Philly After Dark

[cinghiale]

You’re out and about. Midweek. Had a pop or four. Homeward bound. In need of a quick fix of something good. Prepared to detour a tad for that great bite. Where do you go?

Let’s say river to river, Washington to Girard (rules out the Passyunk Triangle of Hell; many outward taco joints). Have to be able to walk in, designate your choice, and be on the go again w/in 5 minutes, maybe 10 if it’s awesome.

Last night was Lorenzo’s @ 4th & South. Always godawful (but cheap and somehow momentarily satisfying) heartburn goo, especially with the all the prohibitions and what.

Tonight, 10:45, going south from Hilton Garden Inn. Primo’s: closed. NYPD Pizza: closed. Looking pretty bleak south of Walnut, so I caved and got a Jr. Cheeseburger at Wendy’s.

Philly’s sidewalks still seem to be rolling up as early as they were 20 years ago.

So: where do y’all go for the fast fix later on?

[MarketStEl]

There's a pizzeria on 13th across the street and down the block from Woody's that catches the club crowd after closing time. The pizza is actually passable.

The Letto Deli across the street is open till 3 a.m. weekends.

But the usual go-to place for the late-night crowd is the sit-down diner you passed en route to NYPD and Wendy's.

[cinghiale]

I'm ruling out diners, since you gotta sit. But on the area diners, I always liked the [spacing on name] Diner, now defunct, at 11th & Locust, over the one you mention, Sandy. It was grittier, Greek-ier.

[herbacidal]

There's a new place I don't think is on many people's radars yet b/c of where it is. Haven't tried it yet but what I noticed is that its menu says it's open 24 hours a day.

It's on Frankford, just south of Huntingdon. I forget the name, but it has sandwiches and stuff. I'll edit this post later with more info when I can dig out the menu.

Oh, but wait, you said south of Girard. Okay, fuggadeboutit.

[guzzirider]

Standard Tap. Kitchen serves until 1am.

__Jason

[cinghiale]

Standard Tap. Kitchen serves until 1am.

__Jason

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Gotta walk in, walk out, eating on the go.

[cinghiale]

It's on Frankford, just south of Huntingdon.

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Could be worth a detour, Herb?

[philadining]

This kind of food is probably not fast enough for you, but Penang is open until 1am, Banana Leaf says they're open until 2, but they actually close the kitchen earlier than that... There are one or two places in Chinatown that stay open really late, but I can never keep track of which they are.

Jim's is open pretty late most nights and regardless of whether it's a great steak, it can often hit the spot... similarly if you're willing to detour to West Philly, Abners is open until midnight weekdays, although the last cheesesteak I got there was pretty awful. Alyan's, across 4th from Jim's is open until 11pm. I can never keep track of Ishkabibbles, never liked much beyond their cheese fries.

But you're right, things are pretty bleak late.

[KatieLoeb]

Maoz Felafel seems to be open pretty late. Lorenzo's Pizza is always open. The pizza is pretty bad, and LARGE, but it really isn't that good.

In Chinatown, David's Mai Lai Wah and House of Chen are usually open pretty late.

I often get take out from the South Street Diner and bring it home since it's so close by.

[Greg Ling]

I'm ruling out diners, since you gotta sit.  But on the area diners, I always liked the [spacing on name] Diner, now defunct, at 11th & Locust, over the one you mention, Sandy.  It was grittier, Greek-ier.

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The savoy, I loved that place no matter how busy that place was, whatever you ordered was ready in two minutes.

[cinghiale]

Alyan's, across 4th from Jim's is open until 11pm.

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Yeah, I passed Alyan's on my way home from Lorenzo's the other night, and kinda went *duh*. The few falafel sandwiches I've had there weren't bad. How does Maoz compare?

How about west of Broad? Any pickings, say, in the South St. corridor around Grad Hospital? Anything around the Square?

[mrbigjas]

little pete's will give you takeout.

around graduate hospital there's a crappy chinese place at 17th & south that's open till 11 or 11:30, and that's about it. gourmet to go (the vegetarian place) might be open kinda late, i'm not sure. randazzo's and lazaro's are open till 11 or so. there are not a ton of latenight takeout options in general in the area.

i think in this situation you should stop at tai lake and get yourself a whole fried fish with black bean sauce.

[Buckethead]

Alyan's, across 4th from Jim's is open until 11pm.

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Yeah, I passed Alyan's on my way home from Lorenzo's the other night, and kinda went *duh*. The few falafel sandwiches I've had there weren't bad. How does Maoz compare?

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I like Alyan's falafel and hummus much more, but Maoz gives you a superior, stronger pita that doesn't burst open and leak the sandwich all over everything. Alyan's pitas are not as good, and they stuff those things to their limit. I usually just skip the sandwich and order the falafel and hummus platter to go, then make a couple better-proportioned sandwiches with my own pitas at home.

[cinghiale]

i think in this situation you should stop at tai lake and get yourself a whole fried fish with black bean sauce.

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As long as it comes with an appropriately sized container -- one allowing a potated perambulator to dine afoot without too much mess/loss.

[Holly Moore]

My main complaint about Philadelphia. Because cheese steaks rule, Philadelphia, unlike most of the rest of the US, doesn't have drive-in hamburger, hot dog and similar non chain joints, especially once the sun goes down. The only exception within a reasonable drive of CC that comes to mind, is Tony Lukes who grills highly respectable dogs and burgers. But there are no options on Sunday.

When it's 9 PM and I'm looking to pick up some good eating without worrying about parking or walking into a restaurant, I'm wishing I was in Chicago. Probably the best late night drive up potential in the country.

[herbacidal]

It's on Frankford, just south of Huntingdon.

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Could be worth a detour, Herb?

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Yes it is. Next time I'm drinking late in the area, I'm swinging by.

Otherwise, it's a lunch place for me when I'm around the area.

It's called 3 Points, at 2573 Frankford (corner of Amber, Frankford & Huntingdon).

Once you get to that intersection, you can't miss it.

They got sandwiches, wraps, pasta dinners, breakfast.

And they speak Spanish.

I don't know that they'll do enough business there to survive, because I've never seen it mentioned anywhere, and Frankford there isn't especially busy, as opposed to north of Lehigh.

[Lisa1349]

What's better after a night of libations than grilled cheese? If someone can supply some real estate, I'll head up OOZe - the late night cheesy takeout. Maybe it should be a van like at Carman's serving sammies off the back that just drives around the city?... Rambling... it's been a long week.

[Andrew Fenton]

"The Wonderful Wizard of Ooze?"

You could have your sandwiches delivered.

By FLYING MONKEYS.

[Rich Pawlak]

"The Wonderful Wizard of Ooze?" 

You could have your sandwiches delivered. 

By FLYING MONKEYS.

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.....in little white shirts, black bow ties and caps. Could be classy! Let me round up some investors.....

[kretch]

Veracruza's within the geography of the original post. Open til midnight every night I think. And if I recall, ample parking. (Day or night. People shouting "Hola vecino?")

[skulky]

if it's just drunk munchies i'm trying to satisfy and not a full meal, on my bike ride home i like to make the detour to the soft pretzel place at 8th and washington, so much better than those cheesesteaks, and for like $2 you get all the pretzels you could eat for a week. plus they're so freaking hot right of the oven you practically get a steam burn reaching in the bag.