10 Cozy Bars & Restaurants in Philadelphia

If you’re at your most cozy surrounded by music, then the chill music-filled atmosphere at 48 Record Bar will soothe your vinyl soul. Inspired by Japanese audiophile bars known as kissa, the 45-seat second-floor cocktail lounge is also one of the city’s best listening rooms, with a high-fidelity sound system, studio-ready acoustics, and shelves lined with an eye-and-ear-popping collection of vinyl records. Grab a well-crafted cocktail and enjoy the eclectic mix of sounds while sitting by the inviting fireplace. Mix up your night by heading downstairs to equally cozy co-owned Sassafras.

Before being allowed entry to Alpen Rose, guests must ring the locked door’s bell, signaling the host to release a hidden panel through which your reservation is confirmed. Not your typical cavernous giant-tabled chopshop, celebrity chef Michael Schulson‘s intimate Center City spot bills itself as a classic steakhouse reimagined, with new takes on standards from beef Wellington to oysters Rockefeller. The dark-shaded everything — low light levels, dark leather U-shaped booths and dark wood-paneled walls — gives the dining room a tucked-away ambiance in which to enjoy incredible cuts of meat, smoky cocktails and opulent desserts.

Maybe the best definition of “cozy” is that feeling of contentment one gets while surrounded by friends. That’s the meaning behind the Danish word in the name of Fairmount/Spring Garden brewpub Bar Hygge (pronounced HUE-gah). The tavern’s warm industrial-style energy emanates from its lived-in feel, enlivened by clever touches like exposed brick, worn rugs, mismatched plush seating and a dining room wall constructed from repurposed barrel staves. Along with a rotating selection of adventurous craft brews (from in-house Brewery Techne), the menu is highlighted by mix-and-match charcuterie-style “Hygge boards” served on paddles.

If a cozy pub in the British countryside is your vibe, Philly restauranter legend Stephen Starr has a place for you. Modeled after favorite English gastropubs, The Dandelion features two crackling fireplaces — one marble and one rustic brick — surrounded by tartan-patterned bar seats, red-leather banquettes and embroidered leather booths at rugged wooden tables. The Rittenhouse Square venue’s dark woodtone cottage or hunting lodge aesthetic and floral fabric curtains mesh perfectly with a long beer list (including cask-stored pints), authentic British pub food and, of course, afternoon tea service.

Through the famous bright blue trellis at 7th and Kater streets in Queen Village are two distinct cozy options from father/daughter duo Bernard and Chloe Grigri. Downstairs, The Good King Tavern offers the welcoming neighborhood comfort of low-lit leather booths and small bistro tables, friendly service and a killer tavern burger. Upstairs, the intimate dark tones of Le Caveau — a two-time James Beard Award honoree — feel secretive and intriguing with a Parisian-inspired basement mood enhanced by subtle French disco music, charcuterie boards and a 130-bottle-strong wine list.

True to its name, The Library Bar — inside The Rittenhouse hotel — caters its coziness to bibliophiles. The upscale spot features a reading nook lined with vintage books in a small built-in-bookshelf library by an elegant limestone fireplace. Relax in one of the luxe leather lounge chairs under a glowing chandelier or grab a yellow leather booth seat in the bar and enjoy seasonal and classic cocktails — highlighted by a massive whiskey collection — or an original creation inspired by works of literature and art. Grab a bite from a menu of upscale pub snacks.

From the team behind Dos Segundos, Khyber Pass and other neighborhood standbys, Royal Boucherie is a classic brasserie in Old City best described as sultry cozy. The two-level 150-seat space offers homestyle French fare (think cassoulet and steak frites), a raw bar and charcuterie boards for two in the indoor wood dining room where restored 19th century pine floors, tin ceilings, tabletop votives, antique sconces and exposed brick walls surround a glowing candle-lit fireplace. Or catch some fresh air upstairs on the second floor outdoor garden terrace with wine and oysters during warmer months.

A 12,000-square-foot restaurant, bar, patio, market and café, Suraya is less dining spot and more Middle Eastern dining complex where the menu celebrates flavors of the Levant — Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon — like flatbreads, baba ganoush, taboulé and heaping plates of hummus. The Instagrammable Fishtown space is highlighted by an indoor/outdoor fireplace connecting the main restaurant to The Garden outdoor terrace where you’ll find Persian ironwoods, a peaceful fountain, glittering lights, a dedicated outdoor bar and firepits warming communal tables. For an even cozier ambiance, book the private fireplace room.

It doesn’t get more cozy than a hearth-laden restaurant inside a Midtown Village brownstone designed by a Victorian-era architect named Frank Furness (yes, his real name) and formerly home to an eatery called Deux Cheminees (meaning “two fireplaces”). That was the base for 10-time James Beard Award honoree husband/wife team Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby’s vegan landmark Vedge. Enjoy a changeable menu that purposely eschews reliance on meat substitutes in the vibey wood-paneled dining room. For the ultimate cozy upgrade, grab a table by one of the dining area’s multiple brick fireplaces.

Located inside a circa-1890 former Fishtown whiskey factory (and below a meticulously designed boutique hotel), Wm. Mulherin’s Sons’s style of cozy is reminiscent of a Catskills ski lodge. The main dining room’s central point is a poured-concrete fireplace surrounded by leather chairs and under an enchanting skylight, and its sophisticated design features cozy brown leather booths in every corner and a large rustic wooden bar around mosaic tile flooring and marble accents. The menu — highlighted by wood-fired pizzas, pasta dishes and craft cocktails — makes guests feel just as toasty.