Bring Your Own Booze restaurants have been around for a while (most of us remember them from being a student). But the cost of living crisis is causing a surge in popularity and we’re seeing more and more popping-up across Manchester.
There’s a real variety to choose from. Of course, some have struggled to get a liquor license from the Council, usually because they’re located in residential settings, but there’s also some large well-known establishments who like to give their discerning customers the choice to drink what they damn well please without paying the hefty price tag to match. So, for the cost conscious, health conscious and the label conscious out there, here’s culturecalling.com’s pick of the best BYOB eateries across Manchester.
The Hawksmoor
184 – 186 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WB
Yep, you’re reading that right. This high-end chain, well known for its to-die-for Chateaubriand, allows you to take your own bottle on a Monday, as part of its Monday Wine Club, for the small price of £5. The offer runs at all their restaurants, and you can really max the value if you dust off your Nebuchadnezzar of Champagne and/or a Balthazar of Burgundy. If Monday isn’t that tempting, you can take in your own bottle on any other day, but the corkage is higher at £25. You’ll have the real pleasure of pairing your bottle with the Hawksmoor’s truly mourish menu which includes: roasted scallops, oysters, and, of course, the very best steak cuts and sides selection you’ll find in town. Manchester’s Hawksmoor is located centrally in a late Victorian courthouse on Deansgate, next door to Spinningfields.
You can book a table here
Mughli Charcoal Pit
30 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 5TQ
A student looking to save money on your curry? Rusholme is, of course, the infamous Curry Mile in Manchester. Its rows of curry houses and bars are alive 24/7 and deciding which one to go to is a challenge (as can be parking your car on a Saturday eve. Just to forewarn you!) But our tried and trusted favourite is the Mughlil, a family run business since the early 1990’s. The menu, as you’d expect, is extensive with over 20 curries to choose from. Their Street Eat smaller plates including Fish Thakos and Bhangin Potatos are truly tasty. They run a BYO night for students which is available Sunday to Thursday and please make sure you take along your student card as proof.
The Mughli is seriously popular so we’d definitely recommend booking ahead.
You can book a table here
Yara
At various locations across South Manchester
This extremely popular small chain of restaurants is located across South Manchester and Cheshire. The simply decorated restaurants serve up a modern take on traditional Lebanese and Syrian cuisine. Take our word for it, you’ll be booking in another visit before you’ve finished your Babaganoush. They deliver a truly authentic Middle Eastern taste with bold flavours and succulent food. Sample the delights of Palmyra lamb stew, Maklueh – aubergine topped with tender lamb - and mouth-wateringly tender kebabs marinated and then chargrilled over charcoal. Best of all, it’s BYOB with a small corkage of £2.
You can book at table here or experience Yara at home by ordering from their online order system.
The Walled Gardens
This isn’t your average restaurant. It’s a revolutionary approach to cooking by chef Eddie Shepherd. Essentially Eddie cooks in the basement of his Manchester home, serving up a Michelin star quality plant based tasting menu. It was recently listed as one of Observer Food Monthly’s ’20 of the UK’s best restaurants’ and has landed in the Top 100 restaurants in the world. We’re excited! Eddie cooks for just 8 diners a night, whipping up a 12-course menu from his open kitchen, and personally introduces each course. The tasting menu is available Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday three weekends a month and tickets, aka reservations, are released at 9am on the 1st of each month. Be warned, they sell out very quickly but are definitely worth fighting for in our opinion.
Best of all, it’s a BYOB experience so you won’t have the awful shock of paying for a few hundred pounds worth of wine that’s been paired with each course.
You can book a table here
Codi’s Kitchen
257 Heywood Rd, Prestwich Manchester M25 2QP
Run by one of Australasia’s ex-chef’s, Codi Sheldon, this Prestwich based local restaurant is definitely worth a visit. The pan-Asian menu covers a mouth-wateringly tempting selection of reasonably priced sushi, rolls, bao buns and poke bowls. Prices start at £6.50. The fish is melt-in-your-mouth and the poke bowls are seriously tasty and healthy. The mains, aptly named, The Main Event, are served with rice or noodles and you can choose from Teriyaki, Katsu curry, Korean, Miso or chicken, beef or tofu Broths.
