Corkage is one of dining's great perks: the chance to bring a bottle you love to a restaurant that might never stock it. But like any privilege, it comes with some unwritten rules. Here's everything we wish someone had told us the first time we tried it.
Before you tuck that bottle under your arm and head out the door, give the restaurant a quick call. Corkage policies can change with new management, a busy event, or a private dining booking. We do our best to keep listings accurate, but a 60-second phone call will save you the awkward moment of being told no at the table. Ask specifically: "Do you allow corkage tonight, and is there a limit on how many bottles we can bring?" — and you're set.
Corkage is a privilege, and restaurants extend it because they genuinely want you to have a great experience — not because they're happy to forgo every cent of beverage revenue. Honor that by bringing a bottle that's actually worth the occasion. This isn't the night to raid the back of the pantry for whatever was left over from last Christmas. Bring something you're proud of, ideally something that complements what you're ordering. A really good wine paired thoughtfully with the food is the whole point.
The corkage fee covers the cost of service: the glassware, the handling, the sommelier or staff member who opens, pours, and manages your bottle through the meal. It's not a penalty. Think of it the same way you'd think about a service charge — it's part of the cost of dining. Check our listing before you go so you're not surprised, and when you tip at the end of the night, factor the corkage into your tip base. Your server worked just as hard on your wine as they would have if it came from their cellar.
Arrive with your wine ready to go. That means stored at the right temperature — white and sparkling chilled, red just below room temperature. Don't expect the restaurant to chill your bottle in time for your entrée; it won't happen. If your bottle is sealed with a natural cork, it doesn't hurt to bring your own corkscrew as a backup, even though most restaurants will have one ready. Sometimes you might even need your own glassware. For a sparkling wine or aged bottle that needs careful opening, a heads-up to your server at the start of the meal goes a long way.
Bottle limits exist because restaurants have a genuine business interest in selling from their own cellar. A limit of one or two bottles per table is completely standard, and it's not negotiable. Don't try to sneak in extra bottles, and don't ask your server to turn a blind eye. If you want more wine than the limit allows, order from the list — the restaurant has almost certainly put care into curating it. And if you have a bigger group or a special occasion in mind, call ahead and ask whether any flexibility exists for a private booking or set menu.
Sometimes, despite what a listing says, the answer on the night is no. Staff changes, full-house nights, management decisions — any number of things can change a policy at short notice. The right response is to be gracious about it, order from the list, and let us know by submitting an update so we can keep the directory accurate for everyone else. Restaurants that allow corkage are genuinely doing diners a favour, and treating them with respect — even when plans fall through — is how we keep the culture alive.