By Dinushka Gunasekara | 7th June 2022
Get the romance roaring, burn the midnight oil, or just unfreeze your hands enough to pick up your cutlery with dinner by the fireside. Here in Brissy, fireplaces really only have a two-month window to feel the heat before we’re sweating up a storm again, so get it while it’s hot. From rustic cafes to cosy wine bars, these restaurants give a different meaning to stoking the fire in your belly.
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Spring Hill
Inspired by lavish, après-ski style lounges, this is one cosy, alpine experience you won’t want to miss out on! Set in the heart of Brisbane’s bustling CBD, you’ll feel like you’ve just stepped off the slopes of the French Alps with exposed, red brick walls and antique ski decorations. No alpine experience is complete without a drink or two, and this snug little bar does not disappoint. Offering drops from warming Schnapps to the Chalet Iced Tea, the Chalet Bar’s private dining experience is one worth braving the cold for.
Fortitude Valley
Turning two old Queenslanders into a backyard of fun, it should come as no surprise that Alfred & Constance knows how to keep it cosy. With five rooms to choose from, Tunes Dining is the charming space for beating the winter chill, with the steak charcoal grilled, the pizza fresh out of the flames and all burgers requiring a minimum of two hands.
Paddington
Paddo’s favourite little boozer once kept the bakers toasty in the late 1800s and is now doing the same for modern Brisbanites around the fire. The pub-style fare served in this heritage-listed cottage make for the perfect winter warmers, including macaroni cheese balls, roast pork belly, and beer braised chicken wings. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, their strong spirits, fine ales, and smooth wines will be sure to do the trick.
Fortitude Valley
From within a gabled 1878 cottage when fireplaces were an essential to any proper Victorian home, Sixes and Sevens lays on the antiquarian charm. Cosy up with your gang and take your pick of a simply refined menu that’s designed to enhance an everyday experience. With wine served from the barrel and relaxation in the air, catch ups at Sixes and Sevens are the best kind of slow burn.
St Lucia
Lounge dining reaches its peak at this charming and cherished restaurant. As you snuggle up on the plush couches between rustic décor, the contemporary cuisine will keep you warm on the inside while the flames under the stone hearth make every corner cosy. Meals are uncomplicated and the vibes even more so, as you spend your winter night in homely peace.
Petrie Terrace
Part café, part living room, your brunch will be toasty in more ways than one at Scout. Bagels are lovingly smeared with philly cream cheese, smoked salmon or sweet vanilla and passionfruit, and the granola is delightfully homemade. Oh, and we didn’t forget why you’re here – the fireplace is roaring above the timber floors.
Fortitude Valley
Take your tipple fireside at City Winery, where the menu takes locally sourced produce and cooks it to perfection over fire. The gorgeous dining room here overlooks the 4m fire pit in the kitchen so you can enjoy a delicious dinner and a heartwarming show. Throw in the wine barrels filled with their divine Gerler vino, and you have yourself the can’t-fail formula for a memorable winter night out.
South Bank
S’mores by the fire are oh-so-much sweeter at Queensland’s original dessert cocktail bar. Around their central fire pit, you can toast with boozy hot chocolates, decadent dessert pizzas, Nutella waffle sandwiches and strawberries dipped in melted choc shots. It’s like a winter campfire minus the dirt and adding a whole lot of delish!
Brisbane City
Tucked away in Gresham Lane, this iconic, heritage-listed bar is one of Brisbane’s cosiest hidden gems. Complete with nineteenth century antique furnishings – think chesterfield sofas and lofty pressed-metal ceilings – this atmospheric bar is the perfect place to enjoy an after-work wine down. Sip on old-world offerings from whiskey to an epic selection of cocktails. No matter whether you are looking to enjoy a winter warmer by the fireplace or toast to the chilly season with your besties, The Gresham’s got you covered!
As for the dress code, check out our guide on building the perfect winter capsule wardrobe here.
Notorious for turning a random encounter into a three-hour conversation and running across streets to pat a dog, Dinu is a curious girl who loves a good story. Her extensive knowledge of Donald Glover is yet to come to good use and she would do basically anything for a hash brown. Catch her bombarding her friends with articles she thinks they should read or spending way too much time creating the perfect playlist.