Fireplaces, heated patios, igloos: Eat, drink and be warm at these Lexington restaurants

Well, it’s still hanging around, the frigid season that is, and if you’re like me you just want to curl up indoors with a blanket, a bowl of popcorn, and a mug of hot chocolate until Spring arrives (March 19, BTW).

But if the lingering nip in the air doesn’t bother you, and you’re willing to venture out, here are some Lexington restaurants that have made things a little cozier — whether that means a fireplace, a heated igloo, or comfort food and specialty winter cocktails.

In recognition of the local restaurants efforts, I’d like to honor these spots with a newly created winter award category — the “Warmies.”

The Merrick Inn

▪ 1074 Merrick Drive; 859-269-5417; themerrickinn.com

The first nominee is the Merrick Inn, the closest thing Lexington has to a cozy New England inn. This beloved spot is the epitome of comfort food — the kind your mom and grandma warmed up your insides with.

If you’re looking for a meal that will stick to your ribs and fuel you for whatever outdoor activities you may have, here are three suggestions: the Kentucky Hot Brown; the Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Makers Mark apple chutney and maple chipotle butter, and the Southern fried chicken.

More importantly, the Merrick Inn has not one, but four fireplaces — a wood-burning one in the bar, and gas fireplaces in three of the dining rooms, quadrupling your chances of staying warm here.

1074 Merrick Drive; 859-269-5417; themerrickinn.com

Bronte Bistro at Joseph Beth Bookstore

▪ 161 Lexington Green Circle #B; 859-422-1429; josephbeth.com

Leave their luscious salads for warmer weather, and instead tuck into a dish meant to stand up to the frigid temps. Dishes such as Guinness Beef Stew, Stuffed Pepper Soup and Vegetarian Chili will warm you up, as will their expansive menu of coffees, teas and cocoas, along with specialty winter cocktails like Toasted Almond with amaretto and almond liqueur (I get toasty just thinking about it), Apple Pie Mule and a Winter Old-Fashioned with homemade spiced syrup.

The bookstore’s stunning fireplace, just across from the bistro, is the perfect place to curl up with a book — maybe one where winter weather features prominently, such as “Call of the Wild,” “The Shining,” or “Ethan Frome.”

The Goose

▪ 170 Jefferson Street; 859-554-5118; thegooselexington.com

The sun-warmed patio is what I usually think of when considering this Jefferson Avenue favorite, but in the winter, the gas fireplaces in the sunroom are the perfect seasonal substitute.

Grab a fireside table and warm up with a Four Roses apple cider old-fashioned before ordering one of their winterized dishes. Toasted ravioli is a good choice for an app; bean soup with country ham or tomato basil make for a satisfying soup option, and for an entrée, try the roasted pork chop with roasted potatoes and fried Brussels sprouts.

Blue Heron Steakhouse

▪ 185 Jefferson Street; 859-254-2491; blueheronsteakhouse.com

Just across the street from the Goose, the Blue Heron beckons the weary winter warrior. The charming bungalow is cozy at any time, but never more so than when the wood-burning fireplace is casting a warm glow.

Add to that a bowl of their loaded potato soup, a prime cut of beef accompanied by smoked gouda mac and cheese, and something from their expansive bourbon list, and I don’t care what it’s doing outside.

J. Renders Southern Table & Bar

▪ 3191 Beaumont Center Circle; 859-533-9777; jrenders.com

This casual Beaumont spot wrote the book on comfort food. White chicken chili and Brunswick Stew are on the menu this winter, and the meatloaf and buttermilk fried chicken with sides like sweet molasses baked beans and smoked mac and cheese are just as filling.

Enjoy these dishes — along with a coffee drink with choice of liqueur — in one of the restaurant’s two heated igloos. Each dome has seating up to eight people and has Bluetooth speakers. Reservations can be made online.

Charlie Brown’s Restaurant

▪ 816 Euclid Avenue; 859-269-5701; charliebrownslex.com

This Chevy Chase favorite was one of the first restaurants in Lexington to discover the appeal of a warm fire. Patrons have been grabbing couch space around the brick fireplace for 67 years.

It’s still a great place to warm up, particularly when you throw in such spicy dishes as Caribbean chicken strips with jerk seasoning or hot pepper cheese stuffed jalapenos. A helping of either makes me feel like it’s July in January.

Harry’s American Bar & Grill and Drake’s

▪ Various locations throughout Lexington area; bluegrasshospitality.com

These two eateries under the Blue Grass Hospitality umbrella really push the envelope when it comes to providing a cozy nook for cold-weather dining.

All three Drake’s locations (Landsdowne, Hamburg and Leestown Road) have wood-burning fireplaces, while Harry’s Palomar and Hamburg locations keep things toasty with their enclosed heated patios.

Food-wise, opt for Harry’s Bourbon Corn Chowder (if the soup’s temperature doesn’t warm you up, the bourbon will), and for an appropriately seasonal cocktail, go for Drake’s Snow-Rita (tequila, coconut puree, lime juice and simple syrup).

25 years ago, a restaurant review almost shut down what is now a Lexington landmark

Bella Notte

▪ 3715 Nicholasville Rd.; 859-245-1789; bellalexington.com

The enclosed sunroom with its gas fireplace is a big draw here, as is the winter menu featuring heavier fare such as braised meats, stews, and dishes like Pappardelle Bolognese and white bean soup.

They haven’t forgotten specialty winter cocktails either. If you’re like me and enjoy an after-dinner drink, let me recommend the Gingerbread Nocciola.

Carson’s Food & Drink

▪ 362 E. Main St.; 859-309-3039; carsonsfoodanddrink.com

This downtown favorite has a gas fireplace in the middle of the front wall of the main dining area. It also has a rotating array of belly-filling soups, including the house chili with 17 herbs and spices, and the cream-based Buffalo Bleu, described by one employee as “a Buffalo dip in soup form.”

Dudley’s on Short

▪ 259 W. Short St. #125; 859-252-1010; dudleysonshort.com

Granted, the fireplace in the small alcove known as the Elk Room doesn’t give off much heat, being more decorative than functional. But the restaurant more than makes up for it in the searing flavors of some of their dishes.

Dudley’s smoked trout eggs with paprika and chives, Kentucky Hot Brown and Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank will appeal to those with an educated spice palate.

The restaurant gets even more props for their cappuccino and espresso martinis, and especially for their s’mores with homemade marshmallows, honey graham and chocolate cremeux.

Cole’s 735 Main

▪ 735 E. Main St.; 859-266-9000; coles735main.com

Why settle for one fireplace when you can have two? At Cole’s, you can snuggle up before gas fireplaces in both the bar and the main dining room.

Living up to its reputation as one of Lexington’s most inventive eateries, dishes on the winter menu include truffle-infused lobster bisque, Moroccan butternut squash stew and Kenny’s white cheddar and leek potato gratin.

Not to be outdone, the bar staff has come up with two creative drinks perfect for cold weather. The Harvest Swoon is a mixture of Old Forester bourbon, Cocchi Americano red vermouth, Wise Bird Pommeau apple cider and Amontillado sherry, while the Little Scotch on the Prairie is made with Dewars White Label Scotch, Rivulet pecan liqueur and angostura cocoa bitters.

And if that doesn’t keep you warm, nothing will.

And the winner of the 2024 “Warmy” goes to... all of them.

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