forsyth Fire Escape

Another establishment I, Pire and PureWow Beauty and Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario visited while researching Chino-Latino fusion was Olly Olly Market, where Forsyth Fire Escape has set up shop. The permanent pop-up blends founders Isabel Lee and Luis Fernadez’s Chinese, Thai and Dominican heritage, with menu items like the iconic scallion pancake burrito (my personal favorite) and plantain, egg and cheese. Olly Olly Market stands in the shadow of the larger Chelsea Market a few blocks down, but the smaller space lends a more convivial atmosphere with great vendors—minus the overwhelming selection and crowds.

• Location: 53 W. 35th Street
• Reservations: yes for parties of 6 or more
• What to Order: pajun, jap chae, soon doo boo

Han Bat only rivals with perhaps Oti, Soho Diner, 12 Chairs and Spanish Diner as a place I really truly frequent with some regularity. Anytime I’m looking for food in Midtown, Han Bat is usually at the top of my list. In the winter, it’s particularly warming because the specialty is soon doo boo—tofu soup. Hot New Yorker tip: Han Bat is the less-hyped competitor of Cho Dang Gol, which is literally next door. The latter usually always has a massive wait, but I’ve never had a problem walking into Han Bat and being seated immediately. Other dishes you need to order: pajun (seafood pancake) and jap chae (glass noodles). They also customarily serve little side dishes (banchan), of which you will definitely want to eat all the fish cakes.

• Location: 10 Hudson Yards
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: patatas bravas, albóndigas con sepia y patatas fritas

Every time I go to Spanish Diner I order the exact same thing: albóndigas con sepia y patatas fritas (AKA cuttlefish and Ibérico pork meatballs in tomato sauce with crispy potatoes) and I don’t regret it one bit. And, honestly, I somehow persuaded all my dinner companions to order it, too. Because one can never have too many crispy potatoes, I’m also always game for a side of patatas bravas drizzled with spicy tomato sauce and garlic aioli. It’s one restaurant nestled in a bigger food hall, but still retains a familiar feel as opposed to the labyrinth that is Chelsea Market. After dinner, I like to wander the food stalls and find a churro, eating it at one of the little café tables and then walking into the mall.

• Location: 385 6th Avenue
• Reservations: no
• What to Order: corned beef hash, buttermilk pancakes

I recently discovered this local little joint after—yes, slightly embarrassed to admit—going to the Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition in Washington Square Park. (What can I say? I’ve been wanting a “real” New York experience since I moved here, and what’s more New York than that?) We were cold, had just wormed our way out of almost being crushed by the mob and just wanted something hot. Waverly Diner is a typical diner but heavy on the charm, complete with a neon sign. The inside is homey with enough decor and handmade signs that scream it’s a local watering hole. I’m pretty sure the corned beef comes from a can but isn’t that the charm? For Manhattan, it’s also quite reasonably priced—an oddity to not be forking over your arm and leg for a stack of flapjacks.

• Location: 4 Clinton Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: brioche french toast, pancakes with maple butter, latke eggs Benedict, fried chicken and waffles

Clinton Street Baking Company does breakfast (and breakfast for dinner) with a Southern twist. Fried chicken and waffles are my go-to order, but if I have sway over my dining companion (such as my mother or cousin), I also put the latke eggs Benedict on the ticket. Crispy! Crunchy! Runny! Drenched in maple syrup! All served while you’re tucked into a firetruck red booth. The french toast and pancakes are a can’t-miss, too. Be warned: Reservations are competitive, so do it in advance, especially at breakfast hour. Should you be more spontaneous, you can order house-made treats at the walk-up window. The full menu isn’t available, but you can still procure their baked goods. Nothing like a warm cookie between cold hands, or a cup of hot local apple cider (my favorite).

