It’s late. So late that it’s almost early, and all you want in the world is a great meal. Not necessarily a fancy meal but not one you order by a number or one you can supersize. What you want is food cooked with some care by someone skilled behind the line. You want food with taste and a meal that satisfies. Although it can be difficult to find kitchens open past 10 p.m., there are a number of night owl restaurants who cater to those looking for some late night gastronomic gratification. Ranging from delightfully greasy griddle smashed burgers to mammoth burritos, the following are just a few examples of dishes that will assuage your hunger and leave you happy as a lamb.
1. House Burger at the B-Side
The B-Side is categorized by Yelp as a dive bar and while it is a bit rough around the edges it definitely has it’s own sort of neon glow refinement. While it may be listed as just a bar, The B-Side is also a great place to grab a griddle cooked burger and some convincingly rich vegan chili during the wee hours of the night. The house burger is a smashed patty, cooked 'til the edges are crisp, topped with cheese of your choice, and all the traditional burger fixings. What is not traditional B-Side's secret sauce, a kitchen sink-esque condiment it calls “comeback sauce.” A recipe consisting of a mix of ketchup, mayo, relish, garlic, and just about anything else that comes in a squeeze bottle is blended together to create a creamy, slightly sweet, and cheerfully zingy condiment. The $4.00 house burgers and their vegan chili are served until closing time at 1:30 a.m. or until they run out.
2. Mississippi Nights Club Sandwich at The Gramophone
The most popular sandwich at The Gramophone is cheekily named The Mississippi Nights Club. Filled with the components of a classic club sandwich it is piled with turkey, roast beef, bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a spicy red pepper spread all on a toasty baguette. The unorthodox addition of a bag of smashed Billy Goat “Kicker Chips” to the sandwich finishes off the Mississippi Nights Club. A sandwich you can really sink your teeth into, this tastes familiarly delicious and the addition of the crumbled chips is like a sassy wink. The folks at The Gramophone suggest pairing the sandwich with an icy cold Busch tall boy. You can order any of The Gramophones excellent sandwiches or soups until 2:30 a.m. nightly. The Mississippi Nights Club costs $5.50 for a half sandwich or $11.00 for a whole.
3. Classic Breakfast at Gingham's Restaurant
Bright and bustling and looking like a second cousin to a Denny’s, Gingham’s Homestyle Restaurant is filled during the day with families with wiggly kids and the post retirement crowd. During the latest hours of the night, however, you’ll find all types feasting on hefty platters (they serve on large oval platters, not simple, mere round plates) of homestyle foods and deep fried favorites. For those who crave breakfast in the middle of the night, Gingham’s straightforward “classic breakfast” is a solid choice. Two eggs any style served with the breakfast meat of your choice, crispy griddled hash browns and toast or pancakes are all prepared with the swift deftness of a lifelong breakfast cook. Gingham's is open and serving home style food 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cheery classic breakfast will set you back $9.79.
4. Three Little Piggies at Mission Taco
The Three Little Piggies burrito at Mission Taco Joint is no joke. Weighing in at what feels like a healthy pound, it's filled with all things pig, a tender and rich combination of chorizo, pork belly carnitas, and stewed and chopped pork shoulder. Queso, smashed black beans, cilantro rice, pickled onion, and ancho BBQ sauce are all added to the pork and stuffed neatly into a flour tortilla. The result is a burrito that is in one bite fragrant, tart, sweet, piquant, and savory. A seriously hefty late night meal, it is an especially satisfying choice for the famished carnivore. The Three Little Piggies burrito will cost you $10 and is served at Mission along with their tortas and tacos until 12:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:00 p.m. on Sundays.
5. Falafel Sandwich at Sandrina's
The falafel sandwich at Sandrina’s holds three crisp balls of falafel topped with tomatoes, a slathering of tzatziki, and a mound of crumbled feta cheese. Served with fries that have been sprinkled with finely grated, almost powdered cheese, this is the type of meal that tastes especially delicious after an imbibing session. The falafel balls are garlicky, the tzatziki is cool, creamy and tangy, and the fries are hot and perfect for dunking into the extra sauce. After eating this you may not feel like jumping on a scale but you’ll be sated and ready for a long and restorative snooze. Sandrina’s kitchen stays open until 2 a.m. The falafel with a side of fries costs $6.95.
