Dining In Groups

from the cellar

in good company

edges of reason

bottom of the bottle

Dining In Groups

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Darryl Tirtha

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We love BYO restaurants because the best things in life are shared. However, finding spaces to share things is another question, especially when the group chat exceeds eight people. These are the places we go when we’re bringing people together.

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We recommend bringing your own corkscrew to minimise disruption (for both one’s thirst and staff). Depending on your level of wine wankery, BYO glasses. Make sure you order a round of beers so you’re not putting restaurants out and ALWAYS tip when dining as a big group (it’s only fair when you’re taking up so much space, physically and in decibels).

Paramount Food Count

fabulous tiling at paramount food court, chinatown

$

A fabulous spot to hang out and drink wine while enjoying a variety of independent Thai, Sri Lankan, Korean and Chinese vendors. Not ‘officially’ BYO, but the food court is licensed, so you’ll need to bring your own glasses (and discretion). They have cheap beers at Asia Unique if you don’t feel like wine. Long live Paramount.

Private room: This is a food court

What to order: pork belly with Chinese broccoli at Mee Dee, spicy dry tom yum pork noodles at Asia Unique, eggplant curry at Ceylon wok

BYO fee: $0

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Jimmy Leung’s Kitchen

whole crab at jimmy leung's, doncaster

$$$

When a place is in the burbs, cash only and 3.8 stars on Google Maps, you know it’s on target. Long deserved accolade, Jim’s food is a one-stop Cantonese Hotel Banquet whose craft rivals the best of Melbourne’s cuisine. Use Google Translate to access the seasonal menu board at the rear of the restaurant. They might not let you see the menu, but Grace will make sure you order right.

Private room: No, but you can request the big round table up front that fits 10.

What to order: squab, crab, chicken soup with wonton mee, braised pork in pumpkin

BYO fee: $2 per person

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Old Raffles Place

the best signage in the world, at old raffles place, collingwood

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A Collingwood stalwart for over twenty years, this Singaporean joint serves hawker classics in a cosy Victorian terrace. The proprietors are passionate about their cuisine, with deep knowledge to show how slight differences in ingredients and cooking set it apart from Malaysian cuisine. Bring a crowd and order generously.

Private room: With enough notice, there’s a back room that fits 20.

What to order: Toa Payoh carrot cake (crowd favourite), Penang char kway teow, beef rendang, chicken rice

BYO fee: $8 per bottle

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Scopri

typical scenes at scopri, carlton

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The classic that I left unconsidered for too long. Organic, seasonal Italian – basically a farm-to-table osteria in the middle of Carlton. Corkage isn’t cheap, so it’s the kind of place to bring your best botts (in the name of value). If you’re in the private room and with the ~*wine wankers*~ the team can adjust the set menu to complement the wines.

Private room: Yes, for up to 14 who have to all be on the set menu.

What to order: Anything and everything seasonal and the classics.

BYO fee: $30 per bottle

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Surasang

wooden detailing at surasang, cbd

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Hansang, a Sydneysider classic, opened Surangsang in Melbourne and we’re blessed. There’s a bottomless banchan, a whole page of Korean pancake variations to try, and countless large-format stews and sides for groups. A bit dearer than other Korean places but makes up for it in both quality and choice.

Private room: Yes, for up to 18 people on one big long table.

What to order: pancake, bibimbap, spicy potato and pork neck bone hot pot, marinated beef & mushroom hot pot

BYO fee: $4 per person

Darryl Tirtha probably gets at least three texts a week from people asking where they should eat– and he doesn't even live in Melbourne anymore. He's a trusted source for food intel because he considers the right things in the right order: flavour > value > vibe.

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Veraison's "Internatty" guides are a tool for navigating the broader world through a local lens. Our favourite discoveries from across the globe.

We published a lot of wonderful writing from friends and colleagues back in Veraison's days as a physical publication, and we wanted to give some of it a permanent home. Our "From The Cellar" articles are a curation of our favourite pieces from Veraison's print days, brought online for you.

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"Edges Of Reason" is a recurring chit-chat between besties Claire and Moira; a (very) loosely structured exploration of ideas, sometimes over a bottle of wine, with much vim and vigour.

The "Bottom Of The Bottle" article series is our long-form meandering exploration of ideas, championing the kinds of conversations you might get into when you're 750ml deep with a friend or two.

"BYO Club" is Darryl's routine roundup of the best spots to bring your best botts (and friends, of course). Each BYO Club Guide is compiled with a different theme in mind.

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