Long Island restaurants with fire pits

When the temperature goes down, the fire pits heat up — particularly in outdoor courtyards at restaurants and hotels all over Long Island. Outdoor (and socially distant) settings are sure to be popular

Il Giardino (739 Main Rd., Aquebogue): This is the kind of place that makes the North Fork so special — a restaurant located in a house-like structure with wooden floors and dim lights. It's cozy, romantic and has a menu of southern Italian food. Out back, there's a secluded courtyard with a brick patio and a circular pit where people often go to wait for their dinner table to be ready. This fire pit isn't really intended to eat a meal around, but take a glass of wine out back on a clear night and you'll see stars on top of stars. More info: 631-779-3900, ilgiardinoaquebogue.com

Maxwell's (501 Main St., Islip): The busy casual pub and restaurant has a walled-off patio with a fire pit the welcomes people to take a seat to ward off the late autumn chill. If you're going to munch around the fire, Maxwell's "social plate" menu has loaded tots, nachos, pretzel flights and other bites besides a full roster of beer, wine and drinks. More info: 631-210-0011, lessings.com

Gurney's Montauk (290 Old Montauk Hwy., Montauk): It's hard to top the scenery near the deck of this classic hotel, restaurant and spa, as it's only a short walk from the Atlantic Ocean, which crashes and splashes in the background. The fire pit here is among the venue's most-recognized attractions and it burns all year. Positioned under dim Edison bulbs, summer and winter crowds alike surround the flames while chatting, dining and drinking. Offseason guests won't get the live bands and DJs of summer, but there's still good reason to venture out. This is the Hamptons, so sipping rosé or Champagne is always suitable — see if there's anything special being mixed over at the Regent Cocktail Club section of the hotel (which also happens to have a fine indoor fireplace as well). More info: 631-668-2345, gurneysinn.com

Prime (117 New York Ave., Huntington): Talk about a perfect storm: Sushi, steak and seafood, plus sophisticated cocktails, wines and craft beer — and then there's the view of Huntington Harbor. Prime's fire pit is on the most elevated portion of the deck, making for a crowd-pleasing experience with friends on any given night. More info: 631-385-1515, restaurantprime.com

Hotel Indigo (1830 West Main St., Riverhead): Patrons at the hotel's Bistro 72 restaurant are welcome to take their drinks out back to relax on pillowed patio furniture that's half-circled around a wood-burning fire pit as well as propane-powered triangular fire towers. The dishes here are really more appropriate for a dinner table — meat, fish and poultry — but smaller options such as fried pickles and wings or desserts (think brownies a la mode) would certainly work around the fire. More info: 631-369-2200, indigoeastend.com

Broadway Market (643 Broadway, Rocky Point): This modern gastropub serves a menu of comfort foods, plus brunch. Out back, there's a stone-filled fire pit to which guests can pull up a chair and feel the heat. If they're not sold out when you get there, grab one of the housemade apple pies. More info: 631-849-1729, bmropo.com

Off Key Tikki (31 Baker Place, Patchogue): The log-burning fire pit at this place along the Patchogue River sees action all year-round. In the colder months, the live entertainment shifts indoors but many guests still find their way out to the raging flames for drinks and conversation while sitting in beach chairs. The pit here is a large stone ring and the flames get some nice height. This spot does Tiki bar-proud fruity cocktails, but in the cold air, perhaps a coconut jalapeño margarita is the kind of beachy yet spicy beverage to try. More info: 631-475-1723, offkeytikki.com