With temperatures dipping to the teens, it's the time to warm up with hot food and drink. Soup may be the most resonant of comfort foods. Here is a round-up of restaurants offering bowls from which to sip or slurp. 

1) New England clam chowder from Penn Avenue Fish Company
Often a sellout on the menu at the Downtown location, this chowder is stocked with classic ingredients: chopped clams, potatoes, onion, celery, fish stock, half-and-half and fresh herbs. It's only available at the Strip location a couple times a week, as it's on rotation with bestsellers seafood gumbo and creamy crab and corn chowder.

2) Ramen from Fukuda
My favorite ramen in town has been the tonkotsu at this Bloomfield newcomer. A rich broth offers pork belly, housemade noodles, a slow-cooked egg, and bamboo shoots among other goodies. Lunch ramen Wednesday through Sunday includes miso and seafood variations.

3) Pho from Tan Lac Vien
Laced with star anise and ginger, beef stock at this new restaurant in Squirrel Hill  is layered with flank steak, rice noodles and green onions, and served with an enticing selection of bean sprouts and jalapeno peppers. Add heat with chili sauce, a spike of acid with lime. It's the most satiating pho I've had in Pittsburgh so far. 

4) Chicken soup from Bluebird Kitchen
Chef Steven Thompson says that chicken soup varies by day with rice, pasta or no starch at all. But free-range chicken from Miller's Organic Farms makes for delicious soup, while confit adds richness. "The gelatin from confit goes back into the broth," says Mr. Thompson. And it's often garnished with confit legs and thighs. 

5) Mushroom soup from Wild Purveyors
A terrific lunch option is the mushroom soup, made with crimini, shitake and portobello. Maitake and royal trumpets round it out, though mushrooms vary according to what's available. Note that soup is sold for take-away, to heat and eat in the comfort of your home -- very often the best place to enjoy a bowl of soup.

Whether it's apple cider holes or sugar-dusted beignets, variations on donuts can satiate a sweet craving. But fried batter isn't just for dessert.  Cuisine from around the world offers savory donut variations. Here's a short list of where to find them in Pittsburgh.

Takoyaki at Teppanyaki Kyoto
Served with spicy mayonnaise, bonito flakes and okonomiyaki sauce, takoyaki is Japanese street food that originated in Osaka in the 1930s. Usually, these fried dumplings offer savory bites of octopus within.

Arancini at Il Pizzaiolo
Who would have thought rich risotto could get more decadent? Arancini at this Mt. Lebanon restaurant is made from leftover risotto that's breaded into form and fried just long enough to melt fresh mozzarella inside the croquette. 

Lentil & corn beignets at Kaya
An accompaniment for cocktails at this staple restaurant in the Strip are lentil & corn beignets, a vegetarian fritter enticing for the donut in the name.

Kimchi balls at The Butterjoint
A work in progress in the kitchen at Legume, these bites are inspired by sauerkraut balls. Fried in beef tallow, fritters offer a taste of housemade kimchi and ground pork.

Vada from Udipi Cafe
Indian donuts made from lentils can be spiked with green chilis, curry and onion. At Udipi, they're available plain, with yogurt, or dusted with rasam for a chili powder kick.

Flickr photo

Dramatic weather brings an excuse to find a cozy corner and indulge in food and drink that speak to the season. Hot cocoa or toddy, braised meats and hearty stews highlight winter menus.

To score a seat by the fire is all the better. Below find suggestions for respite from the cold.