Dining out is a treat in itself, but when you find a restaurant that really makes you feel like lingering, it's especially satisfying. Whether you're searching for a truly beautiful spot for a date night, a homey country café for a family lunch, or a lodgelike restaurant that can help stave off winter's chill, we've got you covered (and so do many of these restaurants). Here are some of the coziest restaurants across America.
Auburn
The gorgeous stone façade of Acre restaurant matches the interior, a master class in rustic sophistication. Wrought iron chandeliers, white-washed brick, tall banquettes, and plenty of shiplap combine to make the space ultra-welcoming. On the menu, you'll find "hyper seasonal" fare inspired by classic Southern dishes, but with a modern twist — think shrimp and grits with a bacon and tomato fondue, for instance, or catfish tacos with a red pepper and carrot slaw.
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Girdwood
The vibe inside the red-sided Double Musky Inn is eclectic to say the least, with all manner of signs and Mardi Gras memorabilia lining the wood walls. Mardi Gras? Yep — even in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the Double Musky serves up Cajun fare and is particularly noted for its French pepper steak, slathered in a spicy burgundy sauce.
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Scottsdale
Fine-dining restaurants are so often stuffy, not cozy, but that's not an issue at Café Monarch. Inside, ornate frames, fireplaces, and arched ceilings all bathe in the warm glow of crystal chandeliers; outside, lanterns, candles, and string lights illuminate the welcoming patio. Food is top-notch at this frequently lauded spot; reviewers particularly recommend the roasted cauliflower soup and Chilean sea bass.
Jasper
This landmark restaurant is more than 100 years old and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Amble in under the tin awnings and you'll find all the trappings of a local institution: red leatherette chairs, pictures upon pictures, tin signs and license plates, and a well-worn stage that hosts live acts each weekend. Reviewers say you should go for breakfast to try the legendary chocolate gravy.
Studio City
This swanky Ventura Boulevard restaurant is the ultimate date-night hideaway, complete with intimate lantern-lit cabanas, a patio with ivy climbing the walls, a dazzling center fireplace, and plush red couches bordered by rows of bookshelves. Patrons can order either prix fixe or a la carte, and a special late-night menu is available for anyone who just wants to nibble while enjoying a nightcap.
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Denver
Even the name of this homey, casual joint is cozy — Cova means nest in Italian. Yelp reviewers praise the service as well as the food (ranging from prime rib and burgers to salads and brunch favorties) and the creative drink menu. We're also salivating over the honey stung fried chicken.
Wilton
This picture-perfect eatery, housed in a late-1800s schoolhouse with a bell tower and a red door, is almost unbearably quaint. Inside, diners are treated to white tablecloths in a rustic setting while they dig into fresh, locally sourced fare. A recent menu featured appetizers including a beet salad or fritto misto of calamari and shrimp, and entrees including halibut and chicken Milanese.
Wilmington
Krazy Kat's proves cozy doesn't have to be boring. This offbeat spot, housed in a renovated blacksmith's shop that still has one of its original forges, is filled with unexpected touches such as paintings of cats and dogs in regal dress, animal-print chairs, and fringed chandeliers. A wide-ranging menu is filled with favorites such as jumbo lump crab cakes and crispy duck breast. Go for brunch to enjoy a favorite Delaware dish, scrapple.
The oldest continuously operating restaurant in D.C. until the pandemic shutdown, this restaurant serves Greek and Italian dishes as part of its tasting menu only service (pick from one of three) and customers keep coming back to the charming neighborhood where the restaurant is located to sit on the patio or soak up the vintage decor of the interior plus nibble on plates ranging from caramelized ricotta gnocchi to olive oil fried eggs.
Tampa
This family-owned restaurant is so authentic that it's known to close for weeks at a time so the family can go back to Europe. But when Chanta's owners are in town they serve a mean goulash soup; Romanian stew with polenta, cheese, and fried egg; or wiener schnitzel, delivered to charming rough-hewn wooden tables surrounded by brick and leaning wagon wheels. If you're lucky, the comfy chairs directly in front of the fireplace will free up while you visit.
Decatur
Housed in a former railroad station, this farm-to-table French restaurant echoes the feel of a classic hotel bar. Leather booths, cluttered-but-curated bookshelves, and retro globe lights combine for an elegantly cozy feel while diners savor oysters from the raw bar or entrees such as smoked snapper, pork belly, or dry-aged rib-eye. Other indulgences include caviar and several kinds of absinthe on the bar menu.
Paia
If you're embarking on the famous Road to Hana, fuel up at Mama's Fish House before or after the adventure. Just be careful not to linger too long, because the stone walls, gnarled branches, and views of the Pacific might sidetrack even determined sightseers. Happy diners say the stuffed fish — with lobster and crab in a Macadamia nut crust — is heavenly. But be sure to plan your visit far in advance — the website notes reservations are full 3 to 6 months out.
