Winter is hard. The holiday cheer has long departed, and now all we’re left with are chilly temps, short days and too many weeks until summer fun returns. This year, banish the blahs by embracing the season and scoping out some of the city’s coziest spots.
browse awhile
Indulge in some retail therapy where the shops are as cute as can be. Check out the handmade soaps at Kind Soap (20 Allen Ave.), the collection of cozy candles, accessories and clothing at K. Hall (8416 Manchester Road) and the home and garden goodies at Bowood Farms (4605 Olive St.). Book-lovers can get lost for hours at The Novel Neighbor (7905 Big Bend Blvd.), while knitters can dream up warm creations at Knitorious (3268 Watson Road).
grab a drink
Raise a glass to dispelling winter blues! For inventive, handcrafted cocktails, delicious small plates and killer atmosphere, you can’t go wrong with Taste (4584 Laclede Ave.), Planter’s House (1000 Mississippi Ave.), Olio (1634 Tower Grove Ave.) or Small Batch (3001 Locust St.). With gleaming wood, comfy booths and belly-warming grub, British-style pubs have the market cornered on cozy. Our favorites: The Schlafly Tap Room (2100 Locust St.), McGurk’s (1200 Russell Blvd.), O’Connell’s Pub (4652 Shaw Blvd.) and Dressel’s Public House (419 N. Euclid Ave.).
Comfort food is at its best in the cold weather. For instant warmth, dig in at Winslow’s Home (7213 Delmar Blvd.) or Sqwires (1415 S. 18th St.). And because no one does comfort food better than the French (thank goodness for butter!), this list wouldn’t be complete without Brasserie (4580 Laclede Ave.) and Bar Les Freres (7637 Wydown Blvd.). Food can transport you to another land, especially if there’s good ambiance to match. Head to Ranoush (6501 Delmar Blvd.) and sit in the ‘tent’ in back, or slide into the curtained booths at Aya Sofia (6671 Chippewa St.). Turn up the heat with tongue-tingling Thai dishes at The King & I (3157 S. Grand Ave.) or Fork & Stix (549 Rosedale Ave.).
enjoy a cuppa
Imagine wrapping your hands around a fresh cup of tea or coffee. Feel warmer already? Make the dream a reality by stopping in at one of our top picks: The London Tea Room (3128 Morganford Road), Kayak’s Cafe (270 N. Skinker Blvd.), Shaw’s Coffee (5147 Shaw Blvd.), The Wolf (15480 Clayton Road) or The Mud House (2101 Cherokee St.).
forget about it
Don’t want to embrace the season? OK … you can still escape the winter blues, even in the Lou. Grab a tropical drink at Taha’a Twisted Tiki (4199 Manchester Ave.) or spend some time in the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Climatron, where it’s always rainforest humid (4344 Shaw Blvd.).