• Location: 108 Franklin Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: croque monsieur, confit de canard

A friend brought me to Le Gamin on a bitter late winter morning, and I promise it has all the homey French dishes required to keep the chilly air at bay. Onion soup, quiche Lorraine, “pain perdu” (French toast), toast and jam (the most French thing you could order, trust me), escargot, croque madame and monsieur, brie and onion sandwiches. Depending on availability, they may also offer Merguez, a North African spicy lamb sausage popular in France. All served with simplicity—something welcome after weaving your way through the pricy French fine-dining establishments in the city.

• Location: 5 Beekman Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: steak tartare, quenelle

Resting on the ground floor of the handsome Beekman Hotel in lower Manhattan, Le Gratin is a French restaurant awash in warm hues and ambient vibes. Run by legendary French chef Daniel Boulud, Le Gratin is a bistro-style space with intimate crescent leather booths, fogged mirrors, ornate marble floors and soul-warming cuisine. Homey menu highlights include creamy cheesy potato gratin, spaghetti with basil pesto and pine nuts, and the Plat Du Mois (a monthly rotating special for two). Make sure to try the Quenelle, a harder-to-find (at least in the US) French creamed dish. Boulud serves his with pike dumpling and a mouthwatering  gruyere-mushroom bechamel. As for PureWow Assistant Editor of Branded Content Madeline Merinuk, she calls it “a classic bistro experience,” noting that the food—notably the steak tartare—is “fabulous”

• Location: 15 Vanderbilt Avenue
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: espresso martini, GG Manhattan

“If you're near Grand Central, you have to stop by the Campbell Bar,” says PureWow Associate Sales and Deals Editor Destinee Scott. “It's the perfect escape from all the hustle and bustle inside the station—secluded and in the back of a restaurant. They coat check, the lights are dim and the drinks are fabulous.” She recommends ordering an espresso martini or GG Manhattan (bourbon, vermouth, angustura bitters), to be sipped in the Jazz Age-inspired space, with an imposing stone fireplace, leaded glass window, original millwork and brass finishes. There’s also something for the pop culture buffs, Scott continues. “If you're a Gossip Girl fan, you may know it from the iconic scene in season one where Serena and Nate hook up on the bar.” While I’m not sure you could get away with *that*, you can definitely channel Sabrina Carpenter’s song of the summer by ordering a drink.

• Location: 475 W. Broadway
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: lobster frites, wagyu French dip, five cheese pizza rolls

Taylor Swift has been here twice, apparently, so if that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will, as she seems to have a penchant for cozy restaurants in NYC, from Minetta Tavern to the Polo Bar. I have seen The Corner Store dubbed the “ersatz Polo Bar,” but the line around the block indicates it’s anything but a shoddy copycat. The restaurant is about elevated takes on American classics, like a wagyu French dip, jumbo shrimp cocktail, five cheese pizza rolls and “hand cut french fries” going for a whopping $13. Another reportedly impossible place to enter, so you need a Resy strategy. That all said, I would be lying if I said I was completely uninterested. The lobster frites are calling my name.

• Location: 18 Cornelia Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: smoked fish salad, razor. clams, sour cherry cheerwine pork spareribs

Yep, Figure Eight is located on *that* Cornelia Street as sung about on Swift’s Lover album. I first discovered it while researching afternoon tea in New York, and while sadly Figure Eight’s was seasonal, I’m still drawn to their menu, which is a Chinese-American take on Southern cooking, with a focus on seafood. That means hot-smoked fish salad with scallions and fried saltines, razor clams with yellow chili and sour corn, sour cherry cheerwine char siu (pork spareribs) and cheerwine floats with black sesame chocolate syrup. All served in a pint-sized space on the bottom of a five-story walkup.

