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The Best BYOB Restaurants in NYC

New York City is one of the most visited cities in the world and the most visited city in the U.S.

steak and wine at nyc byob restaurant

Tourists from around the world flock to New York for its museums, Broadway plays, music clubs, culturally diverse neighborhoods, and some of the best restaurants in the world.

NYC may make a serious dent in your budget, with high food and drink prices, which is why many restaurants save you the cost of pricey drink markups by letting you bring your booze.

If you want to eat in style while on a budget, then you need to find a BYOB restaurant in NYC.

During my most recent trip to the Big Apple, I found the best BYOB restaurants in NYC that are as diverse as its population. Read on to find the best options for BYOB dining in NYC that span the culinary spectrum.


Lucali

575 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Phone: 718-858-4086
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Lucali
Source: Lucali

In a city famous for its pizza, Lucali is the cream of the crop of pizzerias. Located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Lucali is the brainchild of Executive Chef and Carroll Gardens native Mark Iacono who opened Lucali in his childhood candy shop storefront.

Lucali’s wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in a warm and casual BYOB restaurant have won the hearts of New Yorkers and the press alike.

Every publication from the New York Times to Vogue has written about Lucali’s simple yet perfect pizzas, making Lucali its own tourist attraction.

You bring the wine, and they’ll supply the pizza or calzone. Those are the only two items on the menu, and you build your own pie.


Tartine

253 W 11th St, New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-229-2611
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Tartine
Source: Tartine

Teetering between Gramercy Park and Chelsea, a few blocks from the Whitney Museum of American Art, Tartine is a casual, cozy French café and eatery.

Its European café décor and interesting fish skeleton art along with streetside seating make it a great place to enjoy a rich French meal with a small group of friends or significant other.

Chef Thierry Rochard’s authentic bakery bistro menu has garnered acclaim from Zagat and Goop.com.

Tartine is especially popular for brunch, with lines around the block every weekend. I loved the Croque Monsieur on home-baked brioche with ham and swiss cheese. 


Spicy Village

68 Forsyth St B, New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-625-8299
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Spicy Village
Source: Spicy Village

Spicy Village is a small Chinese kitchen in the Lower East Side, blocks from the Manhattan Bridge, that producers some of NYC’s most authentic Chinese dishes with a modern New York twist.

They’re a wildly popular takeout place for the surrounding neighborhood, but also have a small dining section and a table or two streetside for BYOB dine-in.

Spicy Village is famous for its hand-pulled spicy noodle dishes called Huimei with your choice of noodle varieties like rice vermicelli, yam noodles, thin rice noodles, and flour noodles.

You can choose between Huimei soup or dry noodles with sauce. If you like spicy food, you’ll love the spicy scallion red oil Hui Mei.

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Peking Duck House

Multiple locations
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Peking Duck House
Source: Peking Duck House

Peking Duck House is a traditional Chinese food restaurant with locations in Midtown and Chinatown.

Peking Duck House’s modern and refined dining room with fresh white table clothes and Chinese-style lantern light fixtures offers a pleasant environment to enjoy a family-style meal.

They offer a vast menu of all your favorite Chinese dishes from fried eggrolls to, well, Peking Duck.

You can choose a Peking Duck dinner for a fixed price for parties from four to eight people, including a whole Peking duck, fried rice, and your choice of extra entrees like General Tso’s chicken or orange beef.

I loved their wonton soup with delicious steamed pork dumplings and freshly fried wontons.


Panna II Garden

93 1st Ave. #2, New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-598-4610

Panna II Garden
Source: Panna II Garden

Featured on the famous show Sex and the City, Panna II Garden is an East Village favorite for Indian food in a vibrant and sexy atmosphere.

Their super-cool Indian-style dining room has thousands of red lights, paper lamps, flags, and bangles hanging from the ceiling, red tablecloths, and red booths.

The menu matches its festive atmosphere, with decadent dishes that suit every dietary preference.

Meat lovers will love the Butter Chicken and Lamb Tiki Masala, while vegetarians can enjoy rich stews like Aloo Gobi, Dal, and my personal favorite, Saag Paneer, creamed spinach with hearty chunks of cheese curds.


Tanoshi Sushi NYC

1372 York Ave, New York, NY 10021
Phone: 917-265-8254
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Tanoshi Sushi NYC
Source: Tanoshi Sushi NYC

Tanoshi Sushi is a bustling omakase sushi bar in the Lower East Side’s Lennox Hill neighborhood.

