Craving a decent drink but cbf with small plates, pricey dishes or pub food? Got a perfect pairing in mind? These drinks venues pull an uno-reverse card on BYO culture and let you bring your own food while having a Veraison-approved booze list. In the spirit of cozzie livs, you could probably bring home-cooked dishes to have at these places– but maybe don't ask to use their microwave.
A westside stalwart with a wide selection of minimal intervention wines, wild beers and rare spirits. While they have a selection of cheese and charcuterie, open yourself to the possibilities of doro wat with a wild pinot, bánh xèo with a textural rose, or a bottle of bubbles with sushi.
Nearby places we like: Elka Sushi for a sushi and oyster platter, Afghan Master Kebab for a mixed kebab plate, Banh Mi Ba Le for the ‘special’ bánh mì (not for the faint-hearted), Ras Dashen for Ethiopian, Bánh Xèo Tay Do for bánh xèo.
Still severely underrated (but getting more packed every time I visit), this bottleshop-cum-wine bar has Melbourne’s best skewers 100m away. You’ll likely find an untapped pairing from a curated selection of Eastern European wines and left-field cuvees from well-known producers.
Nearby places we like: Oriental Impressions for skewers and spicy garlic noodles, Pacific BBQ for Mixed BBQ platter on rice, Cô Thư Quán for barramundi salad and bun with grilled chicken, Warkop for their Dabu Dabu sandwich (lunch only).
Small Patch carries the feeling of a wine shop that you wished you had down the road, with a great range from entry-level to high-end chardonnays to suit most occasions. Small Patch has a lovely personal selection of producers from the well-known to obscure.
Nearby places we like: iSpicy for the best pad khana moo grob (crispy pork belly with chinese broccoli) on rice in Melbourne, Gopi Ka Chatka for Indian snacks, Glenferrie Gourmet Meats for S-tier chicken nuggets, Samurai for a don.
Perhaps just an excuse to have a buttery chard with El Jannah, Surly’s has got that classic not-quite-pub bar layout with a beer garden a la Monty’s and Rook’s Return and a well-priced booze list and a speical beer selection.
Nearby places we like: El Jannah for a half chicken plate (this is the only correct order), Maharaja for an Indian feast, Takeaway Pizza for some of the best pizza in the North.
I believe this place is the OG of ‘BYO food’ joints, bringing in this feature long before any of the other places listed even existed (citation needed). Cosy space with a cute garden out the back, you could spend all day chatting shit, drinking from the vibrant wine list while munching down on all of NoBru (north of Brunswick Road) has to offer.
Nearby places we like: 400 Gradi for a Margherita, B.east for a burger, BBQ Lounge for a biryani, Teta Mona for a falafel plate, Eat Pierogi Make Love for pierogis.
April 26, 2025