Ever heard of a bottle shop where you can bring your own wine? When wine bar, bottle shop and bistro the Recreation opens in a heritage-listed Fitzroy North pub on December 1, customers will be able to browse the shelves for something to drink in or take home – or even tote a special bottle from home for $20 a bottle corkage.

Hospitality veterans Steven Nelson, Joe Durrant and Mark Protheroe have chalked up experience at some of Melbourne's best restaurants, and are striking out on their own in the 1870 pub, which has gone through recent iterations as Charlie's, Marmalade and Soul and the Old Homestead Inn.

Protheroe, the former sommelier for the Grossi group (and The Age Good Food Guide 2014 Sommelier of the Year), says he and Durrant (ex Grossi Florentino restaurant manager) will be selling and pouring some of their favourite wines from around the world, alongside Nelson's French-influenced dishes. That might mean rib-eye steak cooked on a custom-made charcoal grill, or scallops with the former Bistro Gitan head chef's special compound butter.

The constantly changing drinks list will focus on wines made by owner-operators "with skin in the game", which diners can drink in or take home and there will be 10 by the glass. The BYO option is part of their aim to become part of the surrounding community, Protheroe says.

The bar will seat about 20, and the bistro about 55, and will be open for lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

162-170 Queens Parade, Fitzroy North, the-recreation.com