FOOD

Cold outside? Here are 12 restaurants where you can enjoy fireside dining

Nancy Olesin
MetroWest Daily News

There’s nothing cozier than sitting by a roaring fire on a cold winter’s day. 

What’s even better is relaxing by the fire and eating a hearty meal, especially if you’ve been out shoveling snow, skating or skiing. Heck, you can catch a cold just taking the kids to hockey practice. 

From a downhome pub in Hudson to a Bellingham lodge, a top-notch steak and seafood restaurant in Mendon, Irish pubs and historic inns in Ashland, Marlborough, Sudbury and Concord, fireside dining is what we’re looking for when our cheeks are red and frozen from the cold. And, if you’re up for a road trip, we’ve thrown in a few restaurants with fireplaces that are just a short drive away. 

We’re partial to a nice hot bowl of soup with crusty bread, followed by a piece of warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream, but that’s just us. Each restaurant offers a few suggestions of what's on their menu that's perfect to eat on a wintry day. 

So, if you’re chilled to the bone, we’ve got options to fix that. Here we list restaurants around the region where you can find all the "hygge" — that’s Norwegian for "coziness" — you're looking for on a snowy day. 

Outdoor activities:Where to go ice skating during school vacation week

A group of youngsters enjoy lunch by the gas fire at Kennedy's Restaurant, Pub and Market in Marlborough, Jan. 21, 2022.

Kennedy’s Restaurant & Market, Marlborough

247 Maple St. (Route 85)

508-485-5800 

https://www.kennedyspub.com/ 

Kennedy’s has two gas fireplaces that it keeps going most of the winter. “They produce a lot of heat and keep us warm,” says Tatyana Kennedy, a family member of the owners. She recommends the turkey dinner or French onion soup for a winter's day. Or try "Carolyn’s Favorite," thinly sliced roast beef served in an over-hot popover au jus with horseradish sauce and fries. 

Take a seat near the fireplace at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson

Horseshoe Pub, Hudson 

29 South St.  

978-568-1265 

https://www.horseshoepub.com/ 

Sit by the fireplace and peruse the drinks and beer menu while you wait for a table. Enjoy a spirited libation and chat by the cozy black brick fireplace. Server Cassie Kurbs says it's a nice warm spot to come in from the cold. We’d start with a warm German pretzel served with spicy mustard and order the New England Fish & Chips — hot ‘n’ crispy! 

Enjoy a winter drink next to the fireplace at Coachmen's Lodge in Bellingham.

Coachmen’s Lodge, Bellingham 

273 Wrentham Road 

508-883-9888 

https://www.coachmenslodge.com/ 

Firelight is everywhere at The Coachmen’s Lodge in Bellingham, which has four gas fireplaces and a pellet stove, so many that there’s one featured in each of its dining rooms. There’s nothing stuffy here; the stone fireplaces have a ski lodge kind of vibe. General manager Nicole Hanson suggests trying the restaurant’s braised short ribs for a hearty stick-to-your-ribs wintry meal. 

Cozy up for brunch or dinner at Coach Grill in Wayland. Authentic stone hearth fireplaces, located at each end of the dining room, are the perfect backdrop for a comforting meal on a cold winter day. Classic dishes like baked onion soup and beef Wellington are always fireside favorites.

Coach Grill, Wayland

55 Boston Post Road (Route 20) 

508-358-5900 

https://coachgrill.com/ 

The Coach Grill has two cozy fireplaces, one at each end of the dining room, and is known for its fine dining, steaks and seafood. My personal recommendation is to start with a half a dozen oysters and then move on to their tender grilled lamb chops. But classic dishes like baked onion soup or beef Wellington are always fireside favorites. 

Bullfinchs restaurant in Sudbury has an alcohol fire in the main dining room.

 
Bullfinchs Restaurant, Sudbury

730 Boston Post Road (Route 20) 

978-443-4094 

https://www.bullfinchs.com/ 

Bullfinchs has an alcohol fireplace in the main part of its dining room. Built into a wall at about chest height, it gives a warm feeling and all the diners in the main room can see it. Bar manager Terry Richardson suggests you start with one of the restaurant’s “warmers,” like hot buttered rum, Shelby’s toddy or hot cider. A favorite of diners, pork osso buco, has just been put back on the menu after the cut of meat had been unavailable for a while because of the pandemic. It’s rich and filling for a wintry night. 

More:Area restaurants cautiously optimistic as they transition from pandemic

Concord’s Colonial Inn, Concord

48 Monument Square (Route 62)

800-370-9200 

https://www.concordscolonialinn.com/ 

The Colonial Inn dates back to 1716 and its tavern, called The Forge, is a cozy spot with a fireplace. The Inn has two restaurants, The Liberty and Merchants Row. Yankee Pot roast and chicken pot pie are two perennial winter favorites that are popular during the winter months, says Anthony Scott, the inn's food and beverage manager. Indian pudding with ice cream, a New England favorite, is a sweet stick-to-your-ribs dessert for a cold day. 

