High 5: BYOB restaurants

Iggies

Why didn't anyone think of this before? Iggies has mastered BYOB and casual, upscale pizza at the same time.

At Iggies you are your own server and busser. Order your pizzas or salads at the counter, receive a number and find an empty table. Though it sounds like any other pizza parlor, the hours, decor and BYOB policy at Iggies keep it from feeling like just another teen hangout.

While you wait for your pie, enjoy beverages of your own choosing. A rack of variously sized and shaped glasses waits by the silverware as does an arsenal of bottle openers and corkscrews to unplug your lively libations. Iggies charges no corkage or other fees for those who bring booze. On any given night you'll find couples sharing bottles of wine at small tables or groups of old friends spread across the long central table, breaking bread and splitting six packs. New partiers often walk in with their own bottles and join those already there. After your own living room, Iggies might be the next best place to throw an impromptu party.

The food is delicious. The slightly sweet patata pizza combines roasted potato and pancetta in a unique, savory combination. Iggies does classical pizzas just as well, serving them crisp-crusted and fresh. The pies are 10 inches—enough to be filling but not enough to bust a gut. Salads and desserts round out the simple, satisfying menu.

Drink recommendation: A six pack, perhaps Baltimore Marzhon, to complete your uniquely Baltimore experience