Cozy up to these hearth-warming restaurant fireplaces

Does a steaming cup of cappuccino and a plate of avocado toast with serrano pepper, radish and queso fresco taste better if you're sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace at BrewHaHa! in Greenville?

Maybe not. But it's certainly one of the coziest spots at the 3838 Kennett Pike restaurant to enjoy a nosh or two.

An even larger fireplace with a stone chimney can be found at the sprawling BrewHaHa! in Trolley Square.

The impressive and dramatic fireplace's veneer was created using El Dorado's Crescent Peak Shadow Rock, a textured stone known for its creative expression and masonry craftsmanship.

Customers at the Wilmington coffeehouse often flock to and camp out in front of the hearth, says owner Alisa Lippincott Morkides. It's almost like being in a ski lodge.

"I always consider fireplaces the focal point of a room," says Morkides.

Cuddling up near some flickering flames with food and drink is as old as time. There are few things better on an icy winter day, or frigid night, than staying toasty while, perhaps, getting a little toasted. 

No hearth in your home? No worries. Luckily, there are many restaurants and cafes in the state where you can escape the cold and grab a seat near a fireplace.

The historic Dilworthtown Inn near West Chester, Pennsylvania, has long been known for its roaring fireplaces amid the cozy colonial atmosphere. The restored inn dates back to 1754 and the soft lighting from the flames (and the candlelight) adds to the romantic ambiance at the New American restaurant.

The fireplaces at the inn, owned by Jim Barnes and Bob Raffeto, are so prized, photos and videos of fires have been posted on the restaurant's Facebook page to entice patrons.

Few local food establishments have wood-burning fireplaces and somewhat missing is the smoky aroma and fireplace's soundtrack – the customary crackle and pop from smoldering hickory, oak or cherry wood logs.

But while many fireplaces in businesses are gas-powered, some still give off heat and they don't need to be stoked. There are also no worries about splitting and stacking cords of wood. 

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If you still want the real deal, The Well Coffeehouse and Marketplace, a cozy 6949 Lancaster Pike cafe in Hockessin located in a log cabin owned by Trinity Community Church, does have a wood-burning stove. Comfy chairs and sofas are plunked nearby.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, a steakhouse at 1225 Churchmans Road, Center Pointe Shopping Center, near Newark, has two blazing fireplaces – one inside the main dining area, and another one on the restaurant's outdoor patio. The aroma of the stacked woods hits the nose as you enter the building.

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When Morkides moved her BrewHaHa! Trolley Square and Greenville cafes into new locations in 2015 and 2016, respectively, she says she made sure the hearth was the heart of the seating areas.

"We started with the fireplaces first," she says about the design plans.

"I love them so much. I love sitting in front of them. I love that whole feeling that you get. I just like that a fireplace creates an atmosphere of warmth, family and friends."

At the laid-back,1400 N. Dupont St. BrewHaHa! cafe, some customers have even been known to fall asleep on the couch in front of Wilmington fireplace. Employees sometimes nudge them awake.

The leather couch in front of the fireplace is such a popular spot, there's even an indentation in the cushions, says Morkides.

"It's one of the top spots for people to gather around." She says people also "fight over comfortable chairs" in the coffeehouses.

"They really like the grey velvet ones. We keep getting more and more of those." 

Morkides says she enjoys the aroma and romance of wood-burning fireplaces found at some landmark hotels and restaurants in Cape May, New Jersey, such as The Brown Room at Congress Hall and The Ebbitt Room at The Virginia.

"They keep that fire burning. It's a reason why I go to The Ebbitt Room," she says. 

The BrewHaHa! fireplaces are fueled by propane and natural gas.

Morkides says eventually she would love to have a wood-burning fireplace in one of her establishments. "I'm still holding out for one." But due to fire code regulations and the maintenance required for a wood-fueled hearth, it's just a dream for now.

At Jessop's Tavern in Old Castle, the gas fireplace near the front door of the 114 Delaware St. establishment is a nod to modern times, but it's located in a part of the building that dates back to original 18th-century structure.

There are two tables on either side of the mantle, and one in front. It's a perfect place to tuck into the tavern's signature "Olde English fare" which includes Fish & Chips ($17) and Shepherd's Pie ($17) while sipping a Belgian beer. The restaurant offers more than 350 different bottles and 21 drafts.