At Stone's Public House in Ashland, the woodburning fireplace is the centerpiece of the lounge area, and there are two gas fireplaces in the dining rooms.

Stone’s Public House, Ashland 

79 Main St. 

508-881-1778 

https://www.stonespublichouse.com/ 

Make a reservation to sit in the bar area where the inn’s roaring wood-burning fireplace is the focal point and there are 23 beers on tap, mostly local craft beers as well as two Guinness lines. Two gas fireplaces are in other dining areas, too. Enjoy a hearty shepherd’s pie made in a cast-iron skillet with lamb, root vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes, recommends manager Brian Grimes. 

More:Eerie tales and stories of paranormal activity at Stone's Public House in Ashland

The fireplace in the tavern at Longfellow's Wayside Inn is lit every day by about 11 a.m.

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, Sudbury

72 Wayside Inn Road 

978-443-1776 

https://www.wayside.org/ 

“During a snowstorm, our wood-burning fireplace is one of the best places to be,” says Longfellow’s Wayside Inn’s Steve Pickford. And Pickford should know all the best spots at the Wayside — he's the innkeeper and general manager. The Wayside has nine — count ‘em — fireplaces, so you’re sure to get warmed up quick at the historic site. The wood fireplace in the tavern is lit every day about 11 a.m., and you can warm up with appetizers like oysters, shrimp cocktail and finger foods. But there are also eight gas fireplaces in the building, so you’re sure to be near a fire wherever you have your meal. Right now on the menu, braised short ribs in red wine sauce is just one of the inn’s hearty dishes recommended by Pickford for winter fare. 

Podcast:Is a ghost haunting the Wayside Inn in Sudbury?

Enjoy a beer or a cocktail by the fire at Heritage at Sherborn.

Heritage of Sherborn 

33 North Main St. (Route 27)

508-655-9521 

https://www.heritageofsherborn.com/ 

Take a spin on the backyard skating rink at Heritage of Sherborn, and then warm up at one of two outdoor firepits. There are also outdoor tables with heaters where you can warm up. Inside, there are several fireplaces, including a huge hearth from when the inn was built in the 1700s, says Jen Ziskin, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Josh. Jen is also the wine director and Josh is executive chef at the inn, which is known for its eclectic mix of fine and casual dining. There’s a fireside lounge with a gas fireplace and a fireplace in the entry, too. Tempting dishes on the menu this winter include a beef and root vegetable stew and a decadent duck leg confit that’s served with Brussels sprouts. Cozy up outdoors or indoors with one of the inn’s spiked hot chocolates: Choose from Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kalua, vanilla-infused vodka. Each comes topped with toasted marshmallows. Yum! 

Chef John Quirk with prime rib at New England Steak and Seafood in Mendon, August 13, 2021.

New England Steak & Seafood, Mendon

11 Uxbridge Road (Route 16) 

508-478-0871 or 508-473-5079 

https://www.nesteakandseafood.com/ 

New England Steak & Seafood has a wood stove in its lounge but the centerpiece is a 15-foot-wide fireplace in the dining room, says owner James Quirk. It sits up about 4 feet so diners who aren’t right next to it can still enjoy the firelight. “It’s lit just about every night when it’s cold,” says Quirk. The restaurant is known for its beef, so prime rib is on our list, although there are also New England seafood and hearty Italian dishes on the menu, like chicken parm. The winter drinks list includes a special Old Fashioned. Or, get really fancy and order one of heir special winter drinks made with vanilla vodka, peppermint snaps and a creamy chocolate liqueur. 

JFK and Aerosmith ate here:Mendon's New England Steak and Seafood is destination dining

Restaurants worth the trip:

The 1761 Old Mill Restaurant located at 69 State Road East in Westminster.

The 1761 Old Mill & Cracker Barrel Pub, Westminster

69 State Road East (Route 2A)

978-874-5941 

http://1761oldmill.com/ 

There are lots of reasons besides the beautiful setting (feed the ducks on the pond!) and the rocking chairs next to the roaring fireplace in the entrance to make the drive here. But two of the best ones are the homemade corn fritters served with maple syrup and their famous pecan rolls. 

Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield.

Salem Cross Inn Restaurant & Tavern, West Brookfield

260 West Main St. (Route 9)

508-867-2345 

https://www.salemcrossinn.com/ 

Enjoy a farm-to-table experience at Salem Cross Inn Restaurant & Tavern, which is known for incorporating its own vegetables and herbs into its dishes and roasting meats on an ironjack in its fireplaces. Menu items like a 12-ounce skillet-roasted pork chop served with apple-bacon jam, cider supreme sauce and toasted walnuts just sounds so toasty, warm and filling. Succotash roasted acorn squash with sage and cranberry polenta and white beans takes winter veggies to a new level.

More:Table Hoppin': Executive chef embraces Salem Cross Inn's history of food and family

Take a break:The perfect winter getaway is nearby in North Central Massachusetts

Nancy Olesin is the arts and lifestyles editor at the Daily News. Got a restaurant or food tip? Email her at nolesin@wickedlocal.com.