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It is with a heavy heart that I report Stoke’s Grill has expanded to add a bar and liquor license to their business. Diners who attempt to bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) will likely not be allowed to open it. Pictured above is a beer list from a recent visit. As you can see, those who enjoyed pairing wine with their Stoke’s plates will be disappointed at the lack of wine selection. The house wines (Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay) are not at the caliber many people opt for when selecting their own bottles. For beer drinkers, their beer selection is reasonable.
Stoke’s Grill had formerly been known as one of our best kept secrets. While the food menu has not yet changed, the overall experience will never be the same. Stoke’s had been on a list of wine exchange venue possibilities for their consistent quality, however the time has come to take them off the list.
Dear TasteBubB and all long-time BYOB customers concerned:
My name is Jason, co-owner of Stoke’s Grill with my wife, Amy. I would like to take an opportunity to respond, and maybe shine some light on our recent changes.
It’s true the Stoke’s BYOB offer has recently come to an end. This change is in the shadows of our acquisition of a liquor license, and the opportunity to expand our dining space by 200%. Foremost, I want to assure our long time loyal patrons the repeal of our BYOB policy is not related to a greedy ownership decision or state
law. The simple fact is, we are currently unable to obtain liability insurance that will permit us to both sell alcohol and allow customers to bring their own alcohol in. The issue becomes our moral and practical obligation to responsibly monitor our customer’s intake of alcohol.
I have heard many people’s concern for both the inability to bring in their own favorite wine and our lack of selection for in house wines. As most budding ventures, we are learning and improving every day. Since our last review, we have diversified our house wines and improved our brand choice, created a cocktail menu that reflects our philosophy of fresh and unique, and stocked our giant display cooler with a well demanded and acclaimed American craft beer selection, including hundreds of different varieties.
Although we are craft beer oriented, we are committed to continue to improve our wine selections, but that effort will be best served by those who don’t consider Stoke’s a “Best Kept Secret”. In fact, we hope to be a shining example of responsibility and quality for the community. I want nothing more than those who have always enjoyed Stoke’s continue to do so, and continue to help us direct our business toward what they love. We will continue to pursue the opportunity to allow BYOB in the future. Communication is open… give me a call… if it make’s someone’s dining experience, I can acquire their preference. Just don’t keep us a secret…