<body><div>With tolls, gas, and legal restrictions, buying alcohol outside Pennsylvania isn’t always a clear win. Here’s how to find the best deals.Devoted foodies and restaurant newbies love Foobooz. Sign up now for our twice weekly newsletter. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3yGrwF_0wE7ibTe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3yGrwF_0wE7ibTe00" width="960" height="640" ></figure>Like most things surrounding wine and spirits, the answer to this age-old question is not cut and dried.Sure, if you check Total Wine &amp; More in Cherry Hill or Wilmington versus Pennsylvania’s state-run Fine Wine &amp; Good Spirits, a bottle of Meiomi Pinot Noir is a few bucks less ($18.17 or $16.97, respectively, vs. $24.99). But then you have to factor in the toll to cross the bridge, the gas money — and the fact that it’s not, strictly speaking, legal to bring booze purchased over state lines into Pennsylvania.“I’ll stop short of advocating for that,” says Jamie Harrison Rubin, sommelier at Southwark and Ambra — especially because it won’t necessarily save you cash. “The conversation around pricing in Pennsylvania is not binary,” he says. “The state has enormous buying power, and so some brands are less expensive. Some brands are more. Others are not represented at all.” A better approach, he says, is to find a producer (such as a winery) or a retailer with a selection you like (in Jersey, Delaware, or even New York), buy a case, and have it shipped to you. “It’s an easy way to be sure you’re getting the right price and that the money is getting into the right hands.” (You likely will be supporting local, smaller businesses.)<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3zXrMU_0wE7ibTe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3zXrMU_0wE7ibTe00" width="900" height="900" ><figcaption>Is it cheaper to buy alcohol out of state? It’s not that simple./ Illustration by James Yates</figcaption></figure>Plus, he adds: “Case purchases often come with discounts or free shipping.” He suggests Moore Brothers in Pennsauken or Wineworks in Marlton. “They have varying levels of stock and attachments to brands, and you can get a bunch of different things.” As for spirits? If you’re partial to well-known labels like Maker’s Mark or Tito’s, the Pennsylvania system does just fine “because of the quantity they’re able to buy and the fact that prices are stable throughout the state,” says Rubin.On a quick check, however, a bottle of Maker’s Mark straight bourbon whiskey in Jersey or Delaware still looked nominally cheaper than at the PLCB stores, though the state-run locations did seem to have more options.“TLDR: This is not a simple question,” says Rubin. When it comes to booze, there’s not a single right answer. “You gotta do your homework if you want the best pricing.”Published as “Is It Cheaper to Cross the Bridge for Booze?” in the October 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.</div></body>

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Is It Cheaper to Cross the Bridge for Booze?

With tolls, gas, and legal restrictions, buying alcohol outside Pennsylvania isn’t always a clear win. Here’s how to find the best deals. Devoted foodies and restaurant newbies love Foobooz. Sign up now for our twice weekly newsletter. Like most things surrounding wine and spirits, the answer to this...