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The city that never sleeps is in no short supply of late-night food spots. But let’s take it beyond the dirty water hot dog carts and falafel stands to the killer new (and old) American, Asian, Eastern European, and Latin haunts that make up the culinary world of the nocturnal New York set. These are the spots our chef friends and DJ pals hit up after work, and where you can refuel any time no matter if you’re at the tail end of a night, taking a quick intermission, or just getting your adventure started.
Gray's Papaya
Address: 2090 Broadway
Website: grayspapayanyc.com
While not the first hot-dog-slinging institution with papaya in its name in New York City, Gray’s makes up for it with arguably the best dog of the bunch, available at any time of day or night. There are no frills here, and you certainly get your money’s worth— the recession special hooks up two old-school dogs with fixings with a medium drink for just under five bucks. And the spot is easy to find— just look for the appropriately snarky quotes covering the storefront walls outside the shop.
Veselka
Address: 144 2nd Ave.
Website: veselka.com
One of the few remaining Eastern European restaurants that once populated the East Village, Veselka (meaning “rainbow” in Ukrainian), has been holding down the pierogies front since 1962. Aside from pierogies, you have your classic borscht and kielbasa, but they also sling highly-regarded burgers and plenty of breakfast plates. And when it comes down to it, you just can’t go wrong at this East Village classic, which is why Veselka is one of our top picks for your any-hour snack time.
Empanada Mama
Address: 763 9th Ave. and 189 E Houston St.
Website: empmamanyc.com
What’s not to love about the subgenre of late-night street food, often categorized as Latin pocket food. I mean, we’re talking here about empanadas, arepas, and other forms of starch with meat, cheese, and veggies tucked inside. Make no mistake, these are snacks worthy of the gods, so we’re glad Empanada Mama gives them the shine they deserve. With six different varieties, we’d recommend the spicy chicken or Brazil, but we can’t really blame you for trying all of them. Whether you hit up their Hell’s Kitchen or new LES location, make sure you get in an order of plantain chips and guacamole.
Coppelia
Address: 207 W 14th St.
Website: coppelianyc.com
If you need something a little more substantial than empanadas, you can always hit up the Cuban luncheonette Coppelia in the West Village for arepas, lomo saltado, or the quintessential Cubano sandwich. This laid-back spot might be a little pricier than our other options, but Coppelia delivers some killer food—especially breakfast—in a friendly atmosphere that can aid in a much-needed respite from a crazy night.
Wo Hop
Address: 17 Mott St.
Website: wohopnyc.com
It can be hard to pin down why certain local haunts have the appeal that they do. It’s that je ne sais quoi that goes beyond decent food, service, or decor. Out of all the spots on this list, Wo Hop’s vibe might best encapsulate NYC’s 24-hour dining mentality: the diverse clientele can get a little jovially rowdy, the service is quick and to the point, and the food hits all the right late-night targets—salty, greasy, spicy, sweet, and sour. For classic American Chinese and dim sum in a place that feels as old as Chinatown itself, the under-hyped Wo Hop is one of the best.
Grand Morelos
Address: 727 Grand St. (Brooklyn)
Maybe the only other late-night cuisine that can rival Wo Hop’s greasy spoon Chinese is the tried-and-true Mexican food found at Grand Morelos. Tortas, burritos, and nachos are the go-to menu items at this Williamsburg favorite, but they also serve tacos (obvi) as well as burgers, shakes, and the like. And if you have a late-night sweet tooth, Grand Morelos also makes killer tres leches cakes and other pastries.
Empire Biscuit
Address: 198 Avenue A
Website: empirebiscuit.com
Biscuits just work for late-night noshing. The satisfying simplicity of comfort food is great no matter what meal of day you choose to observe. Throw some gravy or spicy chicken on that biscuit and you’re set. Empire Biscuit serves up just that, and they do it well. So well, in fact, that they ran out of biscuits the first few nights they were open, causing short-lived biscuit-deprivation hysteria among the fooderati in NYC. And if you need a little kick to keep you moving or to jumpstart your day, they serve primo Blue Bottle coffee.
Miss Korea BBQ
Address: 10 W 32nd St.
Website: misskoreabbq.com
Sometimes you need a culinary wake-up call to keep your night going, and nothing really beats the kick of Korean chili paste and the cuisine’s deep flavors. You can always go with the classic beef kalbi or bulgogi, accompanied by a plethora of awesome side dishes, but their real stand out is the pork belly or short ribs— the perfect way to follow-up a night of searing Alanis Morissette covers at a K-Town karaoke joint.
Sanford's Restaurant
Address: 30-13 Broadway (Queens)
Website: sanfordsnyc.com
Our list wouldn’t be complete without the old school 24-hour diner. And while the menu at Sanford’s may have gotten some modern updates (see the duck burger, for instance), their classic dishes like burgers and ravioli have been crowd favorites since this Astoria joint opened up in 1922. And like any self-respecting diner, Sanford’s offers some very, very solid all-day, any-day brunch options.
Cafeteria
Address: 119 7th Ave.
Website: cafeteriagroup.com
No NYC 24-hour restaurant list would be complete without including the classic post-clubbing gourmet diner food of Cafeteria. While you might still feel like you’re on the runway at this Chelsea stand-by, the food here is all business. We are straight up down with their Mac and Cheese spring rolls. And while truffle oil remains a contentious issue in the food snob world, at a certain point in the night all that really matters is it tastes good, and the digs at Cafeteria have been more than solid since the days of Sex and the City.