Lewiston
This polished café in northwestern Idaho exudes warmth from its exposed brick walls, wood beams and floors, and carefully curated chalkboard menus. Drop by for a tasty sandwich such as a lamb burger or appetizers including mashed potato balls.
Chicago
Here's the ultimate place to hole up with someone special and forget the rest of the world. Geja's Café offers drapery-framed booths, exquisite hanging lanterns, an outdoor firepit, and rows of wine bottles framing the windows. Classical guitarists put the ambience over the top as you dig into an indulgent menu of fondue that's all about retro romance.
Goshen
If your kind of cozy involves a trip back to a simpler time, the South Side Soda Shop should be on your Indiana itinerary. The red leatherette booths, polished chrome, jukebox, old-school pennants, and retro soda fountain will make you want to stay awhile. So will the menu, filled with comfort-food favorites such as hoagies, crab cakes, pork tenderloin, sundaes, shakes, and floats.
Bonaparte
Any restaurant housed in a circa-1878 grist mill is bound to have ambiance in spades, and so it is at Bonaparte Retreat. Step inside and you won't be disappointed: Wood beams, exposed brick, and Americana galore mean this is casual joint is one you won't be in a hurry to leave. Enjoy every bit of the guilty-pleasure-filled menu, including hand-breaded pork tenderloins at lunch or a juicy rib-eye at dinner.
Assaria
We won't blame you if you do a double take when you walk into this small-town restaurant: The cozy tables, rows of books, and walls of historical photos ring a polished gym floor, complete with basketball hoops — a remnant of the building's previous life as the town school. The menu is full of fine-dining Italian fare that will still stick to your ribs, including steak Fiorentina and shrimp linguine.
Covington
Housed in a historic hotel that was once Kentucky's first modern skyscraper and high-end department store, Coppin's exudes the comfortable feel of a timeworn community landmark. Painted brick, whiskey barrels, long banquettes, and an ivy-accented patio will make diners want to linger. So will the menu of locally influenced favorites, including appetizers such as ham biscuits, corn fritters, and beer-battered cheese curds with Cincinnati chili.
New Orleans
There's nothing artificial about the warm atmosphere of Napoleon House, which has been a French Quarter landmark for more than 200 years and hosted the city's mayor when he offered a refuge for Napoleon Bonaparte in 1821. Today, you'll find wood ceilings, cluttered walls, a gorgeous polished bar, and a courtyard that time forgot (in the best possible way, of course). Order the muffuletta, a house specialty.
Kennebunk
Don't let the barn fool you: This rustic restaurant was awarded a Five Diamond Award from the AAA and offers its guests fresh, seasonally inspired fare to please any gourmand. The view out the floor-to-ceiling windows changes with the seasons — expect lush gardens in warmer months, while the winter can bring a fresh coating of snow and twinkling holiday lights.
Rockville
You may think you stumbled on your favorite childhood camp at this massive restaurant on the edge of a nature preserve in the D.C. suburbs. Canoes and logs arch over the bar, and there are stone fireplaces, taxidermy, and warm glass lamps. Happy reviewers say seafood — particularly during Oyster Happy Hour — is the highlight.
Boston
This steakhouse in an old factory — and replacing a French bistro — has a menu full of updated classics such as beef Wellington and Yukon Gold Potato Skins, made with cheddar, gruyere, and bacon. The subdued elegance provides the perfect setting not just for the rich meal, but as a place to savor and let it settle over a final drink.
Detroit
This high-ceilinged space at the Detroit Foundation Hotel could easily feel cold, but the dangling bulbs, long leather booths, bronze fixtures, and intricate tilework have the opposite effect. For the most intimate experience, try out the restaurant's Chef Table, limited to 16 diners and available Friday and Saturday nights, though private dining rooms in general became a smart move during the pandemic. A recent menu included delectable dishes such as sea urchin, white asparagus, and dry-aged duck.
St. Paul
W.A. Frost and Co. presents an exquisite dilemma: Enjoy the beautiful patio, or the equally lovely interior? Either way, you can't go wrong at this turn-of-the-century establishment with brick walls, tin ceilings, half-moon windows, and grand fireplaces. Outside, massive trees, climbing vines, and a stone fire pit make al fresco dining equally appealing. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is needed to dine at the restaurant.
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Biloxi
Stepping past the ivy-covered walls and into the brick courtyard at Mary Mahoney's makes diners feel like they've found a secret gem, but this historic seafood and steak restaurant is deservedly well known. Built in the 1700s, some rooms feature cracked plaster and exposed brick, while others have crystal chandeliers and fine art.