Late owner and Japanese-born and trained Chef Toshio Oguma created Tanoshi to preserve the traditional Edo-period sushi of his homeland amidst Americanizing trends.

Instead of California and dragon rolls, Chef Toshio offers the simplest, most high-quality cuts of fresh fish arranged delicately over house-made sushi rice.

As per tradition, Omakase menus are pre-fixe Chef’s tasting menus for small parties. They have three seatings per day for lunch and three for dinner with each course taking 45 minutes to prepare and eat.


Wondee Siam

792 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-459-9057
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Wondee Siam
Source: Wondee Siam

Located in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, Wondee Siam is a Thai restaurant with friendly service and authentic dishes from Thailand and other Asian specialties.

Their delivery service has been featured in The Infatuation as one of NYC’s best, but the casual ambiance and cute wooden eating area make for an equally noteworthy dine-in experience.

They have all your Thai favorites like green papaya salad, spring rolls and peanut sauce, larb, curries, and noodle dishes along with some Chinese specialties.

I loved the deep-fried tofu with sweet chili sauce and ground peanut to start and their Thai curry noodle dish Ba Mee Gang with coconut milk, chicken, bamboo, and various vegetables was delicious.


Astoria Seafood

3710 33rd St, Queens, NY 11101
Phone: 718-392-2680
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Astoria Seafood
Source: Astoria Seafood

Owned and operated by Spyro Christakos, Astoria Seafood is a seafood stand and restaurant in Long Island City, Queens that features the freshest seafood from the day’s catch prepared in the classic Greek style.

Christakos comes from a long lineage of fishmongers who have owned and operated fish markets in Greece and New York since the early 20th century.

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Using simple, healthful Mediterranean ingredients like lemon juice and imported olive oil, you won’t find a more perfectly executed fish dish in town.

I loved the grilled black sea bass and Chilean bass for a healthy option. I also loved the fried calamari and soft-shell crab with a perfectly light and vibrant Greek salad to start.


Nicandra’s

264 Irving Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Phone: 718-381-2699
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Nicandra's
Source: Nicandra’s

Nicandra’s is a popular, family-friendly Ridgewood neighborhood eatery and pasta shop, run by first-generation New Yorker duo Chef Taco and Manager Charmaine.

Chef Taco climbed the ranks from dishwasher to high-end chef in some of New York’s Michelin-accredited restaurants, with expertise in French, Latin, and Italian culinary traditions.

Chef Taco’s incredibly gourmet and beautifully presented plates at moderate prices along with Charmaine’s inviting front-of-house hospitality is a winning combination for Brooklynites. The restaurant fills up fast with long waits most days of the week, but it’s worth it.

Try the Linguine aglio e olio with shrimp, Chile de arbol, parsley, and pecorino. It’s truly a religious experience!


Sigiri

91 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-614-9333
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Sigiri
Source: Sigiri

Located in NOHO a block from Tompkins Square Park, Sigiri is a casual Sri Lankan restaurant owned and operated by Tanya DeSilva and Mala Rajapakse, two close friends who bonded over the art of Sri Lankan cooking.

They’ve been sharing the Sri Lankan Street food and home-cooked traditions with NYC since 2005.

Sri Lankan food is a mix of southeast Asian and Mediterranean flavors and cooking techniques. It’s the best healthy comfort food there is.

I recommend the Kotthu Roti, a Sri Lankan Street food made from doughy pancakes shredded and stir-fried with veggies, onions, and eggs. 


Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos

271 Starr St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Phone: 718-456-3422

Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos
Source: Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos

Teetering between Ridgewood and East Williamsburg in Brooklyn, Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos is a longstanding tortilleria and taqueria with a giant dining space and an authentic Mexican market feel.

They make their corn and flour tortillas from scratch along with a variety of fresh salsas to accompany their cheap but flavorful street-style tacos. You can buy bulk tortillas and salsas to take home, too.

You’re free to bring your own beer while the kiddos delight in the sugary decadence of a glass bottle of Jarritos fruit soda. Along with tacos, they offer quesadillas, tortas, and picados on tostadas.

Their carnitas tacos are my favorite, served authentically with chopped onions and cilantro to dress as you please with your choice of fresh salsas.


