Best places to eat and drink in Canberra during winter

From fine-dining restaurants to a couple of our favourite pubs, there's somewhere to escape at every turn.

My favourite winter dining destination. With fireplaces in most rooms, the 150-year-old Royal Hotel is still a welcoming place. While stone, timber and corrugated iron are the main features, there's still something warm and cosy about it. I love Kurt Neumann's attention to detail and seasonality. As the months cool down the menu changes and winter means heartier fare. Wash it down with a glass of Clonakilla Hilltops shiraz and finish the bottle by the fire.

Warm your belly with: Black Angus beef flank with mash, portobello brandy and green peppercorn jus, with a honeyed quince tarte tatin with chestnut ice cream for dessert.

Rye came highly recommended and after just one visit to Braddon we can understand why. There's a little cast-iron stove tucked in a corner with a quirky wood store nearby and a distinct Scandi feel to it, all that light wood and salmon and rye smorrebrod. You could almost convince yourself you're in Denmark somewhere, experiencing a more exotic kind of winter. But the real warmth of the place comes from the friendly service.

Warm your belly with: Dark rye porridge and oats with milk, seasonal fruits, spiced blueberry compote, cinnamon poached pearl and dark rye crumb.

Plenty of dark corners and nooks to hide away in at the OCI, or settle into the coveted lounges near the fires. This place just keeps getting better, the selection of beers and wines just keeps getting bigger. The team stokes the fires early in the day so sneak in after lunch if you can, maybe catch some live music, and try a few of the dark beers on offer. Happy Hour is from 4-6pm. Fridays get particularly hot and bothered with some salsa dancing

Warm your belly with: A can of the All Inn Brewing No Embargo, S'mores Imperial Porter. With touches of marshmallow, hazelnut and chocolate, it's just like drinking the campfire favourite.

We love a pub that comes into its own in the cooler months. Sure, a cold beer on a hot summer's day is also pretty good but the Dickson Taphouse lends itself to winter. There's a good handful of dark beers amongst the 18 beers on tap. Yep, 18 beers on tap. While some are on the lines regularly, there's a rotating roster as soon as the keg is dry. The Taphouse has been converted into a welcoming place with lots of corners full of upholstered furniture and comfy leather lounges.

Warm your belly with: Pork, beef and fennel meatballs with house-made pasta and a glass of whatever dark beer is on that night.

Most of us spend too many nights in trackies and slippers over winter so make a point of dressing up and head to Monster's dramatic round fireplace. There are views to die for across the lake towards Parliament House and vintage lounges to loll about on.

It's usually pretty full on a chilly night so maybe escape to the long gas fireplace in the main lounge which is equally as cosy. Settle in with a bottle of red and a couple of shared plates and enjoy the wholly plant-based menu.

Warm your belly with: Za'atar-roasted cauliflower with macadamia hummus, Aleppo chilli, raisin emulsion and pine nut agro dulce. The rum-based cocktail Thunderclap sounds climatically appropriate too.

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