Where to have a cozy fireside dinner in Boston

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and there's nothing quite as romantic as a fireside dinner.

• Even though we've had a very mild winter so far, this is New England — our luck is bound to change.

• Plus, heating costs are going through the roof, so why not take advantage of the ambient heat available gratis at one of your favorite restaurants?

The big picture: To embrace the coming frigid temperatures while still enjoying an active nightlife this romantic season, here are our favorite fireside restaurant dining rooms.

• (And if you haven't made V-Day reservations by now, you'd better have a romantic dinner backup plan sometime next month.)

South End Buttery

314 Shawmut Ave., Boston

This South End classic has an adorable fireplace nestled into the downstairs dining room below the popular cafe.

Oak Long Bar and Kitchen

138 St James Ave., Boston

When the iconic Oak Room restaurant at the Copley Plaza Hotel was reincarnated into the more modern Oak Long Bar in 2012, they didn't mess with the lounge area's classic fireplace.

Red House

98 Winthrop St., Cambridge

To call the tables closest to the old fashioned fireplace at Harvard Square's classic Red House "much desired" would be an understatement.

Tresca

233 Hanover St., Boston

If you can't sit outside at the balcony table for two at Tresca in the North End, the fireplace inside will make a fine winter substitute.

Judy’s Bay

279a Broadway, Cambridge

Don't let the cozy hole-in-the-wall feel of this Cambridge seafood specialist fool you — it's got one of the most impressive fireplaces that side of the river.

Woods Hill Table

24 Commonwealth Ave., West Concord

Woods Hill Table's deeply inset brick and stone fireplace gets the award for "hearthiest" dining room feature.

Pammy's

928 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge

Pammy's brings a New-American flair to a classic trattoria, and its white tile hearth is the centerpiece of the dining room.

Honorable mention: The Behan

378 Centre St., Jamaica Plain

Brendan Behan's pub isn't a restaurant, but the cozy fireplace at this classic Boston neighborhood bar is the perfect spot to hang with friends or just lose yourself in a good book.