
Once upon a time I set out to see if any local restaurants offer a “bring your own beverage” service (read: something other than wine). And I can’t find a single one.
Does this exist in Charlotte? If you know, shoot me an email. I need to know more.
What I did find is a lot of BYOW (bring-your-own-wine) policies, a.k.a. corkage fees. This simply means that while these restaurants do allow you to bring in your own bottle(s) of wine from the outside, you’ll mostly likely be faced with a fee to drink it. This fee is typically to cover profits lost by diners not purchasing wine off their in-house list. Fair enough.
I’m no wine drinker, but if you have your own bottle of merlot you’re dying to enjoy, shop your corkage fee options using this list.
Corkbuzz
4950 Ashley Park Lane
Corkage fee: None
Rules: No bottle limit, within reason. All wines welcome.

@corkbuzzclt via Instagram
Sea Level
129 E 5th Street
Corkage fee: $20
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.
Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
2104 South Blvd
Corkage fee: None. Bring your own wine or beer while you cook. (Sign up for a class first!)
Ilios Noche
8426 Park Road and 11508 Providence Road
Corkage fee: None for first bottle, $10 after that.
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.

@illiosnoche via Instagram
Maverick Rock Taco
1513 Montford Drive
Corkage fee: None for first bottle, $10 after that.
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.
Nolen Kitchen
2839 Selwyn Avenue
Corkage fee: None for first bottle, $10 after that.
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.
300 East
300 East Boulevard
Corkage fee: $10
Rules: All wines welcome.

@meze_custom_images_ via Instagram
Vapiano
201 S Tryon Street
Corkage fee: $10
Rules: No bottle limit.
Cajun Queen
1800 E 7th Street
Corkage fee: $10
Rules: All wines welcome. No limit, within reason.
Foxcroft Wine Co.
7824 Fairview Road and 1235 East Blvd, #1
Corkage fee/rules: No outside wine allowed. All bottles priced below $30 purchased in-house have a $10 corkage fee. For wines above $30, there is no corkage fee.

@wineshopfoxcroft via Instagram
Dogwood Southern Table & Bar
4905 Ashley Park Lane, Suite D
Corkage fee: $15 for 750ml bottles
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.
Vivace
1100 Metropolitan Avenue, Building E, Suite 100
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.
Gallery Restaurant
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.

@galleryrestaurantclt via Instagram
Dressler’s
1100 Metropolitan Avenue, #125 and 8630 Lindholm Drive, 1A
Corkage fee: $15 for 750ml bottles
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.
Heirloom
8470 Bellhaven Road
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: One bottle per person at the table. All wines welcome.
Kid Cashew
1608 East Boulevard
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.

@catarangs via Instagram
The Cellar at Duckworth’s
330 N Tryon Street
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: No bottle limit and no value stipulation. Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be wines that are already on the Cellar’s list.
Carpe Diem
1535 Elizabeth Avenue
Corkage fee: $15
Rules: 3 bottle limit. Bottle cannot be over 750ml.
FORK!
20517 N North Street, Cornelius
Corkage fee: $20
Rules: No bottle limit. Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be wines that are already on their wine list. If you bring in a bottle but still purchase one from that list, the corkage fee is waived.
Zebra Restaurant
4521 Sharon Road
Corkage fee: $20
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.
Blue Restaurant & Bar
206 N College Street
Corkage fee: $20
Rules: 5 bottle limit. Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be bottles that are already on Blue’s wine list.
Fiamma
2418 Park Road
Corkage fee: $20
Rules: No bottle limit. All wines welcome.
Reid’s Fine Foods
2823 Selwyn Avenue and 4331 Barclay Downs Drive
Corkage fee/rules: No outside wines allowed. You may purchase a bottle of wine from their store and enjoy it in the restaurant, so long as the bottle costs $25 or more (no corkage fee).
Customshop
1601 Elizabeth Avenue
Corkage fee: $25
Rules: 750ml bottles only. Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be bottles already on Customshop’s wine list. No bottle limit, within reason.

@jmigee via Instagram
Sullivan’s Steakhouse
1928 South Boulevard, Suite 200
Corkage fee: $25
Rules: No bottle limit. Prefer that guests not bring wines on their list.
Chima Charlotte
139 S Tryon Street
Corkage fee: $20 per 750ml bottle
Rules: No bottle limit. Bring-your-wine-selections cannot be wines that are already on Chima’s list.
Stagioni
715 Providence Road
Corkage fee: $25. Magnums are $50.
Rules: 2 bottle limit. Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be bottles that are already on Stagioni’s wine list.

@stagioniclt via Instagram
The Summit Room
1531 East Boulevard
Corkage fee: $25
Rules: 750ml bottles only. All wines welcome.
Passion8
1523 Elizabeth Avenue
Corkage fee: $25. $30 during the holidays and Restaurant Week.
Rules: All wines welcome.
Bentley’s
201 S College Street, #27
Corkage fee: $30 per liter
Rules: Bring-your-own-wine selections cannot be bottles that are already on Bentley’s wine list.

@happyrobotusa via Instagram