It’s 10pm; do you know where your appetite is? Yes, you grumble, ravenously chewing your sweater sleeve until it’s turned into a fringe. Your appetite’s right there with you as you finish up a late night in the office, or maybe you’re out fighting crime, or maybe you suddenly realize that the cayenne pepper/lemon juice diet thingie is something you’d rather try again in a year or four. One thing you’re certain of is that you are not stopping by Mickey D’s. You want real food, with a table, and maybe a tablecloth, and possibly a waiter who brings you bottled water and asks if he can get you a cocktail to start. But it’s 10pm; are there any good places out there that won’t make you loathe yourself in the morning? Yes.

Sushi Seki

Sometimes the craving for delicious sushi is so strong it’s literally unbearable. You may even find yourself hesitating over pre-packed deli/bodega sushi because that’s all you think there is. Don’t do it to yourself; instead, head over to Sushi Seki. It’s 11pm? No problem! They’re open. Sit down and start off with a plate of edamame, possibly throwing in some agedashi dofu (crispy bean curd dipped in a tangy dofu soy sauce). When you’re ready for the big event, you can decide to go with the chef’s tasting menu (omakase) or order your favorites straight from the sushi bar. Everything is fresh and delicious, and you’ll leave patting your belly, perfectly satisfied. Try not to look surprised if you find yourself sitting next to a famous chef chowing down after his restaurant closed for the night. Sushi Seki has two locations for your late night food in NYC craving: the Chelsea location is open until 1am, while the Upper East Side location is open until 3am for the real night owls.

208 West 23rd Street, NY, NY 212-255-5988, 5:30pm-1am/ 1143 First Avenue, New York, NY 212-371-0238, 5:30pm-3am

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

If you’ve just sat through a La Nouvelle Vague marathon at the Film Forum, and you want to keep that whole French thing going, take a stroll over to Sullivan Street off of Spring and satisfy your beef marrow and oxtail marmalade fix at the Blue Ribbon Brasserie. The flagship of the Blue Ribbon Restaurant empire, founded by brothers Eric and Bruce Bromberg, this famous brasserie is open until 4am, perfect for starving gourmands with ambien-resistant insomnia. The menu has a little bit of everything for everyone, so if you’re hankering for pigeon that tastes just like the squab that your French grandmere used to make (they’ve got it) and your partner is all about the friend chicken and collard greens, you’ll both walk stumble home happy.

97 Sullivan Street, New York, NY 22-274-0404, 4pm-4am

Wo Hop – Late Night Food in NYC Old School

Good, cheap, and lots of it; that’s the reason that people have been heading over to Wo Hop for years (Late Night Food in NYC since 1938). Some purists may argue that this is not real Chinese food, that it’s American Chinese food, to which you’ll say, “Pass the soy sauce.” Tenderly sweet soft buns, heaps of perfectly seasoned fried rice, platters full of vegetable chow fun, crispy Peking duck, egg foo young: there’s a reason that long-time customers are rabidly passionate about this spot. Whatever you do, make sure you go to the Wo Hop located in the basement of 17 Mott Street; that’s the one that’s the source of all the hype.

17 Mott Street, Basement, New York, NY 212-962-8617, 10am-7am

Mother’s Ruin

If you’ve been bar hopping around Noho and Nolita, and suddenly half of your group realizes that it’s starving while the other half just wants to keep sipping, Mother’s Ruin is waiting to welcome you into its maternal grasp. And before anyone whines, “Bar food?!”, this is some of the tastiest bar food in the city, with offerings like Thai Pork sliders, Mexican Frito pie, and the scrumptious Cary’s Salad featuring avocado, chick peas, feta cheese, spinach and cucumber tossed through with an exquisite mint basil vinaigrette. This late night food in NYC will definitely end with sweet dreams.

18 Spring Street, New York, NY, 11am-4am

 

Where do you go for Late Night Food in NYC?  Let us know – We would love to hear about i.

New Call-to-action

About The Author

Resident Tourist

Born here. Lives here and never leaving. The nicest person to ever not speak in public. Loves New York