DON’T be fooled by this weekend’s weather. It’s winter and, baby, it’s gonna get cold outside – and pretty soon. Keep your fuzziest sweater, puffiest down coat and warmest hat ready for the weeks and months of frigid forecasts yet to come. With hot chocolate, ice skating, some comfort food and drinks at a fireplace bar, you’ll thank Jack Frost for eventually nipping at your nose.

BETTER THAN SWISS MISS

* Max Brenner:

Chocolate by the Bald Man

841 Broadway; 212-388-0030

The best drink at this touristy, cocoa-themed chain is the “Italian,” a sweet blend of vanilla cream and chocolate. Served in a handle-free “hug mug,” you can’t safely cup it in your hands till it’s cool. But fortunately, it’s worth the wait.

* City Bakery

3 W. 18th St.; 212-366-1414

The cafeteria-style setting might lack a bit in the way of charm, but the hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows will warm you up nonetheless. It’s so rich it’s tough to finish, but paired with a salty, buttery pretzel croissant there’s certainly no harm in trying. Drink up!

* Jacques Torres Chocolate

66 Water St., Brooklyn; 718-875-9772

You just can’t go wrong with hot chocolate from one of the city’s finest chocolatiers. For extra heat, try the chili-spiced “wicked” version. Take it to go and feel toasty as you enjoy the Manhattan skyline views from DUMBO’s Brooklyn Bridge Park.

* Mama’s Food Shop

200 E. Third St.; 212-777-4425

You’ll feel like family when zapping a heaping plate of fried chicken and sweet potatoes in the communal microwave at this Southern food haven. From the walls, Mama’s portraits glare at you as if to say: “Finish your dinner or no banana cream pie!”

* Good Enough To Eat

483 Amsterdam Ave.;

212-496-0163

Craving a taste of rural living? With a white picket fence out front and cow-themed décor inside, this country restaurant serves rib-sticking classics such as griddled cornbread, mac ‘n’ cheese, and soup with french fries. Yummy.

* Peanut Butter and Co.

240 Sullivan St.; 212-677-3995

Want to feel like a kid again, coming in from the cold for a peanut butter sandwich? Here, you can get the traditional PB&J – or for thrills, swap the jelly for crisp bacon, bananas and honey, or vanilla cream cheese.

DRINKS BY THE FIRE

* KeyBar

432 E. 13th St.; 212-478-3021

Arrive early to score a seat within range of the fire at this tiny East Village favorite known for its affable owners, potent drink specials and 2-for-1 happy hour till 10 p.m. When you stumble out after a couple of Rolo shots, you won’t even notice the chill.

* Black Mountain Wine House

415 Union St., Brooklyn; 718-522-4340

What’s better than a rustic bar in which to warm up after an afternoon in the cold? Located on the ground floor of a Carroll Gardens brownstone yet somehow reminiscent of Vermont, this quaint wine bar is ideal for a quiet night by the fire.

* Aspen

20 W. 22nd St.; 212-645-5040

This sleek bar/restaurant conjures the Rockies for those seeking a Chelsea-style aprés-ski (or skate) experience. Don your finest warm duds and bring a group of friends for chichi cocktails and small plates by the huge fireplace.

GET YOUR SKATE ON

* The Pond at Bryant Park

40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues; 212-661-6640

If you’ve got skates and a lock, you won’t pay a penny at the city’s only free-admission rink. The $12 rental skates might pinch, but the classic Sinatra, James Brown and Stevie Wonder tunes will distract you from the pain.

* Wollman Rink

Central Park, near Central Park South and Sixth Avenue;

212-439-6900

Come prepared for a mob scene. If you can look up without falling amid the wall huggers and speed demons, the views

make for one romantic skating experience. About $16 and up for the adult rate plus skate rentals.

* Wollman Rink

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, entrance at Parkside and Ocean avenues; 718-287-6431

It’s no typo – Brooklyn has its own Wollman Rink with more than 26,000 square feet of ice. Like its Manhattan counterpart, the Wollman put up the cash for this one, which opened in 1961. Admission is $5; $3 for kids. Skate rental is $6.50.