Just know this going in: The tables near the fireplaces are snatched up fast.

Cantwell's Tavern, another "ye olde" establishment, is a 19th-century-style American tavern created out of the former Brick Hotel in sleepy Odessa. It's tucked away at the crossroads of U.S. 13 and Del. 299 and can be easy to miss while zooming along the much more well-traveled Del. 1.

The 1822 Federal building boasts six gas fireplaces and customers frequently request tables near one of them, especially in the winter. If you sit fireside, a good accompaniment might be a bowl of French onion soup ($7.99) with a brioche croute and a topping of melted Munster cheese.

Want to soak in more Delaware history with booze near a blaze? The Lemon Leaf Cafe in Smyrna (formerly the Inn at Duck Creek) has five gas fireplaces in its six dining rooms.

The buildings making up the restaurant have housed a longtime barber shop as well as an antique shop, a beauty shop and served as apartments.

The original Lemon Leaf Cafe in Chestertown, Maryland, is known for its cream of crab soup ($7 a cup; $9 a bowl). You'll also find it at 2 N. Main St. Smyrna location. But a $9 fireside chocolate martini (Godiva chocolate liqueur, Kahlua and cream) also might hit the spot.

Heirloom, a charming 2-year-old Lewes eatery at 212 Savannah Road in a Victorian structure on one of the town’s main thoroughfares, has its original fireplace.

The house built in 1899 was once the home of dentist J.B. Robinson. (The restaurant’s bar area was his office.) It had been a residential home since the 1940s when owner Meghan Lee purchased the property. 

The Governor's Cafe at 144 S.W. Kings Highway in Dover is registered as the “Leason House” on the National Register of Historic Places. The 19th-century structure is in Victorian Dover’s Historic District, a triangular block bounded by Division Street on the north, Kings Highway on the east.

When the cafe opened in 2011, comfortable leather couches and chairs were parked in front of its gas fireplace. Now, there are several tables near the flames where patrons can enjoy a Spanish latte or a glass of sauvignon blanc.

At The Perfect Blend at 249 E. Main in Newark, owner Jeanne Kress often sees customers huddling near the coffeehouse's two fireplaces. A seat near the fire is a perfect spot to indulge in Liège waffles ($4.75 each and $2,75 for "minis"), the oblong waffles, named after a town in Belgium, that are golden brown with uneven, almost ragged edges.

Harry's Savoy Grill, a fixture in Brandywine Hundred since 1988, has two fireplaces in its main dining area, including the original one which dates back 80 years.

Ten years ago, fireplaces were added to the Naamans Road restaurant's patio rooms.

A two-sided fireplace was installed at Harry's Seafood Grill on the Wilmington Riverfront when it opened 15 years ago. One half faces the main dining room, while the other half warms a table in the bar area.

Expect a wait, especially on a weekend, for a table near one of the two fireplaces at Buckley's Tavern in Centreville. Tables near the fireplace in the main dining room proved to be so popular, the restaurant added a second fireplace in the bar area in 2006.

The tavern area of the Back Burner, a Hockessin favorite since 1980, has a "fireplace room" with seating for 28 at individual tables. But, try to snag one of the armchairs surrounding the fireplace. The room also can accommodate up to 35 people for private dining.

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico

MORE PLACES WITH FIREPLACES

Just in Thyme, Del. 1 and Robinson Drive, Rehoboth Beach.

Columbus Inn, 2216 Pennsylvania Ave, Wilmington.

The Whip Tavern, 1383 N. Chatham Road, Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

Washington Street Ale House, 1206 Washington St., Wilmington, 

Catherine Rooney's, 1616 Delaware Ave, Wilmington.

8th & Union Kitchen, 801 N. Union St, Wilmington

BBC Tavern and Grill, 4019 Kennett Pike, Greenville

Tyler's Bar & Grille, 5343 Limestone Road, Pike Creek.

Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co., 16 Haines St, Newark

Evero Spezia, 1130 Capitol Trail, Newark.

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar,  549 Wilmington Pike,  Glen Eagle Square Shopping Center, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.

Did we miss off your favorite fireplace restaurant? Let me know at ptalorico@delawareonline.com