• Location: 424 East 9th Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: edamame dumpling, soft shell crab, kimchi paella, tuna tartar taco, korean popcorn chicken

In addition to Oti, Thursday Kitchen is, in my opinion, one of the more novel options when it comes to cozy restaurants in NYC. Two words: Korean tapas. I was skeptical at first, but a foodie friend had recommended it to me, and she never hesitates to say if something isn’t good. Thursday Kitchen passed her test, and after I went, it passed mine, too. It’s a typical little basement setup in the East Village, and in warm weather there might be a small street-side patio. Because of the sizes of the plates and the number of things you’ll want to try, your best bet is going with a friend—or three. Order the Korean popcorn chicken, kimchi paella, tuna tartar taco, edamame dumplings, duck confit empanada and soft shell crab. (That’s just for starters.)

• Location: 342 Wythe Avenue
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: lamb kebabs, hummus and falafel, Tunisian-style niçoise salad

If someone asks to go to dinner or lunch, chances are high that I’m recommending 12 Chairs, which has locations in Soho and Williamsburg. My hot tip: Williamsburg is a little (just a little) less frantic and with less of a chance of a massive wait time. It’s a rustic Israeli café dishing up delicacies like lamb kebabs (my mom was all over these), classic hummus and falafel (my go-to order) and a mean Tunisian-style Niçoise salad. 12 Chairs also does brunch, with the likes of shakshuka, challah bread French toast and omelets on offer if the Israeli/Mediterranean bent isn’t your speed. The restaurants are absolutely lilliputian and you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbors, but that’s cozy, right? Although, better on a cold winter day than a blistering summer one.

• Location: 5 W. 8th Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: menu varies

PureWow Associate Editor Sydney Meister turned me on to this one. The Marlton Hotel is the stuff of literary legend—Jack Kerouac wrote two books here. I like to go to the lobby and write after ordering something from the espresso bar. The decor is plush and feels very old New York, with many a sofa for curling up in the corner with a book (and a drink). As day turns to night, the bar and hotel restaurant, Margaux, open for service, and you can order quite a few nibbles to enjoy in the lobby, tucked into said couch, or sit down in the restaurant itself. The fare varies by season and no menu is ever available on the website, but past samples have included salmon tartare, veal meatballs and squid ink bucatini, served in squishy booths under dim lighting.

• Location: 108 Greenwich Avenue
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: afternoon tea

Finding a seat in Tea and Sympathy is like playing Tetris, but if you love English fare, then it’s worth a stop in, particularly for afternoon tea on a rainy day. At $60/person, it’s one of the more accessible spots in the city, but they make the meanest (and largest) cucumber sandwiches I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Granted, I believe the sandwiches are a bit smaller when served in the afternoon tea setup, which also nets you cakes, scones and other sundry finger sandwiches. But on that particular day my friend and I had eschewed a proper tea time (it was sweltering out) for one sandwich each, that ended up as large as our faces. We looked absolutely comical trying to eat them. Tea and Sympathy also serves up traditional English dishes like steak and Guinness pie, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, cornish pastry and fish and chips.

• Location: 35 E. 76th Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: afternoon tea

I’ve had my fair share of tea time in New York, but I say with confidence that The Gallery at the Carlyle has the coziest experience. The dining room has barely 15 tables, with plush banquettes in a rich crimson hue piled with pillows. The space is carpeted, so instead of din and chatter over marble floors à la Palm Court at The Plaza, you have a hush-hush atmosphere as you tuck into the best tea sandwiches I’ve ever tried (the bread is never dry) and scones while gossiping over your pots of tea. And the jam. The jam! It’s custom made for the hotel in Paris, a divine combination of blueberry and black current. If it were socially acceptable to lick bowls and spoons, I would be.

• Location: 1 Dekalb Avenue
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: dry pepper style fish, pea leaves with garlic, eggplant with garlic sauce, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu

I’ve come here twice with the same friend, so I guess that makes Han Dynasty our collective go-to Chinese restaurant? It’s tucked away in the Dekalb Market Hall in downtown Brooklyn dishing up Sichuan fare—read: spicy. We usually order the dry pepper style fish, eggplant with garlic sauce, dan dan noodles, mapo tofu and shrimp fried rice, plus whatever else we’re feeling. And yes, that’s all for two people. It’s my favorite spot for Chinese food in a space that’s simultaneously no-frills but with excellent decor. A step up from the hole-in-the-wall by my parents’ house, but without the ostentatious sensibilities of Budakhan.

