Dayton, Ohio

I know it varies from state to state, but it is not illegal in Ohio. Any restaurant that says so is blowing smoke. It’s a business decision.

There used to be half a dozen places in the Dayton area that had corkage in the $10-$20 range. Many of my favorites, Olive, Hawthorne Grill and Rue Dumaine, are gone. There may be others but I’m only sure of The Winds Cafe ($20) in Yellow Springs and Meadowlark ($10). Meadowlark is sort of an offshoot of the Winds. The chef owner was once a partner at The Winds. It is our go to spot because it’s consistently good and has corkage. If anyone knows of other places in Dayton, I’d love to hear about them. I don’t think there’s much in the Cincinnati area.

It’s Columbus, but The Market in Italian Village has a ridiculously low corkage fee of $8 and a great selection.

FYI, All public consumption of alcohol is illegal in Ohio unless expressly permitted. There is no law saying no BYOB as it is not necessary. Do places allow it? Sure? But, they do risk losing a liquor license. Probably not much of a risk for a first time offense. And no risk if no license.

Mark, I think I know you very briefly from my time at MVH, and I am sure you knew Juan. I didn’t realize we had a small indirect connection. [cheers.gif]

Have you tried Wheat Penny? Same connection as Meadowlark.