9 BYOB restaurants in Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a host of restaurants to BYOB. Picture; Toby WIlliams

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There are many restaurants in Edinburgh that are happy for you to bring wine or beer from home – here are some of the best.

Tuk Tuk

This Tollcross eatery offers excellent street food, inspired by the vendors of India. Menu highlights include the much-loved Puri Yoghurt Bombs, wok-fried Chilli Paneer, and Chicken 69 – an Indo-Chinese take on chicken nuggets. You can get non-alcoholic beverages, such as Lassi (an Indian smoothie-style drink) and Shijanki (a lemon-based soft drink), otherwise you can bring your own booze for a mere 50p recycling charge.

The Walnut

Proves that good things really do come in small packages. This cosy hole in the wall seats just 24 people at a time, and (since it’s enormously popular) it’s best to book in advance. The menu here is seasonal and locally-sourced, but if there’s one thing you can count on week by week, its their Sunday roast. Choose from corn-fed chicken or slow roasted shin of beef, and pair it with a red wine of your choice. The restaurant permits one bottle of wine per two people, and there’s a corkage charge of £3.50.

Khushi’s

The Khushi’s claim to fame is that it was the first Indian restaurant to open in Edinburgh, back in 1947. The restaurant is still immensely popular, and has a wide range of menu options, from a la carte to pre-theatre and lunch. There’s also a carry out option, if you’re really missing the sofa. Happily, there’s no corkage charge here, and with menus starting from £5.95, it can make for a very cheap meal indeed.

Bodega

The city’s first dedicated taqueria serves up fresh Mexican, Asian and American-inspired cooking every day. Put simply, this place is about tacos, tacos and more tacos. Since there’s a focus on freshness and seasonality, the menu is constantly changing – but their BYOB policy remains the same. For a corkage charge of £2.50, you can bring in the beverage of your choice.

Howies

Howies places its emphasis on seasonal, Scottish food. Regular menu highlights include venison from their estate in Perthshire, and salmon from the Shetland Isles – all of which you can enjoy in a grand Georgian hall. BYOB is available on wine and champagne from Friday to Sunday.

Pomegranate

This relaxed eatery has something of a legendary status in Edinburgh. Serving up a mix of Lebanese, Moroccan and Arabian food, it’s known for two things – its shisha pipes and its BYOB status. Happily, there’s no corkage charge here, so you can spend that extra money on the delicious meze platter.

Beirut

As the only specialist Lebanese restaurant in Edinburgh, Beirut has got the market cornered. Choose from hot and cold mezze, and follow up it up with a traditional dessert. There’s a corkage charge of £3 per bottle of wine, while beer drinkers are charged £1 per person.

Laila’s

This small bistro is great for Mediterranean dishes, and is run by the team behind Pomegranate. The menu has the likes of chicken shawarma, halloumi and lamb meatballs – or you can keep it simple and go for the burger. There’s no corkage charge but a 30p recycling charge is applied to every glass bottle.

The New York Steam

Packet Customers at this all-American diner can enjoy all things meat, from big burgers to succulent steaks. Add pecan pie for dessert, and eat like they do in the USA without shelling out for flights. Corkage is charged at £1 per person, but that only applies to wine and beer. No spirits are allowed to be brought in.