Giovanni's
A slice of pizza is always a good idea when you have a glass of bubbly or Merlot in your hand. Owing to this pleasure, Giovanni's encourages BYOB – for all kinds of liquor, and it's free of a corkage fee.
August by Mama Aida's
One of the few places in Colombo to grab some excellent Middle Eastern fare, August by Mama Aida's is located inside the beautiful premises in Shirohana Atelier, and provides the perfect setting for a date night – with a bottle of champagne if you prefer.
Zen (Zylan Boutique Hotel)
Zen is Zylan boutique hotel's hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant. The charismatic ambience, coupled with their authentic take on Japanese fare, this one is ideal if you're looking for a private meal in a peaceful setting. They also allow you to bring whatever alcohol you'd like to have with your meal.
JoJo's Place
JoJo's Place has been around for years. Sri Lankanised Chinese fare is what they do best, and that includes this plate of piping hot HBC. A mug of beer and HBC is a combo that one can't simply say no to, so why not bring your own bottle when you head on over to JoJo's? They serve liquor on their own too, but for BYOB, they charge only Rs. 500.
Isso
Bask in that shellfish goodness with a bottle of wine/beer at Isso. It's free of a corkage fee and available only at Colombo 3 branch.
Callisto
A sister restaurant to Giovanni's, Callisto is your best option for pasta. Pasta and wine is a match made in heaven, and Callisto makes sure that you can enjoy it to the fullest. Take your own bottle here, and they charge no corkage.
The Fat Crab
The Fat Crab is one of the few crab-centric restaurants in Colombo. You can BYOB here for a corkage fee of Rs. 1000, and if you're getting tonic, it costs Rs. 225 and upwards.
Fire & Ice Pizzeria
With a history that runs back to 1995, Fire & Ice Pizzeria comes all the way from Kathmandu. Offering some delicious thin-crust pizza and incredibly good pasta dishes, this is another place that you can BYOB without a corkage fee.
Breeze Barracuda
Drinking with sunsets and beaches – what a dreamy combo, am I right? Breeze Barracuda lies in Galle Face Green, and does Chinese fare that they've been known to do well for years. Make sure that you try a plate of their crispy HBC with your beer while you're there.
Buba Restaurant And Beach Club
Not the most girl-friendly spot in Mount Lavinia beach stretch, but Buba Restaurant And Beach Club does some decent seafood dishes, and it's BYOB.
Park Street Trattoria
Park Street Trattoria is another restaurant in Colombo that you can pair some well-executed Italian delicacies along with a bottle of wine that you can bring on your own.
168 Sea Food Palace
Yet another spot in Colombo that does a decent take on Sri Lankanised Chinese fare for a really affordable price, 168 Sea Food Palace is a solid choice if you're looking for a meal within a tight budget. The fact that they let you bring your own booze is quite convenient too.
Chatz
Chatz is one of the oldest members in the cafe scene in Colombo. Bring all the booze you want, they don't charge a corkage fee. However, we heard that they prefer groups of five people or more if you're planning to BYOB, and you're supposed to spend Rs. 5000 or above while you are there.
English Cake Company
You can BYOB at the English Cake Company, but only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 5 – 7 pm. Only wine and beer are allowed, and it's corkage free.
1979
With good food, easy on the wallet, and BYOB, 1979 is no stranger to those of you who live around Boralesgamuwa. They charge no corkage fee, and feel free to try this HBC while you get your drink on.
Upali's
One of the top-picks for Lankan food in an upscale setting, Upali's okay with bringing booze in. It gets packed all the time, so making reservations is recommended.
M'eat US
There's nothing better than booze and barbecue, and M'eat US delivers both. And it doesn't ask for a corkage free, which is even better! They've got two outlets – in Colombo 7 and Pelawatte, and we recommend the latter.
Box Colony
Tucked away in a quirky container box, Box Colony is a spot to BYOB if you're looking for one around Battaramulla area. No corkage fee is involved.
Epicure
Epicure serves “Modern European” cuisine. Fine dining and wine is a combo they offer, and you can bring your own wine bottle here without having to pay a corkage fee.
It's a picture-perfect scene – wine and dining. But, given how expensive that is, it's almost impossible to do that to your heart's content. Which is why these BYOB places come in quite handy, and if you're in a hurry to grab a bottle, try WineWorld. They've got a good collection of booze, gives your money's worth, and delivers to your doorstep – within the same day if your order is placed before 6.30 pm (to Colombo and its suburbs).
