Where To Light Up A 'Stogie'

(credit: MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images)

Best Cigar Bars In The North Bay

Sipping on a fine wine, lounging on a plush leather chair and watching your favorite sports on TV - with a fine and fabulous cigar - can be one of the most enjoyable events for any cigar buff. In the North Bay, there are some smaller shops that offer cigar lounges to enjoy these tasty sticks, or bars meant especially for the "cigar marine" in you. Whatever floats your cigar boat, try one of the following locales, and your tastebuds for the finely rolled torpedos will be tantalized.

From novices to veterans, this is a great cigar lounge to dig in your heals and check out the wide selection of cigars and hookah. Bring friends and play a game of pool or poker on the custom-made poker table. Enjoy sitting on cozy sofas with views of large screen TV and a relaxed environment – all while you smoke. The staff is extremely knowledgeable. Try them out with your questions; it'll be hard to stump them. This is also a great place to set up parties and special gatherings. The atmosphere lends a perfect touch. So tell your friends, bring your neighbors, invite your acquaintances and spread the good word!

This is a vapor and smoke shop, and also a store that offers a great smoking lounge for enjoying premium cigars. The cigar shop owner will let you browse the humidor without putting on high-pressure sales tactics. There is a premium selection of cigar sticks, including OpusX and Padron Family Reserves. If you're looking for cigar accessories as well, this place sells cutters, ashtrays, and cigar box guitars. The lounge is rather small, with leathers chairs and a TV, ashtrays, magazines and books. NVW&C is somewhat like a waiting room – but with football, wine, champagne, great ventilation and fantastic cigars.

"Sit back. Savor a smoke. Turn over a new leaf." That's the motto this Vacaville lounge employs. Lil Havana has a great secret - this little smoke lounge is awesome. The staff is always friendly; there is plentiful seating, couches, TV, a dimly lit atmosphere, and Wi-Fi. Lil Havana offers multi tier memberships and lockers for those heavy-duty smokers.

Telford's is simply a first-class smoke shop, with a selection of cigars and tobacco from across the world. This place can fit any budget, and you can be sure that you'll find a properly aged and humidified cigar at Telford's. Select a smoke that's sweet and mellow or one that's Latakia-heavy. Either way, you'll find a cigar based on your needs and tastes. You might even find some greats that date back to the 50s. The vast collection this store sells makes for a virtual Cigar Disneyland for any aficionado. Get cozy in the shop's comfy chairs after you find your cigar within the shop's 35-foot humidor. This place is a "must see" for any pipe or cigar smoker in the bay area.

This vapor and smoke shop prides itself on providing impeccable product. This shop's selection of hard-to-find cigars are honed to perfection by owner Linda Squires, who holds enough knowledge to answer every cigar expert's questions. Upon entering, the aromatic smells of thousands of cigars hit you – in a nice 'Hey, come in relax, enjoy a smoke' kind of way. There is a smoking area with a few leather couches to sit in, watch games, and talk.  Or just enjoy your fine cigar with a shop full of others who can appreciate your sentiments exactly.

Kelly Gullo is a freelance writer in San Francisco, CA. Kellys topics are about music and nightlife. Kelly has also written a variety of articles on health and dieting and topics related to the environment. Kelly has a degree in journalism and public relations from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.