Can you bring your own wine to a restaurant in Canada?

Bringing your own bottle to dinner is legal in much of Canada, but it is not automatic. Each province sets its own rules, each restaurant chooses whether to take part, and the price of the privilege, called corkage, varies a lot. Here is how it works where you are most likely to be eating.

Is bring your own wine legal in Canada?

There is no single national rule, because liquor is regulated by the provinces. British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta all let licensed restaurants allow diners to bring their own wine, and Quebec has a long tradition of restaurants built around it. In every case the restaurant chooses whether to allow it, so the rule of thumb is simple: ask before you bring a bottle.

What is a corkage fee?

Corkage is what a restaurant charges to open and serve a bottle you brought. It covers the glasses, the service and the wine they did not sell you. Fees are set by each restaurant. Expect anything from a modest charge to quite a steep one at fine dining places, and some places waive it on certain nights.

Phone ahead and ask two things: do you allow bring your own wine, and what is the corkage? It saves an awkward moment at the door.

How does bring your own wine work in BC and Vancouver?

British Columbia has allowed it since 2012, when the province changed its rules so participating licensed restaurants could let diners bring wine. A few details:

• It covers commercially made wine, bought from a liquor store, a winery or outside the province. Homemade wine is not included.
• It does not cover beer or spirits.
• The restaurant serves the wine the same way it would serve a bottle from its own list.
• The restaurant stays responsible for not over-serving anyone, so staff can still refuse.

The legal drinking age in BC is 19.

Can you bring your own wine in Toronto and Ontario?

Ontario restaurants can apply for a bring your own wine endorsement on their liquor licence. It is voluntary and wine only. Staff open the bottle at your table and serve it, and the restaurant can charge corkage. Ask the restaurant about its rules, including whether you can take a partly drunk bottle home. The drinking age in Ontario is 19.

What are the bring your own rules in Alberta?

Alberta has let licensed restaurants allow diners to bring their own wine for many years, and corkage is common. As everywhere, it depends on the restaurant. The drinking age in Alberta is 18.

What does "apportez votre vin" mean in Montreal?

In Quebec, a sign reading "Apportez votre vin" means bring your own wine, and in Montreal there are whole streets of places built around it, especially in the Plateau. Many of these places have no wine list at all, so bringing a bottle is the whole point. Quite a few charge little or no corkage, which is why they are a favourite for birthdays and long, cheap dinners with friends. The drinking age in Quebec is 18.

Province	Can restaurants allow it?	What you can bring	Drinking age
British Columbia	Yes, if they opt in	Commercially made wine	19
Ontario	Yes, with an endorsement	Commercially made wine	19
Alberta	Yes, if they opt in	Wine; ask the restaurant	18
Quebec	Yes, many are built around it	Wine at "apportez votre vin" places	18

What is the etiquette for bringing your own wine?

• Bring something that is not on their list. Bringing a bottle the restaurant sells cheaper than its menu price is not a good look.
• Offer the server or chef a taste if it is something special. It is a nice gesture and often appreciated.
• Tip on the service. Some people add a little extra to reflect the corkage the server is handling.
• Do not open it yourself unless you are at a place that expects you to.
• Bring it ready to serve. Chill a white or sparkling bottle before you leave home, and carry the bottle upright in a bag so the label is not damaged.
• Tell the restaurant when you book, not at the door, so the table, the glasses and the corkage are settled before you arrive.
• Ask whether there is a limit on bottles per table, and learn the answer on the phone rather than at the door.

Mosey is about the places people actually ate at and what they thought. "Great food, no corkage on Tuesdays" is exactly the kind of detail worth remembering about a place.

More guides to read next:

• Canadian foods to try: the dishes worth ordering coast to coast
• Eating out with food allergies in Canada: what to ask before you order
• GST, PST and HST on restaurant bills: why the total is higher than the menu

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.