Elevate your go-to restaurant to Michelin Star status with these flavour-complementing sips.

Whether it’s a low-key catch-up over sushi with your BFF, or a 5pm dinner with the kids at the pizzeria down the street, chilled, tasty BYO restaurants are usually the places we go out to the most. And sure, you can take your favourite pinot gris or six-pack, but to make the most of the food, you should take something that’s going to complement the food. The theme of this article is definitely “when in Rome...”, but Italian is just one of the cuisines we’re matching. Ahead, how to “do as the Romans do” at five styles of BYO restaurants. Enjoy making your regular a feast to brag about.

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Japanese and a craft beer

A sushi train is one of the most efficient ways of dining out when you’re hungry and short on time. A can of beer has similar qualities, so we’re recommending the big, malt tasting lager Monsuta MonOkinawa Premium Draft Can. Japan has been a frontrunner in the craft beer game since the mid ‘90s, and Monsuta has picked up a lot of awards this year, so it’s a lager to know about. Whether you're chopsticking in a plate of Aburi Salmon Nigiri before a movie date, or taking a booth and enjoying miso, edamame, sashimi, yakitori and a donburi (at least), a can of Monsuta is definitely in order.

Tapas and malbec

If most menus strike you with indecision, a tapas restaurant is your safety haven, ‘cause you can have a little bit of everything! With a wide variety of flavours and textures to eat, you want a well-rounded wine, hence, malbec. A mostly Argentinian grape, malbec is medium bodied, flavoursome and a lovely violet colour, locally, it grows very nicely in South Australia. Exhibit A: Mockingbird Hill Clare Valley Dr Bain Malbec. It has a nice long finish and is exactly right for mixing with an olive, cheese, patatas bravas, clams, grilled octopus and whatever else comes out to the table. If you want an authentic Argentinian grape, we can’t go past Santa Julia El Burro Malbec, and not just because the label is adorable and it was named after a donkey, which are obviously huge pluses. Santa Julia is the largest organic producer in Argentina, and the wine is made using natural yeasts and without sulphites. Plus, plus!

Mockingbird Hill Clare Valley Dr Bain Malbec

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Italian and red wine

No surprises here, but you don’t mess with perfection. Italian reds are meant to be enjoyed in the company of good food and good people, so the scene is set. If your a porchetta tagliatelle and pizza con patate (the pizza with potatoes, rosemary and maybe a gorgonzola cheese *drool*) person, you need to try a Nero d’Avola, Sicily’s MVP grape. Tasca Lamuri Nero d'Avola is a smooth, lighter, balanced red with an intense ruby colour that just looks delicious. It gets rave reviews, and repeat purchases because, just like pizza, it’s a crowd pleaser. If you just know you’re getting the lasagna, regardless of what else is on the menu, eat it with a glass of Maretti Sangiovese in hand. It’s fragrant and a bit herby and just very drinkable.

Vietnamese and riesling

Sometimes things that shouldn’t go together, absolutely do. Mango and chilli. Chocolate and sesame. Sriracha and eggs. Watermelon and fried chicken. Well, add Vietnamese and riesling to the list. The fresh, lively spices of a phở or gỏi cuốn or some other sizzling Vietnamese speciality, pair oh so well with the German-originated riesling. To test the theory, grab a buddy and a bottle of German Dr Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Kabinett Riesling. The wine has a warmth, and the notes of honey go so well with the zesty heat of the food. Theory proved, dinner approved.

Dr Loosen Bernkasteler Lay Kabinett Riesling

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Korean barbecue and fruit-flavoured soju

“Gogi-gui”, the authentic word for what we call a Korean barbecue, is an integral part of the social fabric in Korea. You go with friends, grill meat, often at the table, eat it with sides like kimchi, and drink, usually soju. Traditionally, soju is a straight liquor (usually 23%) distilled from rice, but it’s largely now sold as a fruit-flavoured mixed drink (about 12%). Sweet-tooths will take to it nicely, but even if you’re not, when you’re eating grilled meats, it cuts through that richness to balance everything out. There are two soju mixes you should try, Hitejinro Green Grape Soju (a unique flavour for sure, but quite fresh) and the original Lotte Liquor Chum Churum Blueberry Soonhari Bottles. Yes, the latter is blueberry-flavoured, but not in a bubblegum way. It’s actually one of the most popular flavours outside of Korea. Enjoy!