The Best BYO Restaurants in Brisbane
Offset the damage to your wallet on your next night out.
Whether you have a vendetta against overpriced wine menus or are simply a grog-snob, there's three lovely letters that can be a night out's saviour: BYO.
Brisbane dining can be expensive enough without the addition of $8 stubbies and $9 glasses of house white/vinegar. Being able to BYO gives you the free range to to sip on your own store-bought favourites and chow down without a worry about where the next is glass is coming from (and how much you'll be forking out for it).
To save you few bucks, we've exercised our stomachs and livers to find the best BYO spots in Brisbane. Cheers.
DEER DUCK BISTRO, AUCHENFLOWER
Since opening in late 2011, Deer Duck Bistro has been receiving rave reviews from every which way — it even received the Dan Murphy's award for BYO Restaurant of the Year in 2012. It has proved a much-needed addition to an otherwise low key Auchenflower dining scene, bringing charm and elegance to the shop front that formerly housed Cava Cava Italian restaurant. With the eight-course dinner (from $95 per person) you'll feast on the likes of tuna with pesto, white fungus, edible sand and sea shell, Balinese duck breast, and nitro banana with salted caramel, peanut butter ice cream and coconut biscuit. BYO wine has a $10 corkage charge.
THE LITTLE LARDER, NEW FARM
If you live by the closet alcoholic's adage, "It must be 5pm somewhere in the world," then you and Little Larder might get on quite well. Possibly the only breakfast joint in Brisbane to offer BYO, this Newstead cafe is happy to bring the brunch so long as you bring the booze. Host your own champagne breakfast over a couple of glasses of sparkling, or kick things off early with a six-pack of beer. The pulled pork burger paired proves love has no time constraints.
PUBLIC, CBD
Public isn't just the post-5pm, lawyer-type drinking hole the CBD scene can tend to lean towards. In fact, on Tuesdays it's quite the opposite with its one-day BYO deal filling the restaurant with a flock of new faces, wine coolers at foot. Tuesday makes dining at Public quite reasonable, with alcohol suddenly emitted from the bill (minus the $5 corkage). Bookings are essential and to keep things classy it's BYO wine only, but we're sure you can manage that.
LITTLE GREEK TAVERNA, WEST END
Such a list of BYO joints in Brisbane would be nothing without Little Greek. For years it's been one of the busiest BYO spots in West End — it seems waitstaff are exhausted from the amount of times they've been asked where the nearest bottle-o is (it's just across the road by the way). It's $2.50 per person for BYO beer and wine, and if you're stuck on what to order, their spicy moussaka and spanakopita can do no wrong.
THAI WI-RAT, FORTITUDE VALLEY
The top strategy of any money-strapped, avid Valley goer is to pre-drink as close to Brunswick Street as possible before a big night out. And those with basic knowledge of open container laws will know affordable, tasty BYO restaurants can prove lifesavers — and Thai Wi Rat is no exception. It's cheap, cheerful convenience is paired with a delicious selection of curries, stir fried dishes with rice, soup noodles and salads. Save a couple of bucks (and your stomach the next morning) and check in here first before a wild night on the town.
MORAY CAFE, NEW FARM
Not only does New Farm's Moray Cafe sport one of the best brekky menus around, they're also BYO for lunch (for just $5.50 corkage). Nice one. Brother-sister team Dylan and Stefanie have recently been joined in the kitchen by French chef Jeremie. Therefore, you should be eating the way the French intended — with a fork in one hand, and a glass of vin in the other.
MINTS VIETNAMESE, PADDINGTON
Mints Vietnamese in Rosalie kicks goals from every angle. It's cheap, it's fresh, it's super yum and it's BYO. It's usually packed on the weekend, as is the rest of the Rosalie foodie strip. But if you've got a weeknight free and hankering for some bun and beers, Mints can certainly deliver.
HUONG'S, WEST END
Since 1977, Huongs has been one of the top South Brisbane go-to Asian restaurants — ask any local. Its large upstairs dining room feeds anything from 40 plus parties to first date couples. Huongs is a great place to eat and drink before a night out in West End, and on weekends it can get a little rowdy with drinkers doing just that. It's centrally located, with delicious nosh and staff who are honestly very tolerant of those who think that downing a six pack has no effect on their dining etiquette.
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