We've come up with a list of places in London that will warm the very cockles of your heart, not to mention your extremities. Try any of the eating places on our list in the sure knowledge there’ll be an open fire of sorts, somewhere on the premises, to keep you toasty while you dine.
Dovetale
Mayfair - 1 Hotel Mayfair, London W1J 8DJ
Tom Seller's glamorous Mayfair restaurant has almost as much space outside in its courtyard garden as it does inside. But this is no ordinary alfresco space as it features a retractable roof, heating and a roaring fire at one end. On top of that, there's another big open fire in the middle of the main dining room inside.
The Devonshire
Soho - 17 Denman Street, London W1D 7HW
Technically the fire at The Devonshire's restaurant is part of the kitchen and not the dining space. But as it roars into action, with the kitchen team feeding wood into it, the rest of the room certainly feels the benefit.
Luca
Clerkenwell - 88 St John Street, London EC1M 4EH
When it's not being hired out as a perfect party space, the terrace at Luca is used as an overspill for the main restaurant. It's a gorgeously cosy spot with the fire adding to the general ambience as you order another plate of perfect pasta.
The Pelican
Notting Hill - 45 All Saints Road, London W11 1HE
Now that it's been namechecked by Dan Levy as one of his favourite places to eat in London, good luck trying to get any seat at all at this West London gastropub, let alone a coveted one by the fire.
Campania and Jones
Hackney - 23 Ezra St, London E2 7RH
Tucked away off Columbia Road in a former dairy, this picture-perfect Italian restaurant features a wood-burning stove in its dining room. Order a bowl of risotto and a large glass of Amarone and settle in for the duration.
Gauthier Soho
Soho - 21 Romilly St, London W1D 5AF
Chef Alexis Gauthier's vegan fine dining restaurant runs over three floors of a Regency townhouse in Soho that boasts a roaring fire on its ground floor.
Hicce Hart
Islington - 58 Penton Street, London N1 9PZ
Hicce Hart is Pip Lacey and Gordy McIntyre's Islington pub at the top of Chapel Market. If it's cold outside, you'll want to head upstairs, which is where you'll find the main dining room with the fire, Once there, snack on pulled pork bites and make sure to leave room for their excellent desserts.
Decimo
King's Cross - 10 Argyle St, Kings Cross, London WC1H 8EG
The food isn't the only thing at Decimo getting a roasting on the open fire - the huge 1970s-style fire in the centre of the dining room here keeps guests pretty cosy throughout the winter. Try to nab a table close to it and be sure to order that amazing caviar tortilla.
Daphne's
South Kensington - 112 Draycott Ave, London SW3 3AE
At Christmas, the fireplace in Daphne's wonderful conservatory is liberally festooned with decorations, but from mid-autumn onwards it's lit pretty much all the time to make this a particularly toasty room. If the truffle menu is on, order a plate of pasta under a mountain of shaved white truffles and settle in for the longest of lunches.
Belvedere
Holland Park - Holland Park, Abbotsbury Rd, London W8 6LU
If you squint at this picture really hard, you'll see the open grate fire at one end of the bar at the Holland Park hotspot Belvedere restaurant. It's the perfect spot for a pre or post-prandial drink, particularly if you can nab the table that's right in front of it.
Clos Maggiore
Soho - 33 King Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8JDS
Regularly referred to as London’s most romantic restaurant, you can blame your blushing cheeks on the roaring open fires at Covent Garden’s Clos Maggiore. Both its dining room and glass-roofed, blossom-filled conservatory have log wood fires in the winter months. Add to this simple, Provencal food and an award-winning wine list and it’s easy to see how a little bit of romance may be kindled.
Egerton House Hotel
Knightsbridge - 17-19 Egerton Terrace, London SW3 2BX
Our picture may show a lovely cup of tea with homemade shortbread, but by far the more fun way to encounter the fire in the lounge at this hotel just off the Brompton Road would be with one of their legendary martinis. Even better, book in for a martini masterclass and you'll get super stiff drinks AND cheese toasties to enjoy.
More about Egerton House Hotel
L'Escargot
Soho - 48 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4EF
Score a table in the front dining room looking over Greek Street and you'll find a lovely fire adding to the tonnes of atmosphere this historic restaurant already has in spades. Obviously, you're going to have the snails, but to ward off the cold we'd recommend the pistachio souffle too.
Il Borro
Mayfair - 15 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DY
A high-end Italian in the heart of Mayfair mightn't be the first place you'd think of as a cosy spot, but the ground-floor bar at Il Borro has a lovely roaring fire going. Pull up a chair and order one of their top-tier barrel-aged negronis before you head through to carb load on pasta and risotto.
Noble Rot Bar
Bloomsbury - 51 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1N 3NB
Stick to the bar rather than the restaurant and if you're lucky you'll nab a table by the fire in this lovely space which doesn't look like it's changed much since Dickens was knocking around. Right now, a glass of something rather lovely with a plate of Comte beignets sounds like utter heaven.
Scarfe's Bar at the Rosewood London
Holborn - 252 High Holborn London, London WC1V 7EN
Holborn workers are wondering just what they did in a previous life to deserve this fabulous bar. Park yourself on the table by the fire at the back of this bar and keep up your energy with some top-level bar snackage in the form of black pudding and wild boar scotch eggs along with some excellent cocktails.
More about Scarfe's Bar at the Rosewood London
Zetter Townhouse
Marylebone - 28-30 Seymour St, London W1H 7JB
Actually scoring a seat here is a big enough win in itself, but when you settle into your armchair and note the roaring fire while you peruse the seasonal cocktail list or order afternoon tea fireside you're going to feel like you've nailed this winter in London lark.
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