Cosy Up At Auckland’s 10 Best Bars And Restaurants With Fireplaces

The central tenets of winter are, inarguably, mulled wine, bubbling raclette and settling in for the night at a hidden bar. And you can find all of those things here, here, and here respectively. But there’s another vital ingredient to a winter’s night out on the town; an essential element that’ll tempt even the most rugged up homebodies off the couch, and it manifests in the form of a roaring fireplace. 

Here are Auckland’s best restaurants with fireplaces for winter-proofed plans. 

The Emerald 

581 Manukau Road, Epsom 

At the back of The Emerald you’ll find a handful of plush velvet chairs artfully arranged around a roaring fireplace. It’s a stylish den that’s as worthy of a flirty first date as it is of a long overdue catch up with your favourite people. That the cocktails totally slap doesn’t hurt, either. 

Insider Intel: 

• Hand over thirty bucks between 12 and 3pm weekdays to unlock their express menu, scoring yourself a main (French dip steak sandwich, anyone?) and a glass of vino. 

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Sìso

311 Remuera Road, Remuera

Image credit: Sìso | website 

If there’s anything to warm the soul, it’s dark, earthen interiors and a menu that transports you to the sun-soaked beaches of the Mediterranean. At Sìso you get all of that, plus a fireplace. Sweetening the deal is the bar and eatery’s very own margarita menu known as ‘Siso Sips,’ where you can score a marg for just fifteen bucks between 3 and 6pm. 

Insider Intel:

• Here you can summon a thick square of tiramisu, and fork into your very own adventure through layers of coffee-soaked sponge, mascarpone and cocoa. Just when we thought this spot couldn’t get any hotter. 

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Rooftop At QT

QT Auckland, 4 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Westhaven  

There’s something about getting cosy many floors up in the air, and Rooftop at QT has a wee gas fire that does the trick in the lounge (especially if you’re quietly sipping your way through their champagne menu, which adds heat layers of its own). But you can perch just as happily on the balcony—while there isn’t an outdoor fire, the gas heaters will keep you adequately snug. 

Insider Intel: 

• Downstairs at Esther you’ll discover the high tea to end all other high teas (and it’s complete with a dessert trolley). 

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Jervois Steak House 

70 Jervois Road, Ponsonby

Image credit: Jervois Steak House | Instagram

A craving for red (or, perhaps, a dip in iron levels) should send you through the doors at Jervois Steak House, a 20-year-strong establishment where steak is among the all-hallowed. And whether you’re after a wagyu katsu sandwich on Japanese milk bread, a house beef tartare, or something else entirely, the best seat in the house is upstairs in the main dining room, as close to the open fire as your bones can tolerate. 

Insider Intel: 

• Sundays are for the eponymous roast, complete with all the trimmings. 

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Kingi

Inside The Hotel Britomart, Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway Street, Britomart 

Image credit: Kingi | Instagram

*The* place to dine when you could do with a hit of seriously good kaimoana, Kingi delivers in menu, aesthetic and enviable location. And during the winter months there’s an extra detail to add to the experience, in the form of a feature fireplace that’ll be sufficient ammo against even the most biting winter winds. 

Insider Intel: 

• If you're looking to impress, consider hiring kingi Private, a brick-lined private dining room and menu that showcases the best of what Kingi has to offer. 

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Hallertau Clevedon 

26 Clevedon-Kawakwa Road, Clevedon 

Another spot where your thirst (and any risk of hypothermia) will be banished, is Hallertau Clevedon, which is graced with a large courtyard fireplace. Best enjoyed grazing in good company over infinite sharing plates, you can rest assured it’ll never be too cold to sit outside. Plus, if you’re looking for a winter-proof party spot, you just found it. 

Insider Intel: 

• The kids will be delighted when they spy the Build Your Own Super Sundae on the kids menu which, we’ve got on good authority, comes piled high with lollies. 

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Malt Public House

442 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn 

Image credit: Malt Public House | Instagram

Dining en plein air on a deck festooned with dolly lights is possible any night of the year, thanks to the open wood fire at Malt Public House. With platters, bar snacks, a kids menu and daily food specials (like live music and $5 tacos in their Thursday sunset sessions, and roasts all weekend), it’s as great a spot for a family feed out, as it is for catching up with mates. 

Insider Intel: 

• The folks at Malt have an entire zero and low alcohol drinks list, with mocktails, spirits, beer, cider and Guinness for when you’re choosing to be booze-free. 

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Tantalus Estate

70-72 Onetangi Road, Waiheke Island 

If I was going to recommend just one vineyard to visit on Waiheke, it’d be Tantalus Estate, and in the winter months, I’d give you strict instructions to not leave until you’d ventured downstairs from the main restaurant and pulled up a pew in Tantalus Cellar a.k.a. The Alibi Brewer’s Lounge. A much smaller space than the restaurant above, and with a fireplace to boot, cosy is in its very design.

Insider Intel: 

• Often there’s some sort of wine or wine-adjacent masterclass taking place at Tantalus. Regardless of the focus (or price tag) book it. You won’t be disappointed. 

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Cafe Fenice 

122a Ocean View Road, Oneroa, Waiheke Island

Image credit: Cafe Fenice | website

Another winter-warmer spot on Waiheke Island is Cafe Fenice. Where a winery mission could require a bit of transport admin, Cafe Fenice is but a five minute bus ride from Matiatia Ferry. The all-day Italian eatery boasts an indoor fireplace framed by candelabras, and between that and a steaming plate of homemade lasagne, there’s no way you’ll be feeling the winter chill. 

Insider Intel: 

• Order the 3-course Taste of Fenice menu to be treated to a surprise mix of iconic Fenice bites as well as some new bits and pieces. The menu’s just $75 per person and can be taken away for a romantic picnic on the beach. 

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Captain’s Bar 

Park Hyatt Auckland, 99 Halsey Street, Auckland CBD 

A rum flight is a vibe on any occasion but make it fireside and it turns next level, especially when each tasting is matched to a sweet and savoury snack like it does at Captain’s Bar. And who wouldn’t want to feel cosy and more than just a little bit luxe, metaphorically rugged up in one of the city’s most sought-after hotels? 

Insider Intel: 

• Here, the cocktail list tells the tale of the Seven Seas and the exotic voyages of a bygone era. 

Find out more

Want more like this? Check out: 

• Here's Where To Find Auckland's Best Hot Chocolates In 2026
• Weather-Proofed Kid Activities For Winter And Beyond 
• Tāmaki Makaurau's Best Bars For The Ultimate Bar Crawl 

Main image credit: Fenice Cafe.