!–paging_filter–pThe best thing about Seattle winter is that unlike frostier cities such as, say, Chicago, you can actually sit outdoors at night without freezing your face off. The experience is even better if you’re sitting next to a toasty fire pit with a drink in hand—and, of course, if it isn’t raining. Several (but not enough!) local restaurants have clued in to the prehistoric appeal of a fire pit, and to the fact that it tends to lure diners like moths to a you-know-what. Gather around the atmospheric pit at new waterside a href=”http://\/\/staging.seattlemag.com/westward-and-little-gull-are-now-open-north-la…” target=”_blank”seafood spot Westward /aon North Lake Union, where the fire is cleverly housed in spent oyster shells, or belly up to the blazes at a href=”http://\/\/staging.seattlemag.com/joule” target=”_blank”Joule /ain Wallingford/Fremont, a href=”http://\/\/staging.seattlemag.com/revel” target=”_blank”Revel /ain Fremont and Shelter Lounge in Ballard (the last of which sweetens the deal with free s’mores)./p