Best of all, it’s BYOB for just £2 per person so you can enjoy one of the best Asian restaurants in town without the big price tag.
You can book at table here
Tampopo
There are now four Tampopo restaurants across Manchester, including one in the Trafford Centre, serving up a selection of small and large plates for adults from morning till night. You can have an Asian inspired breakfast from 10.30am – 3pm daily, and can expect to find rolled toasted roti with bacon, mushrooms, fried egg, a beef rendang version and crispy avo. stack with kimchi and sweetcorn fritters to set you up for the day. The mains include sharing plates and individual dishes. Our tasty favourites include: Szechaun crispy squid, Balinese pork belly which is slow cooked in star anise and cinnamon and to die for, Bang Bang prawns and chargrilled Tenderstem broccoli with toasted cashews, crispy garlic and shallots. Best of all, it’s BYOB for a small corkage fee.
You can book a table here
Chez Nous Bistro
This little French restaurant has been serving the south Manchester town of Sale for decades. It’s a solid local restaurant with a modern British menu using local and seasonal produce. You can also Bring Your Own Bottle on Wednesdays and Thursdays for a small corkage fee of £2.50 per bottle and fizz is charged at £7.50 per bottle. They run a good value food deal of 2 courses for £24 and 3 courses for £27 – (available Wednesday from 5pm, Thursday all day from 12 noon and Friday and Saturday from 12 noon until 6.30 pm).
You can book a table here
Double Zero
368 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, M21 8AZ
Double Zero is a legendary pizza heaven in the cool South Manchester district of Didsbury (there’s also a branch in the city centre). It claims to be the home of ‘authentic, handmade Neopolitan pizza’ and all our tastebuds agree; we think it’s one of the best. Imagine hand-stretched, wood-fired puffy edged crusts with good quality Italian toppings – Salami, Buffalo mozzarella, basil, truffle mushrooms. The Vulcano breaks the mould a little with its spicy nduja, roasted jalapenos and hot honey. You can add any topping you like for an additional £2 each. It’s BYOB and the corkage fee is a modest £1.50. With pizza prices around £14 each you can definitely eat and drink for less than £30 for two people.
You can book a table here
Phetpailin
46 George Street, City Centre, Manchester M1 4HF
Like Thai food? Phetpailin is a great restaurant that’s been cooking authentic Thai dishes since 2006. Right in the heart of China Town in Manchester, Phetapailin serves up a broad and extensive Thai offer and we recommend you turn up hungry. Special dishes include delicately flavoured curries with a choice of prawns, duck, chicken, pork and steak - either red or green with coconut milk. There’re also popular noodle dishes of Pad Thai and Pad Si-ew, together with a great selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes at a snip of £10. Seafood’s also big on the menu with our personal favourite of stir fried squid with garlic, chilli and basil leaves. If it’s a bit overwhelming, then opt for the Set Menu’s which start at £26 for 2 people. You can Bring Your Own Alcohol for a cheap £1 corkage fee.
Zena Restaurant
136 Burton Road West Didsbury Manchester M20 1JQ
Zena is a BYO restaurant on the hip Burton Road in West Didsbury (15 minutes from the city centre). They create authentic and super fresh Leventine dishes - that’s Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Jordanian – using the freshest ingredients. Try not to gorge on the homemade falafel, Kibbeh – deep friend minced lamb shaped and spinach and cheese starters before you move onto the mains (which you’ll be able to smell as you walk into the restaurant). Our faves include the Maklubieh – rice topped with tender lamb and layers of aubergines, beautifully crafted vegetarian Mosaka, and Chicken tikka kebab grilled over charcoal. If that’s not enough, there’s zero cost for bringing in a bottle of your favourite wine.
You can book a table here