London’s Top-Rated BYOB Restaurants for a Brilliantly Cheap Night Out

Guest post by Georgia Anderson

Whether you’re looking to guarantee having your perfect drink at hand or want to have more money to splurge on cuisine, London’s ‘bring your own beverage’ (BYOB) venues offer some fabulous options for dining out. From Indian and Persian to Asian and Italian, London is bursting with great eateries that offer the BYOB service. And, with social distancing rules relaxing, what better excuse is there to hit the town and raise a glass to freedom?

But with literally thousands of restaurants to choose from, finding the right one can be a challenge. So with this in mind, the UK’s leading cocktail delivery brand, NIO Cocktails, has analysed all the BYOB restaurants listed on Tripadvisor that have more than 99+ reviews, to come up with the ultimate list of the highest-rated corkage restaurants in the capital. 

Through their research, NIO discovered that the following 10 restaurants are the most highly-rated BYOB establishments in London.

#1 | Taste of Nawab (££ – £££)

Address: 97 Colney Hatch Ln, London N10 1LR

Topping the list is North London’s award-winning restaurant, Taste of Nawab. With a 5-star rating from a huge 1,185 reviews, the Indian and Bengali dishes have been well received by many. With vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free and halal options, this establishment caters to everyone, and the best part…corkage is free!

#2 | Amrutha Lounge (££ – £££)

Address: 326 Garratt Ln, London SW18 4EJ

In South-West London, Amrutha Lounge is a popular vegan, Indian restaurant with great food, great service, a welcoming atmosphere and no corkage fees. Even carnivores have claimed this restaurant has the best Indian food they’ve ever eaten and if they could recreate it at home, they’d become a vegan convert in no time. With 631 rave reviews, Amrutha also offers free meals to those who can’t afford it by just volunteering some of their time in the restaurant.

#3 | Olde Goa (££ – £££)

Address: 1336 London Rd, Norbury, London SW16 4DG

Dishing up authentic Indian cuisine in South-West London, Olde Goa has received a 5-star rating across 222 reviews. The establishment is open for lunch and dinner and caters to vegans, vegetarians and those with a gluten intolerance. One happy customer raved about his meal on TripAdvisor saying, “authentic goan cuisine in London. All dishes are great and healthy, but I strongly recommend the Assado (Beef) and Bebinca for dessert. Obrigado Savio!”

4 | Hawksmoor Seven Dials (££££)

Address: 11 Langley St, London WC2H 9JG

Winner of the Time Out Award for ‘Best New Restaurant 2011’, Hawksmoor Seven Dials has wowed fans and critics alike ever since it opened in 2010. Serving up high-quality steaks, this restaurant specialises in British dry-aged T-bone, D-rump and porterhouse, plus seafood that will leave your mouth watering for more. Based in central London, the prices are on the higher end but luckily you can keep costs down by bringing your own beverage for a £5 corkage fee on Monday’s and a £25 corkage fee from Tuesday to Sunday.

5 | Hawksmoor Air Street (££££)

Address: 5A Air St, London W1J 0AD

Located in an Art Deco room overlooking Regent Street, the menu at Hawksmoor Air Street is a delicious combination of steak and seafood. The seafood comes straight from Brixham market in Devon and like their steak, is cooked over real charcol. This establishment received an impressive 4.5-star rating, across 3,166 reviews with customers raving about the “friendly staff” and “fresh and delicious food.”

6 | The Monsoon (££ – £££)

Address: 78 Brick Lane, London E1 6RL

Voted as the best Indian restaurant on Brick Lane, The Monsoon dishes up traditional Bangladeshi cuisine in a culinary art form, with an amazing blend of fragrant spices that’s kept customers coming back since they first opened in 2001. With prices ranging from the £12 – £30 mark, as well as street parking, free wi-fi and a BYOB service, it’s no wonder why The Monsoon has an impressive 4.5-star rating across 2,012 reviews.

7 | Hawksmoor Spitalfields (££££)

Address: 157A Commercial St, London E1 6BJ

Hawksmoor is very popular with Londoners, appearing on our list again but this time the Spitalfields venue near Shoreditch and Liverpool Street. On the menu are prime cuts of matured beef and other British classics served in a beautiful bare-brick surrounding. Foodies have raved about the scallops which were “cooked to perfection” and the “delicious ribeye and mac & cheese” scoring the upmarket restaurant 4.5-stars.

8 | The Famous Curry Bazaar (££)

Address: 77 Brick Ln, London E1 6QL

With great food, at a great price, in a great location, it comes as no surprise that The Famous Curry Bazaar is part of London’s top 10 BYOB restaurants with a 4.5-rating across 1,132 reviews. It’s been serving excellent Indian and Bangladeshi food in a laid-back setting since 1996. Just remember to keep your eyes peeled while dining as star rugby players, actors and TV personalities have been spotted dining here. Even Russell Brand and Chris Martin have given the restaurant the thumbs up!

9 | Indian Express, West Kensington (££)

Address: 3 N End Parade, London W14 0SJ

With a vast menu that is sure to have something to please everyone, West Kensignton’s Indian Express is the perfect place to go for an affordable night out on the town. Customers are impressed with the hygiene, atmosphere, service and food rating of this venue 4.5 out of 5-stars. It’s very good value for money with family packages available and made even cheaper because it’s BYOB!

10 | Hawksmoor Knightsbridge (££££)

Address: 3 Yeoman’s Row, London SW3 2AL

Just off Brompton Road between Knightbridge’s iconic department stores sit Hawksmoor. As well as steaks from ethically-reared traditional British breeds, the menu features a number of seafood dishes such as Singapore-style Lobster Roll with Sriracha & Yuzu and Vietnamese-inspired Dressed Oyster. There’s a £5 corkage on Monday’s and on Sunday’s there’s roast beef that Observer Food Monthly named the ‘Best Sunday lunch in the UK.’ The only question left is when’s the next available reservation?

To conclude, there are so many great BYOB restaurants across London to choose from. From North to South and East to West, you’re spoilt for choice. While some do charge a small corkage fee, many such as Taste of Nawab in North London and offer no charges to bring your own alcohol. Something we can all raise a glass to!