Ridgedale
The panoramas of the Ozarks from Big Cedar Lodge's Osage Restaurant are compelling, but the interior is nothing to sneeze at. The rooms feature stone work, timber walls and ceilings, warm lighting, and a polished circular bar. Before the pandemic diners might want to save their visit for Sunday brunch to enjoy a buffet of breakfast favorites, seafood, salads, carved meats, and more.
Bozeman
Dinner is literally a special occasion at The Cateye Cafe, but the Caracciolo family has perfected its daily breakfasts and lunches over the past 20 years. There's little better than enjoying a “Norm” Sausage & Egg Deluxe Biscuit Sammy, burger on a biscuit, or steak and eggs straight from the griddle on the Cateye’s tree-lined patio (er, catio) or handful of interior booths. One peculiarity of the cafe: It doesn't serve poached eggs, so don't ask.
Omaha
Tucked away in Omaha's brick Old Market district, V. Mertz has all the dimly lit ambiance of a romantic hidden gem, even though its reputation for fine contemporary American cuisine is well known. Diners recommend splurging on the wagyu beef, and the cheese plate also gets plenty of raves. The surrounding area is perfect for an after-dinner stroll.
Las Vegas
Nothing on the menu at Herbs & Rye will shock you, from the shrimp cocktail and wedge salad to the New York strip steak and cacio y pepe. But the pasta is housemade, the drinks are extravagant, and the vibe has the dimly lit buzz of a speakeasy with touches of leather, brick, hardwood, and stained glass that almost will you to lean back and relax. Since it's open until 3 a.m., you'll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy it without the crowds.
Mason
Reserve one of three seating times to enjoy a five-course, locally sourced gourmet lunch at this impossibly picturesque little cottage dating from 1786, the inspiration for "Little Red Riding Hood" illustrations. Herbs are grown on the beautiful property, which is worth a stroll in fair weather. Menus change monthly, but all meals include soup, salad, entrée, bread, and dessert.
Warren
Under an hour outside New York City, Stonehouse at Stirling Ridge is a rustic, elegant, farm-to-table restaurant. Head here in the summer for the dazzling outdoor patio with its twinkling lights, pergolas, and fire pits. When it cools down, the stone walls, chandeliers, fireplaces, and towering collection of fine wine keep things nice and warm inside.
Santa Fe
It's hard to do any better than the setting at Geronimo, housed in an adobe house that was built in the 1750s and complete with kiva fireplaces and wooden beams. But reviewers say there's much more to dining here than the surroundings, and the restaurant's globally inspired menu, awarded four stars from Forbes and four diamonds from AAA, bears that out.
New York City
A meal here doesn't come cheap, but if you're willing to splurge, One if by Land, Two if by Sea is regarded as one of the Big Apple's most romantic spots to dine. As the name suggests, there is a definite colonial flavor captured by the exposed brick, arched windows, chandeliers, low light, and plenty of candles. A prix fixe menu includes indulgent favorites such as venison, pan-seared scallops, and beef Wellington.
Sugar Grove
You'll have to resist the urge to settle on the porch at Over Yonder and while away the afternoon in a rocking chair, because this "Appalachian kitchen" has more charm up its sleeve. Inside, find a welcoming mixture of brick, wood floors, tin ceilings; outside, there's a charming patio, gazebo, and gardens galore. The menu includes hard-to-resist Southern favorites including crispy okra, chicken-fried chicken, and peach cobbler.
Fargo
Mezzaluna, in a historic downtown Fargo warehouse, has an eclectic, urban feel that stands out among the state's typical rustic fare. You'll find tin ceilings, exposed pipes, dripping crystal chandeliers, plush booths, billowy white curtains, and a horseshoe "Alleyway Bar" serving up craft cocktails to go with the new American dishes.
Logan
A destination restaurant in the scenic Hocking Hills region's Inn at Cedar Falls, Kindred Spirits is housed in original 1840s log cabins, complete with rough-hewn walls, wooden beams, and sloping floors. Locally sourced fare harmonizes with the atmosphere — especially the hot berry cobbler for dessert. Relax before or after your meal in the fireside lounge, or if the weather's nice, the rooftop garden.
Oklahoma City
Housed in a historic building formerly home to a Packard car showroom, Packard's manages to infuse industrial chic with warmth. There's plenty of metal and wood, but the banquettes, chalkboards, and dangling fixtures beckon diners to stay awhile, as does the inviting rooftop patio. The menu focuses on seasonal, locally sourced fare and includes an impressive array of specialty drinks.
Newberg
Tucked away in a charming Victorian home in Oregon's wine country, this Forbes 4-star restaurant is a picture-perfect spot for an intimate, romantic meal. The tasting menu changes seasonally, focusing on ingredients that can be sourced from local farmers. If you really want to go all out, stay in the adjacent guest cottage and take a cooking class, too.