Wu’s Wonton King

165 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-477-1112
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Wu's Wonton King
Source: Wu’s Wonton King

Overlooking Seward Park in the Two Bridges neigh of Manhattan, Wu’s Wonton King is a humble Chinese eatery, specializing in classic Chinese American food.

It’s a favorite take-out restaurant, offering its decadent fried rice, sesame chicken, and moo shu pork to New Yorkers on the go in characteristic Chinese food takeout boxes you see in your favorite TV shows.

Their dine-in service is equally fast and friendly, and of course, comes with a crunchy fortune cookie for dessert. Their lunch special is worth checking out as all dishes are under 7$.

My favorite dishes were the short ribs and eggplant in a spicy garlic sauce, the shrimp and pork wonton soup, and the roast duck lo mein.

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Bhatti Indian Grill

100 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-683-4228
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Bhatti Indian Grill
Source: Bhatti Indian Grill

Bhatti Indian Grill is a North Indian bistro specializing in Indian Kebab culture owned and operated by Chef Gaurav Anand, a seasoned Indian chef and NYC restauranteur.

Chef Gaurav teamed up with fellow famed Indian chef Manoj Goel to create a menu featuring 21 kebabs along with other North Indian specialties like fish curry and Punjabi vegetable dumplings.

Along with a BYO wine policy, they also offer a natural wine program. The décor is upscale and contemporary with a lively atmosphere to try the most authentic and unique Indian food.

I loved the Meat Martaban dish, a slow-cooked pickle-flavored lamb dish.


Piccola Strada

77 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-674-1557

Piccola Strada
Source: Piccola Strada

Piccola Strada is an intimate and romantic Italian kitchen in the East Village with indoor and outdoor seating and a small menu of Italian classics.

Moderate pricing, hearty portions, and BYO wine program make Piccola Strada a neighborhood favorite for date night, even if it’s just for one of their famous fried cannoli and dessert wine.

The menu is a classic Italian multi-course with hot and cold antipasti, pasta, and entrees. I loved the Involtini di Melanzane, eggplant rolls stuffed with risotto, parmesan, and spinach.

They also make a delicious Ossobuco with wine-braised beef shank served gnocchi and Bolognese.


Risotteria Melotti NYC

309 E 5th St, New York, NY 10003
Phone: 646-755-8939
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Risotteria Melotti NYC
Source: Risotteria Melotti NYC

Named for a multigenerational rice farming family led by husband-and-wife Giuseppe and Rosetta Melotti, Risoteria Melotti is a 100% gluten-free Italian eatery.

The Melotti family rice farm in Verona, Italy supplies all the Italian rice variations in a myriad of traditional risotto and rice-based pasta dishes. Risotteria Melotti is in a romantic East Village rustic chic dining space that’s inviting and cozy.

All dishes feature some variation of rice, whether it be a fried arancini risotto ball. Carpaccio with rice crackers, or a soup with brown rice.

My favorite dish is the risotto with wild boar ragu, sage, rosemary, and bay leaves, with a hearty sprinkle of imported Grana Padano.


Ponche Taqueria

420 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-581-1235
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Ponche Taqueria
Source: Ponche Taqueria

Located in Hell’s Kitchen, Ponche Taqueria is a friendly and festive Mexican cantina, serving home-cooked Mexican meals at reasonable prices.

Ponche Taqueria serves all the classic dishes from chips and guacamole to giant burritos in a sleek and minimalist presentation on solid wood plates, bowls, and cutting boards.

I recommend starting with some of their delicious Nachos con Carne with steak, beans, guacamole, sour cream, and melted cheese.

For a lesson in Mexican street food, try the Elote Ponche, corn on the cob slathered in mayonnaise, covered in cotija cheese, and sprinkled with powdered chili.

They make the best burrito in town with a variety of fillings, from Tempura Mahi Mahi to Oaxaca pulled pork.


Whether you want tacos or Pad Thai, a romantic bistro, or a friendly neighborhood café, BYOB restaurants in NYC have a diversity of cuisines and atmospheres for you to savor your favorite beverage alongside a delectable meal.

Whatever you’re in the mood for, my list of the best BYOB restaurants in NYC will satisfy your cravings while accommodating your BYO preferences.

New York City’s massive and diverse restaurant scene has so many more options, so be sure to check out some more awesome places to eat in The Big Apple.

Did we leave out your favorite NYC restaurant? Leave us a comment down below and let us know!

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Quora, Google Guide and Facebook.