• Location: 166 Dekalb Avenue
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: fried chicken and waffles, shakshuka

Walter’s seems to be a universal cozy restaurant for Fort Greene locals, as it’s been recommended to me twice by two completely different people. I’ve gone for brunch on a rainy day, and it does have a warm, inviting atmosphere, akin to a family dining room with plenty of booth seating. Walter’s dishes up classics like fried chicken and waffles and steak and eggs alongside a small but robust menu of cocktails and salads. Great if you’re a local and want a comforting place to duck inside for familiar dishes.

• Location: 68A Newel Street
• Reservations: no
• What to Order: pierogi

Restaurant Relax is a no-frills Polish restaurant off McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, with sparse decor but a hearty menu offering typical Polish fare, from Borscht and sauerkraut soup to all manners of pickled vegetables. Seating isn’t abundant but is available for those who wish, many do takeout, as I did with my friends. As for what to order? I only want a pile of pierogis, which come in sweet and savory renditions—I went with the meat option, but you could choose blueberry or sauerkraut and mushrooms.

• Location: 755 Dean Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: whole fried fish, chicken jook porridge

Always buzzing with good energy and a hip crowd, you might recognize this Prospect Heights restaurant from being featured on Food Network's Me or the Menu. Whether seen IRL or through a camera lens, it's the pinnacle of contemporary hygge vibes, filled with white oak wood details, custom shelving, cozy banquettes, and a blend of old and new wood floors. A red sapele mahogany bar adds to Leland's casual elegance and is a focal point of the community-driven restaurant that makes everyone feel comfortable and welcome. The space itself is divided into different rooms, providing different corners with covetable tables that come complete with branded blankets to cozy up with; meanwhile, a heated sidewalk vestibule called "The Snow Globe '' keeps guests warm as they peer out on the street. Hot fireside Negronis and spiked cider can regulate your body temperature, and a menu filled with creative hits will keep your belly full. I’m partial to the Charred Lemon Skillet Mussels, Mushrooms and Sourdough, Chicken Jook Porridge and Whole Fried Fish. Restaurateur Randi Lee's also obsessed with vermouths, and his passion comes through on another special menu of fortified wines flavored with spices and herbs. When nature calls, those in the know use the darling "pink" bathroom—hiding in plain sight, it’s honestly the powder room of my dreams.

• Location: 38 W. 26th Street
• Reservations: yes
• What to Order: caviar, matcha crème brûlée, oysters

Buzzy and intimate, The Ivory Peacock thrives off of dimmed lighting, plush seating and emerald marble accents and tables. Grab a seat at the Emerald Bar for complex, expertly-crafted and flavorful cocktails in a sophisticated atmosphere, or get cozy in one of the high top tables or elegant white booths that sit beneath an array of spectacular paintings accented by gilded frames and black walls. The expansive space also has adorable and semi-private Irish snugs and the entire space sits under pieces of history—antique chandeliers from the Waldorf Astoria New York and The NoMad Hotel, respectively. The menu to accompany you in this charming spot includes a sumptuous raw bar with guest favorites like caviar, oysters and tuna tartare. Oh, and you'll dream about the matcha crème brûlée, too.

• Location: 66 W. 84th Street
• Reservations: no
• What to Order: tartine, duck shepherd’s pie, beef burgundy

Vin Sur Vingt has a few outposts around the city, and the Upper West Side location feels like you’ve stepped straight onto a French terrace, complete with wicker chairs and the orange glow of the Art Deco lamps. It might be a wine bar, but the food offerings are robust and the type of comfort food I want on a cold winter day. Beef burgundy, duck shepherd’s pie (known as “hachis parmentier” in French) and onion soup…one of everything, please, as you do what the French do best: people watching.