Having lived my entire life in the city that never sleeps, I know NYC’s restaurant scene like the back of my hand. And although I have my favorite spots in the city, I’m always on the lookout for new places to try in the different boroughs. Once I started college in the city, I realized how few of my favorite restaurants were open late. But after many nights out with friends and countless midnight study sessions, I’ve finally found my favorite eateries that are open late. Here are just a few places to get the best late night food in NYC.
1. Katz’s Delicatessen
Hours: Open until 10:45 pm (Su-W); Open until 2:45 am (Th); Open all day (F-Sa)
Otherwise known as the jewel of Lower East Side, Katz’s Delicatessen is the perfect place to stop by for a late night hot meal. The ambiance, the friendly carvers, and the delicious food makes Katz’s the perfect place for a midnight meal. The salads and matzo ball soup are good, but you can’t pass up a Katz’s corned beef or pastrami hot sandwich.
2. &pizza
Hours: Astor Place: open until 11 pm (Su-Th) and open until 12 am (F-Sa); Nomad Location: open until 11 pm (Su-Th) and open until Midnight (F-Sa)
&pizza serves extreme-in-flavor pizza for about $9 to $11 each. You can try one of their signature dishes, like the American Honey, Moonstruck, or The OG. But for a similar price you can create your own pizza by choosing the dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings. Oh, and did I mention that you get unlimited toppings?
3. Ippudo
Hours: Open until 11:30 pm (Su-Th, Sa); Open until 12:30 am (Fr)
There’s nothing better than slurping down a hot bowl of noodles late at night, especially when you’re at Ippudo. This place is on the pricier side, but the ramen and pork buns are totally worth it. It’s authentic Japanese ramen where the meat just melts in your mouth and you can’t stop sipping the broth.
4. New Wonjo
Hours: Open until 3 am (Su-W); Open 24 hours (Thu-Sa)
In the heart of K-town, there’s an abundance of Korean barbecued meat ready to be devoured. Stop by New Wonjo to stuff yourself with premium Korean meats and seafood. You choose what kind of meat you want, and it gets cooked at your table right in front of you. Warning: you might go into a food coma afterwards.
5. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer
Hours: Most locations are open until 1 or 2 am (Fr-Sa); Open until Midnight (Su-Th)
Bring a friend or two to try Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, which has a wide variety of mouthwatering burgers and insane milkshakes. Experience flavors from across the US with burgers like the All-American, the Texan, the Mexico City, or the Pizza Burger. Save room for dessert and go for one of their iconic crazy shakes. Get your yearly dosage of sugar by trying the Cotton Candy Shake, Sour Power, Bam Bam, or the Cake Shake.
6. S’MAC
Hours: Open until 11 pm (Su-Th); Open until Midnight (F-Sa)
Head over to S’MAC for some amazing mac and cheese dishes, such as the Mediterranean or Napoletana. All of the dishes are filled with a variety of cheeses, meats, and vegetables. A great thing about this eatery is that there are different sizes of dishes you can choose from, depending on your party: Nosh, Major Munch, Mongo, and Partay. I honestly can’t choose a favorite mac and cheese dish here, because all cheesy noodles are good in my book.
7. Morning Star Cafe
Hours: Open 24 hours on Mondays to Saturdays
Breakfast tastes good for any meal, even if it’s a late night snack. If greasy fare isn’t your favorite midnight snack, grab a wholesome breakfast at Morning Star Cafe instead for pancakes, waffles, omelettes, etc. This diner is open all day, so no matter how late you’re out you can still chow down on a stack of pancakes.
8. Vanessa’s Dumplings House
Hours: Williamsburg: open until 11 pm (Su-Th) and open until 12 am (F-Sa); Chinatown: open until 10:30 pm (M-Sa) and open until 10 pm (Su); Union Square: open until 10 pm (every day)
There’s always a long line at Vanessa’s Dumpling House at its Chinatown location, and for good reason. Vanessa’s hand-made dumplings, noodle soups, and sesame pancake sandwiches are to die for (and are incredibly cheap). The sesame pancake sandwich comes with a variety of filling options like kimchi, ham and egg, vegetables, roasted pork, and more.
9. Insomnia Cookies
Hours: Open until 3 am at all locations
It doesn’t get any better than having warm cookies and milk, especially when they’re from Insomnia Cookies. Their gooey cookies come in flavors like snickerdoodle, peanut butter chip, chocolate chunk, and more. And the best part is that Insomnia Cookies delivers the goods right to your door, meaning no more late night takeout runs for you!
10. Rosa’s Pizza
Hours: Open until 1 am (Su-Th); Open until 2 am (F-Sa)
Rosa’s Pizza is a classic, comfortable joint that serves quality pizza at a decent price. The cheese becomes super stretchy and stringy when you take each bite in any slice, which is the mark of a perfect slice. The pastas are equally tasty, and I recommend the penne with vodka sauce or the linguine with clam sauce.
11. Rice to Riches
Hours: Open until 11 pm (Su-Th); Open until 1 am (F-Sa)
Want a light and delicious late night snack that won’t weigh you down? Try Rice to Riches, which serves almost every single flavor of rice pudding imaginable. They have funny but delicious flavors like, “Fluent in French Toast,” “Understanding Vanilla,” “It takes Two to Peach Mango,” and “Coconut Coma.”
12. Veniero’s
Hours: Open until Midnight (Su-Th); Open until 1 am (F-Sa)
Veniero’s offers every single pastry and cake you can think of, but you have to try the lobster tails and the cannoli. The sweet cream and flaky pastry shells are addicting, but they’re a little messy to eat.
13. Empanada Mama
Hours: Allen Street Location: open until 5 am every day; Hell’s Kitchen Location: open 24 hours every day
If you want an easy and portable bite while you wander around the city, go to Empanada Mama’s for your fix of beef, chicken, shrimp, or mushroom empanadas. These savory pockets are surprisingly hearty and are the perfect fuel for a night out.
14. BCD Tofu House
Hours: Open until 3 am (Su-Th); Open 24 hours (F-Sa)
There’s something so comforting about bubbling soups and sizzling meats, especially when you’re chowing down after midnight. This place has a variety of tofu soups that even those who aren’t tofu fans will enjoy. The broth, meat, and seafood completely transform the tofu as it melts in your mouth. This restaurant is the definition of Korean comfort food.
15. Veselka
Hours: Open 24 hours
Another must-visit restaurant in the Lower East Side is Veselka, which serves traditional Ukrainian food. Dishes such as beef stroganoff, potato pancakes makes this another favorite late night spot for New Yorkers craving comfort food.
Don’t make the mistake of ending your night early in NYC just because you’re getting hungry. The late night food NYC has to offer is some of the best in the country, and it’d be a shame to miss out on it while you’re in town. Whether you’re craving a greasy burger and fries, comforting mac and cheese, or breakfast for dinner, NYC has a restaurant for you, no matter the time of day.