CP NEWS: Not-So-Drunk Dining

[ddm-news]

-Gina Gristead

There is a time and a place for everything. 4:00am when you’ve been shuffled out of the bar and are stumbling home is the perfect time and place for a slice of pizza that’s been sitting out for who knows how many hours at the nearest open deli, for example. The beauty of this fair city is its diversity, and late-night food options are no exception. For those occasions when you’re out and about and hungry yet still sober enough to taste the difference between the pizza and the paper plate, try one of these restaurants known for their high quality food and extra long hours. And, for once, avoid their well-deserved prime time extra long waits.

French

Balthazar

80 Spring Street, 212-965-1785

When you want pommes frites instead of french fries, head to this Soho institution for traditional French bistro food. The kitchen covers all the Gallic bases with onion soup, escargots, and steak frites. For a perfect way to impress someone on a third date, order one of the elegant tiered seafood platters. And, for those not living in fear of the evil carb, the bread from the bakery next door is always fresh and delicious. Keep in mind that the dining room is perpetually loud and bright and bustling, so either prepare yourself or make like the celebrity clientele and wear your sunglasses at night.

Eclectic

Blue Ribbon

97 Sullivan Street, 212-274-0404



You know a restaurant is doing something right when chefs flock to it after leaving their own kitchens. With its diverse menu including everything from matzoh ball soup to fried chicken to paella to rack of lamb plus a world-class oyster bar and a cozy atmosphere, Blue Ribbon is the late night dining mecca. The food here is of course excellent at any time of day, but there’s just something special about being able to order beef marrow and oxtail marmalade or roasted pigeon until four in the morning.

Italian

‘inoteca

98 Rivington Street, 212-614-0473

You won’t find any pasta here, but rather crisp and tasty panini, traditional antipasti, creative hot and cold small plates, and an impressively long wine list. The floor-to-ceiling windows and location on the corner of Rivington and Ludlow make for prime hipster-watching while the super-friendly staff helps you pick the perfect cheese assortment. The kitchen stays open until three, which is only going to fuel your inevitable addiction to the truffle egg toast. But hey, there are certainly worse things one can become addicted to on the Lower East Side.

Ukranian

Veselka

144 Second Avenue, 212-228-9682



The idea behind comfort food is that it’s supposed to remind us of what Mother used to make. Even if your mother never cooked you a single pierogi, there’s no way the food at this 24-hour Ukranian diner won’t leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy. In addition to the aforementioned potato dumplings that come in all sorts of incarnations, try the potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce, the hot pink borscht, or the kielbasa. The service is notoriously bad, but whatever. Kielbasa 24/7!

American

Corner Bistro

331 West Fourth Street, 212-242-9502

Yes, by “American” here we mean “burgers.” Damn good burgers. Vegetarian-converting burgers. Burgers so perfect they’re worth getting lost in the West Village and spending 30 minutes trying to find the place for. The Bistro Burger is the holy trinity of beef, bacon, and cheese plus the usual toasted bun, lettuce, tomato, and crispy fries. There are a few other menu options, but just stick to the Bistro Burger and wash it down with a $2 McSorley’s beer or three to help you forget what this little snack’s going to do to you in the morning.

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