A basement bar with low ceilings that’s dark and moody with great drinks and food? Say less. This spot is all about gin as it’s directly below the Durham Distillery, so try one of the many martinis on offer or one of the seasonal cocktails. 

There’s not a full dinner menu, but a sweet potato and pecan cheese ball or two and an order of the pigs in a blanket will satisfy even the hangriest in the group.

If hot toddies are up your alley (pun intended), this is the spot to be. Last season owner Shannon Healy featured five toddies on the winter menu and plans to do something similar this year. Toddy flavors change regularly, so check Instagram to see what’s being poured, but the Persimmon Pudding hot toddy, a decadent cocktail made with persimmon syrup and topped with heavy cream, will be a regular all cozy season. Want to try to make any of the restaurant’s cocktails at home? The staff will print any recipe so patrons can try to recreate drinks at home.

This spot, as the name suggests, is little. With a capacity for only 30 diners, it’s no bigger than a generously proportioned living room. Littler really plays up the cozy vibe with exposed brick walls, and floor-to-ceiling heavy curtains. Warm up with dishes like the hearty braised short rib or with the Save the Date cocktail, a take on the Vieux Carre, made with the French liqueur Benedictine that’s flavored with warm baking spices.

This recently reopened Durham institution has been in business for over 30 years. Its dark wood paneling, deep green tiles, crushed blue velvet seats in the bar area, and plaid carpet running the length of the dining room might evoke memories of Grandma’s living room. 

The menu features Italian and French-inspired comfort food, such as shrimp risotto and chicken liver mousse, as well as groan-worthy buttermilk rolls. To extend the evening, order the hot chocolate souffle. It’ll take about 20 minutes to prepare, but the decadent dark chocolate cake is more than worth the wait.

Vintage posters and embroidered sayings adorn the walls of this Raleigh staple, along with a fair amount of taxidermied animals. Think hippie-basement-hangout-meets-mountain-cabin vibe. The open kitchen and small space combined with the dim lighting and candlelit tables means it’s always warm and cozy inside. 

The menu changes frequently, but the pasta dishes, like the recent tagliatelle with bread crumbs, chili, broccoli raab, and pecorino, are always a knockout, as is the bread and butter that’s always on the menu. They don’t accept reservations but have plenty of outdoor seating with heaters (and drink service) should there be a wait.

Sit by one of the fire pits outside and curl up with a blanket or settle into one of the many couches dotting this basement bar specializing in champagne and “girl dinners.” Come in sweats or all dolled up —  this spot is all about accepting people wherever they are. Pair the Jansz sparkling rosé from Tasmania with the ooey-gooey warm brie or polish off one of the robust charcuterie boards while catching up on the latest gossip with friends.

Try to snag one of the high-backed booths for dinner for the ultimate intimate cozy dining experience. This is definitely a special occasion spot — expect to pay over $100 a person — but for those looking for a high-quality steak and to feel like they’re in a swanky New York spot versus one in downtown Raleigh, the experience is unparalleled. 

Start with the roasted bone marrow with bacon mustard jam and the Something Blue cocktail, which is made with basil and lemongrass gin and topped with prosecco foam. Then, move on to an expertly seared steak and a glass of wine from the extensive wine list.

What better way to stay warm this winter than with a whiskey? Sink into a plush seat in the lounge or head out to the large heated patio and get cozy with one of over 600 whiskeys that the bar has on hand. Winter cocktails like the Toddy for Two, a rendition of the classic warm cocktail, make for a dreamy date night drink, or try the new Cozy Sofa with spiced apple cider and Delta 8.

You can eat the shrimp and grits or the hearty lamb burger during the week or tuck into the decadent monkey bread at brunch on the weekends.