Cheers to winter dinnertime

I, admittedly, suggested dinner with my fiancé at Cheers at the Old Post Office because I was cold and it was the closest restaurant after walking around Fayetteville's downtown square to see holiday lights at the Lights of the Ozarks festival.

Yes, but: It was the right choice.

• I've been meaning to try this restaurant smack dab in the middle of the square in the historic building since it opened in 2019. Something about eating there in the winter feels particularly cozy.

Background: The building was a post office from 1911 to 1963 and later a restaurant from the late 1970s to the early 2000s. After hosting a revolving door of businesses for 15 years or so, it’s returned to restaurant space.

On the menu: Sandwiches, burgers and entrées like penne pasta in a Creole cream sauce and a bacon-wrapped fillet with blue-cheese sauce.

• Don't sleep on the drinks or apps here. Cheers has a lengthy starter menu with items such as roasted poblano goat cheese dip and New Orleans BBQ shrimp. We got the crab cakes, which were truly "loaded" with crab as the menu says and had a nice kick.
• I went classic and got grilled chicken with chipotle macaroni and cheese and collard greens. Any fellow serious mac and cheese fans out there looking for something new should definitely order this spicy twist as a side.

When and where: 11am-10pm Wednesday through Saturday and 11am-9pm Sunday at 1 W. Center St. in Fayetteville.