BYOB

Going out to dinner has become less of a luxury for most Americans. We dine out much more frequently than our parents ever did, and exponentially more than our grandparents.

Going out to dinner is a reward for a long week or a hectic schedule, or a way to unwind. When out for a meal, I always treat myself to a glass of red wine—a soothing and relaxing addition to any dinner.

Most restaurants and cafés hold a complete liquor license, so you can order anything from an Alabama Slammer to Yeungling draft. But there are restaurants without a license, where it’s still possible to enjoy a fine vintage with your meal—and probably for substantially less than if you bought a glass or a bottle at a dining establishment. These are the places that do not serve alcohol, but encourage patrons to bring their own bottles of wine with them. The wait staff at these restaurants is more than happy to uncork your bottle and bring over glasses for you and your date(s) so that you can enjoy. If you see the letters “BYOB” next to a listing in a restaurant guide, that’s what it means—bring your own booze.

Café Deja Vu, a pretty lunchtime spot with a lovely backyard patio, is an artsy retreat that provides alternatives to the usual American diner fare. The café, located on Main Street in Honesdale, PA, has a very busy lunch time, with a crowd that gravitates there for its paninis and great coffee, cappuccino, espresso and latte choices. But every Friday and Saturday night, the lovely little café transforms into a semi-formal candlelit restaurant, serving from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. A bottle of wine makes a perfect accompaniment to these romantic meals, and the café invites its patrons to bring one with them.

The Tyler Hill Country Inn, located in the beautiful rolling hills of Tyler Hill, PA, is another one of those locations where BYOBing is quite okay. The inn and restaurant are set on a 1900s farm. Both have been recently updated but have not lost their “grandma’s house” effect. The Tyler Hill Country Inn’s menu delivers that farm-fresh element that today’s cooking seems to be missing.

You can enjoy your glass of wine in the country-casual dining room or on the beautiful rocking chair porch, where you can enjoy the serene prospect of the vast open fields in Tyler Hill.

The best local seafood can be found at Clearwater Seafood in Honesdale, PA. The little Bohemian/Jimmy Buffet-type café serves all sorts of fresh seafood dishes to its diners. You can take out seafood as well. The café has a market attached to it, so you can preview the seafood that you’re about to eat. It offers lunches to its patrons, ranging from fried seafood platters to the freshest of clams, mussels, tuna steaks and even lobster. The café occasionally runs a luncheon special that includes a full lobster lunch for less than $10 a person.

Clearwater Seafood is another establishment that invites patrons to BYOB. It’s a fun way to enjoy one of your favorite white and light wines with a Caribbean seafood flair.

Dining establishments that let you BYOB are slowly disappearing from this area. To those very few places that are left that allow you to bring in your favorite bottle of wine—thanks very much. I will soon return.