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Melbourne's best BYO restaurants 2016

Michael Harry
Michael Harry

If you're an avid oenophile (that's a wine lover), or looking to save extra dining dollars, then the celebrated, all-too-rare tradition of bringing you own booze is pure gold. Perhaps you've got a couple of esoteric bottles you've been dying to pop open over a bowl of laksa, or you've done the maths on your group booking and figure a per-head corkage fee is the way to go - these Melbourne restaurants hold their own when bringing your own. Cheers to that.

Jim's Greek Tavern

Jim packs them in every night for menu-free dips, seafood and spiced lamb alongside a bottle or three of your choosing. Corkage is free for beer and wine, so longneck it up.

32 Johnston Street, Collingwood, 03 9419 3827

Emilia

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This authentic Italian trattoria nails comfort dining with unpretentious flair, as evidenced by the no-fuss BYO policy, with $15 corkage from Monday-Wednesday.

360 Little Collins Street, city, 03 9670 7214, emiliamelbourne.com.au

Lamb ribs at Ladro Tap, Prahran.
Age Good Food Guide 2016
Pic supplied by Ladro Tap
Lamb ribs at Ladro Tap, Prahran. Age Good Food Guide 2016 Pic supplied by Ladro TapSupplied

Ladro Tap

Here's a BYO program with a heart - Ladro pops your corks for $5 every Monday with all proceeds going to a worthy local charity. It's $15 per bottle every other day.

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162 Greville Street, Prahran ,03 9510 2233, ladro.com.au/ladro-greville/

​Mamak

Is there anything better than a group of friends tearing trays of tissue-thin roti bread with a few perspiring bottles of white on the table? We think not. Top up your glasses for $2 a head.

366 Lonsdale Street, city, 03 9670 3137, mamak.com.au

The silverbeet rolls from Alba's restaurant for the Lunch With Arnold Zable column. 4 August 2011.
The Age Life and Style. Pic by EDDIE JIM.
The silverbeet rolls from Alba's restaurant for the Lunch With Arnold Zable column. 4 August 2011. The Age Life and Style. Pic by EDDIE JIM.Eddie Jim
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Abla's

Nothing has changed in 30 years at this beloved Lebanese diner with generous flavours and homely decor - and that includes the BYO policy. Bring your own wine from Monday to Thursday for $10 per bottle.

109 Elgin Street, Carlton, 03 9347 0006, ablas.com.au

France-Soir

A date-destination for the ages, this hallowed French bistro is the spot for the city's best steak frites, best enjoyed with a ballsy bottle of burgundy for a $15 corkage, every day except Saturday.

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11 Toorak Road, South Yarra, 03 9866 8569, france-soir.com.au

Laksa King

Everyone's favourite cheap eat gets even cheaper when mighty Malay flavours are served up with a splash of something spritely. BYO wine only with $7 corkage per bottle.

6-12 Pin Oak Cresent, Flemington, 03 9372 6383, laksaking.com.au

Matteo's
Matteo'sSupplied
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Matteo's

It's hard to find a fine-diner with a BYO policy, but this upscale, Asian-accented institution has been letting customers self-import for over 20 years at just $20 per bottle.

533 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy North, 03 9481 1177, matteos.com.au

D.O.C.

Set sail for this D.O.C. and you'll discover perfect pizzas and moreish mozzarella served by the most handsome Italiano staff this side of Sardinia. Prepare to be charmed with $9.50 corkage per bottle.

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135 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park 03 9690 7960, docgroup.net

The Waiter's Restaurant

The more things change, the more we crave rock-solid classics like this romantic, no-frills red-sauce pasta bar. Haven't been? Go tonight, and bring a bottle; they'll open it for free and fill your tumblers to the brim.

Upstairs, 20 Meyers Place, city, 03 9650 1508

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You'll need something to quell the blazing sichuan burn in almost all the dishes at this ever-expanding chain - it might as well be a bottle of wine, with no corkage fee to speak of.

149 Lonsdale Street, city, 03 9662 2019

Zia Rina's Cucina

This neighbourhood Italian bistro has won over the Armadale set, who like a bargain as much as the next person. Bring something extra-dusty from the cellar and it's $15 a bottle corkage.

857 High Street, Armadale, 03 9500 2014, ziarinascucina.net.au

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Horn Please

Ripper Indian flavours in a chic and cheerful Fitzroy North setting? Yes, please. It's only $10 corkage for wine only, but hold your horses: they'll reign you in at two bottles per table.

167 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North, 03 9497 8101, hornplease.com.au

Hem27

Sleek Vietnamese cafe with top shelf noodle soups, hefty hawker snacks and a chilled approach to bringing you own? Lock it in. They do a mean iced coffee, too.

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Shop 27, 320-380 Epson Rd, Flemington, 03 9376 2961, hem27.com.au

Altair, restaurant.
Altair, restaurant.Supplied

Altair

With old-school fine dining on the banks of the Yarra in downtown Warrandyte, Altair is a top spot to enjoy a juicy drop from the nearby Yarra Valley - corkage is $10 a bottle.

152 Yarra Street, Warrandyte, 03 9844 5548, altairrestaurant.com.au

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Roti Boti

This Indian gem has a cult bayside following, with cracking curries and a bargain BYO corkage fee of $3 a head.

513 Hampton Street, Hampton, 03 9598 5511, rotiboti.com.au

Bacash

Pescatarian? Bacash is the go-to seafood restaurant on the south side, and you can BYO on Fridays with no corkage if you have three courses for $85.

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175 Domain Road, South Yarra, 03 9866 3566, bacash.com.au

RVI Dosa Corner

Head to this low-key, wipe-down South Indian student special for divine dosa pancakes and absolutely no corkage fee. You'll eat like a king for $20; better bring the Grange.

587 Barkly Street, West Footscray, 03 8657 8578

Union Food & Wine
Union Food & WineSupplied
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Union Food & Wine

A diverse Mod Oz diner in the inner west which transitions from breakfast birchers to sesame crusted tuna in a snap. Corkage is $10 a bottle on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

169 Union Road, Ascot Vale, 03 9372 7566, unionfoodandwine.com

Neighbourhood Wine

As you may have gathered from the name, this place takes its vino seriously, with a sprawling list of natural and hard-to-find Euro wines, but you can also bring your own for a $30 a bottle corkage fee. But it had better be good.

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1 Reid Street, Fitzroy North 03 9486 8306, neighbourhoodwine.com

The Age Good Food Guide 2017 is on sale in newsagents and bookstores, with all book purchases receiving free access to the new Good Food app.

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Michael HarryMichael Harry is a food and drinks writer, editor and contributor.

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