It’s midnight on a typical Saturday night in New Orleans and you have been drinking with your friends. You’re starving and it’s time to find food. You could just go home and eat one of those nasty party pizzas and wake up with a terrible stomachache or you could actually find something tasty to eat. In this city, you should never go home and just microwave something. I have a lot of friends that do a lot of after midnight eating, and I knew they could be counted on to give you the definitive after midnight eating spots in Orleans Parish. Always eager to help, and to see their names in print, my friends had a wide variety of choices that should cover just about anyone’s food tastes.


1. Becky, a West Bank resident,is a vegetarian and this can be tricky when navigating late night food that caters to herbivores. She reports that her go to place is Angeli on Decatur, open until 3:00AM on weekends. They have awesome vegetarian options, and you can bring your non-vegetarian friends along for a burger or pizza. Becky loves to get the sampler, which consists of Hummas, Spicy Tomato Spread, and Roasted Peppers & Feta served with pita triangles.

2. Reba, a late night owl who hasn’t eaten during daylight hours since elementary school, explains that Little Tokyo on South Carrollton will let you keep the party rolling until 2:00AM with food and karaoke. She recommends the Shrimp Gyoza and the just about any of the noodle dishes. The tempura green beans and the spicy edamame are amazing as well.

3. Azu’s favorite is Pie Pizza and Pastas on South Peters. They have delicious food until 430 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. They have a special late night menu with most of their regular daytime menu available. The meatball sandwich is amazing along with the Greek Pizza. It comes with artichokes, roasted garlic, baby spinach, kalamata olives, tomatoes, and feta with a garlic butter sauce.

4.Cory knows his food. He works odd hours most of the time and might not be drinking, but he usually needs late night food. He recommends Hoshun (open until 2:00AM) and Igor’s (open 24 hours). Hoshun has a variety of Japanese options. The snowcrab salad and the General Tsao’s Chicken are the recommended dishes. Igors has an amazing Bloody Mary and their burgers are pretty good.

My personal late night favorite has always been Avenue Pub because I can catch the streetcar and find something tasty to eat. I frequented it more often when J’Anitas was in the kitchen, but I ate there last week and it was still pretty effing good. Plus, where else can you drink delicious craft beer on tap and eat more than your standard bar food? My personal favorites are a meal that begins with the green goblins, wonton shells stuffed with jalapenos, cream cheese, and bacon. They are homemade and delicious. Then I usually get the black & blue burger with the Lazy Magnolia Brewery Southern Pecan-battered onion rings. I love blue cheese and there is just the right amount on the burger which they will cook any way you like it. This meal keeps your belly full of food that sops up the alcohol!

You have many choices when it is late and you are hungry. Don’t jump in thecar and drive to the 24 hour McDonalds that seems so convenient. You and your stomach will thank me in the morning for the best after midnight food in New Orleans. Now about that hangover cure….

Nikki Randolph