The Resy Guide to Essential Cozy Locales in D.C.

This small but charming pizzeria has all the makings for a cozy dinner. Small tables, pendant lighting, and dynamite pizza — the ultimate comfort food — are the name of the game. Before jumping into the pizza consider sampling the restaurant’s famous garlic knots, which are fluffy, buttery clouds of bread smothered in garlic butter and served with a Parmesan fondue. Then, the pizza. The Standard is an obvious choice, the doughy, thick crust draped with melted cheese, tomatoes, and oregano, but the Vespa is equally as tempting, with mozzarella, wild mushrooms, and a fragrant black truffle sauce.

Bindaas offers Indian comfort food at its best. The small, picturesque dining room is filled with the aroma of fragrant Indian street food dishes, which include popcorn tossed with Indian herbs and spices like coriander and cumin; earthy pao bhaji, a chunky ginger and garam masala-infused veggie stew served on warm buttery rolls; and a paneer kathi roll, featuring hunks of cheese and sweet-and-spicy bell peppers stuffed inside a flaky paratha.

For a truly intimate meal with friends, book the Sunflower Coach at Compass Rose, which is a private dining room designed to look like an old European dining coach. The space holds six to eight people and offers a $75 prix fixe meal with all kinds of rib-sticking dishes from around the world, including patatas bravas from Spain, carrots roasted with garam masala from Syria, brown butter-soaked squash from Lebanon, and elotes locos, or grilled corn, from Mexico, smothered in a fiery red pepper crema.

What is the one dish which represents coziness above all else? That would be mac ‘n’ cheese. Elife serves a vegan version of the comfort food staple two ways: one, baked with a sinful, silken cashew cream, and the other cooked with a chickpea milk. Both are earthy, garlicky, full of seasoning, and baked to excellence. You will want to eat it all winter long. Elife also serves plenty of other heavy, Southern-inspired dishes guaranteed to chase away the winter blues, including biscuits, collard greens, rice and beans, curried chicken, home fries, and grits.

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For anyone who enjoys plant-based fare in an upscale setting, the Fancy Radish is on point. Low lighting, intimate tables, and decadent fare make it an ideal spot for a cool-weather meal. Indulge in rutabaga fondue served with fresh-from-the-oven pretzel bread, Peruvian potatoes, shaved brussels sprouts, and uber creamy and buttery miso noodles. A chocolatey or seasonal dessert such as an apple crisp rounds out the meal.

Few cuisines epitomize the concept of warm and snug like Italian food does. Each and every dish on Grazie Nonna soothes, from the crunchy, sublime arancini (fried risotto balls), to the silver queen pizza with mozzarella, garlic cream, corn, and onions, to the mafalde pasta, swirled in a heady vodka sauce.

Malaysian fare pleases with spicy, earthy dishes, but undoubtedly the curry mee is tops on the menu at Makan. A giant bowl arrives brimming with a bold curry-infused broth, heaps of glass and curry egg noodles, chewy greens, a dollop of sambal, bean sprouts, and hunks of tofu. It is sweet, sour, and spicy all at once, a dreamy experience for your taste buds. Pro tip: Always start with an order of the paneer satay, which comes on skewers and is served with an exquisite peanut dipping sauce.

Reserve your own private chalet at D.C.’s only Swiss restaurant, Stable, for secluded dining complete with rustic wooden walls and adorable faux windows. The cuisine is as charming as the venue, with decadent cheese fondue, served with homemade bread, and Swiss specialties including rosti, spaetzle, and a Swiss cheese quiche. Spiked apple cider is served all winter if you need to warm up from the inside out! Don’t miss the raclette cheese experience, where the famed Swiss cheese is heated on a tableside grill, then scooped on to your plate when melted and served with potatoes, bread, and greens.

Nothing says nostalgia quite like a diner. And the diner fare at Sticky Fingers is like a warm hug from your childhood, with classic diner fare like sandwiches, burgers, subs, Reubens, and breakfast items like blueberry pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Bonus: the dishes are entirely vegan, if no less delicious than the classic versions.

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If you’ve never sampled a khachapuri, this is the time to do it. This hearty hallmark of Georgian cuisine features a boat-shaped bread smothered with heaps of melted cheese and herbs. It’s decadent, rich, and soothing. Supra offers a variety of khachapuri, including ajaruli, with the cheese bread topped with an egg, or sokos, where meaty mushrooms are baked into the cheese. Grilled veggies, cauliflower tossed in a walnut sauce, and mushroom soup dumplings also warrant sampling. Bring a group of friends to enjoy the warm and comfortable setting.

It’s small, relaxed, and features some of the best ramen in town. Piping-hot broth, chewy noodles, and a spice bomb flavor profile are all you need to get warmed up this winter. If you aren’t into ramen, Toki also offers delicious dishes including dan dan noodles; steamed buns stuffed with battered cauliflower and smothered in Japanese mayo; dumplings; and other small plates.

As soon as you enter the lounge at the Tabard Inn, a blazing fire sets the stage for a rustic and memorable dinner. Kick off your meal with a bowl of seasonal soup, and carry on with the velvety winter risotto. Pair with a boozy beverage, such as the San Lazar Manhattan or the Martini in Bloom. The restaurant oozes Old World charm; you’ll soon forget the chill outside. Pro tip: Come for brunch to sample the famous Tabard Inn donuts.

The charming dining room sets the stage for marvelous seasonal creations like an Appalachian cheese tart; beets adorned with a fennel and basil crumble; hen of the woods mushrooms, grilled to perfection and served with a lemon and caper aioli; and for dessert, a chocolate budino with red wine-poached figs. The dishes are great for sharing, and a seasonal list of heartier wines only adds to the convivial glow.

For a tiny café where you can linger over wine and decadent dishes, head to Tigerella. Luxurious dishes like oysters, freshly baked breads, burrata, housemade pastas, and personal pan pizzas are available to sample with your wine. Comforting desserts inspired by winter ingredients include pumpkin spice mousse and an apple and pear crostata.