Easton
This small but sumptuous restaurant brings a big-city feel to small-town Pennsylvania. Expect mood lighting galore, tall, private booths, and subtle ocean-inspired décor under an undulating ceiling. An intimate patio provides another delightful place to enjoy a menu of sophisticated seafood, which is packed with standouts like the lobster empanadas and rare seared ahi tuna.
Newport
It may seem like all of Newport is stuffing itself into Clarke Cooke House on any given evening, and it's easy to see why. The historic restaurant offers casual dining in its bistro, where the post-and-beam atmosphere is accented by elegantly cluttered walls and views of the harbor. The more refined patio and Yacht Club Room offers more upscale dining, but without feeling stuffy. On the menu, of course, is plenty of seafood, and rolls upon rolls of sushi during summers.
Charleston
It doesn't get any more charming than a restaurant housed in the old carriage house of a resplendent Charleston mansion. So it goes without saying that Circa 1886, awarded four diamonds by the AAA and four stars from Forbes, has romance and atmosphere in spades. Patrons say the food is delicious enough to match its surroundings. Diners can choose from a traditional menu of Low Country favorites with a modern spin, or opt for a five-course tasting menu.
Sioux Falls
In a state often defined by western kitsch, Crawford's offers a warm and elegant alternative. The historic building, once home to one of Sioux Falls' first butchers, sports exposed brick walls, tin ceilings, chandeliers, and a variety of plush couches and booths. Seafood and steak are the stars of the menu.
Columbia
Crammed into a ramshackle-looking little house with a tin roof and modest porch, Marcy Jo's proves you can't judge a book by its cover. Inside, the country cooking is anything but shabby, and the décor is surprisingly quaint, with twinkling lights and tin signs lining the walls. Diners love the biscuits and gravy, fried bologna sandwiches, and catfish. And the cinnamon rolls are legendary.
Utopia
Texas has cute country cafes in spades, but one of the coziest may well be Lost Maples Café in the fittingly named Hill Country town of Utopia. The building was built at the turn of the century and still exudes plenty of charm — think wood beams, tall booths, and plenty of Lone Star kitsch such as wagon wheels and taxidermy. Hungry? You'll find classic diner fare and plenty of tempting pies.
Park City
Cozy spots to dine are a dime a dozen in ski towns, but the seasonal Fireside Dining at Deer Valley's Empire Canyon Lodge kicks things up a notch with horse-drawn sleigh rides and meals actually served straight from one of the restaurant's huge stone fireplaces. One is devoted to raclette, a close cousin of fondue; another turns out stew, ribs, and other cold-weather favorites; a third is devoted to roast leg of lamb; and a fourth focuses on dessert fondues and other sweet treats.
Ferrisburgh
Housed in a building that was originally a cider press, this quaintly named restaurant has the ambience to match. Inside, the dining room exudes warmth and features a covered patio with a stone fireplace; outside, a quiet patio overlooks plenty of lush greenery. Its neighbors include other historic buildings and even a covered bridge. The menu focuses on local, seasonal dishes that pay tribute to rural Vermont.
Woodbridge
Warm and unpretentious, Bistro L'Hermitage has flowers spilling from the windows that beckon diners into the warm stone-and-beam interior. Enjoy accordion music as you dig into a slice of the French countryside; popular dishes include foie gras, loup de mer, and beef bourguignon. TripAdvisor reviewers say you can't leave without indulging in the crème brulee.
Tacoma
The exposed brick, polished wood, red drapes and intimate booths at Indochine make this restaurant an ideal place to relax and indulge in traditional Thai and Asian fusion dishes. Diners can listen to the zen-inducing trickle of a fountain while digging into spring rolls, pad thai, potstickers, and more. Bonus: Many items are gluten-free.
Helvetia
This adorable yellow cottage is as charming inside as it is outside, placing diners among accents including books, globes, and teapots. The appealing atmosphere is all the better because patrons get to feast on authentic Swiss food such as bratwurst on homemade bread, cheese soup, baked ham, hot applesauce, and sauerkraut.
Racine
Wisconsin's old-school supper clubs are the ultimate in cozy nostalgia, and the Hobnob is one of the best. Open since 1954, it retains all the feel of the era with curved leather booths, crystal chandeliers, purple wallpaper, and plenty of mood lighting. For the true supper-club experience, come for the Friday Night Fish Fry and choose from cod or pike served with soup, salad, a potato, and dinner rolls.
Jackson
The Cowboy State may not spring to mind as a hot spot for delectable Italian fare, but Orsetto proves doubters wrong, offering well-received classics such as linguine and clams, veal marsala, and tiramisu. The sleek interior, with leather banquettes and tilework on the floors and walls, is equal parts cozy and chic in a town overrun by western-style eateries.