Eating out can get very expensive. Often, the beer or wine tab alone is enough to keep people at home. But sometimes it feels great to have someone do all the cooking and cleaning while just enjoying your company. And though it may be fun to splurge on a nice bottle of wine or a delicious Belgian beer, restaurant markups are often insane, at more than 3 times retail market pricing. Add in another 20% for tip and it almost doesn’t make sense unless it’s a special occasion (or you know the restaurant’s markups are fair, which is generally 2 times retail or less- such as Sotto Sopra which was recently redone by yours truly and I’m very proud of!).

Fortunately, here in Baltimore there are a variety of BYO (Bring-Your-Own) restaurants. BYO means that you are allowed to bring your own alcoholic beverage, usually just wine but sometimes beer is allowed as well. This is reserved for restaurants that do not have their own liquor license (or for a few that were grandfathered in under previous legislation). What this means for you, the consumer is that you can go out, have a great meal, while always having the wine you want at a fair market price!

Below are five of my favorite BYO restaurants in the area. I have dined at each of these at least 5 times in the past two years and have consistently been happy with the quality of the food and the level of service, especially for the money (all are reasonably priced).

As my good friend Ricardo Bosio says, we in the US should do like the Italians when money is tight- “go out and spend it all on good food and new clothes!” (be warned he also said there is a reason Italians live with their parents until they’re 40!).

I’m with Ricardo!

BYO and great food galore:
1. Iggie’s Pizza – 818. N. Calvert Street (Mt. Vernon)- www.iggiespizza.com/: Iggie’s Pizza may be the best pizza restaurant in town. Featuring homemade, crisp, thin crusts and a variety of unique toppings (from duck to wild mushroom medley) Iggie’s has something for any pizza lover. The pastas are good enough and the salad, which is served with a warm pancetta dressing is a must. Bring a bottle or two of Italian wine (Barbera, Chianti, or Rosso di Montalcino work great) and don’t forget to grab a bag of Pignoli cookies on your way out…actually grab two bags, they’re addictive! The place gets busy on the weekends and it’s all self-serve, so be ready to be patient but know that it is more than worth the wait!

2. Orchard Market and Café – 8815 Orchard Tree Lane (Towson, MD) – www.orchardmarketandcafe.com. Very good, authentic Persian food for more than fair prices. The kebabs are good and the duck fesenjune (a staple in Persian cuisine) is outstanding. Get a few appetizers (yummy hummus or veal tongue!) to share with your friends and be sure to bring a bottle of white and red wine to go with the complex flavors and spices of the cuisine. I recommend a Gewurztraminer and a Syrah (especially from the Rhone)- both will stand up to the wild flavors used in traditional Persian cooking!

3. Egyptian Pizza – 542 E. Belvedere Ave (Baltimore -Belvedere Square) – www.egyptianpizza.com): Egyptian “Pizza” it may be called, but it’s much more than a pizza place. From a variety of sub sandwiches to complete lamb, chicken and fish dinners this place has all the bases covered. The food is always very good, the prices are great, and BYO makes this a must-visit restaurant. Stop off at Grand Cru (wine bar across the street) to pick up a bottle of Shiraz or a red table wine from Douro in Portugal to match up with almost anything on the menu. Thinking fish? Go with a nice Trebbiano (from Italy) or a Pinot Noir!

4. Grano Pasta Bar – 1030 W. 36th Street (Baltimore – Hampden): Less than a year old, Grano has a simple yet well-executed game plan: serve perfectly cooked, hearty plates of pasta in a very casual atmosphere at fair prices and let people bring their own wine!. Try the Carbonara or any of the specials, but I’d have to say the Ragu Bolognese is a big pass. Overall, it’s quite good, pretty cheap and BYO (a grad students dream come true)! The interior only seats 11 or so, so get there early! Forgot to bring a wine? Just around the corner on Elm Avenue, the Wine Source will have plenty of bottles of Italian wine (Chianti or maybe a Morellino di Scansano from Tuscany) at any price range to suit your palate!

5. Yamato Sushi – 51 W Aylesbury Rd – Timonium, MD: The farthest from downtown Baltimore but more than worth the drive. Yamato Sushi is one of my favorite Sushi places around. It’s tucked away among an REI and other shops in the Timonium Shopping center . The sushi is always fresh and beautifully rolled and the sashimi features giant chunks of perfectly fresh and delicious fish. Danny, the owner, is there every day of the year and is more than happy to design a custom roll for you if you don’t see anything you like. The Udon noodles are great and the miso is the best around. And being on this list, it’s of course BYO! My wine recommendations for sushi are Champagne, Riesling, Pinot Noir or a 100% Cabernet Franc from Chinon in the Loire Valley of France.

Honorable mention: Thai Arroy in Federal Hill