All the dieticians and nutritionists will tell you this is a complete no-no. But when have you ever seen a dietician with a smile on their face? Exactly.
There are myriad reasons why you may be dining late... a late finish at work, that high impact spinning session over-ran (yeah, that'll be it) or more than likely: you've been on the beers and now you could do with a bit of ballast to soak things up.
Well luckily for you, late night eating doesn't have to mean a greasy doner or whatever they've got left in the cabinet at Sam's Chick'n 'n' Ribz - we've scoured the capital for London's best diners, late night food joints and 24-hour restaurants...
The best places to find a late night bite in London
Part of the Soho House stable, this French bistro-inspired venue on Old Compton Street has a delectable cocktail list and a late night menu that includes rillettes, burgers and steak frites. Open till 3 am Monday to Saturday.
This Persian restaurant has traditional grilled lamb and chicken kebabs, crispy rice and slow-cooked stews like gormeh sabzi, a thick, herby casserole flavoured with dried limes. There is live music and belly dancing till 4 am every night.
This round-the-clock diner has been offering comforting dishes like eggs Benedict, kedgeree, chilli con carne and croquet monsieur to local night owls for almost 20 years now. They have a 24 hour alcohol licence, and NHS workers benefit from a 20% discount (it’s just down the road from the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital).
There are two branches of Balans on Old Compton Street; the <a href="http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-16260.php">café</a>, which is open 24 hours a day, and the larger <a href="http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-824.php">restaurant</a>, open till 5 am during the week and till 6 am on Fridays and Saturdays. The food is above average booze-soaking fare, with things like seared scallops, tuna steaks and all day breakfasts.
London’s most outstanding 24 hour restaurant, with clever reversions of comfort food, a fun atmosphere, and some of the best views the capital has to offer. Having opened in 2012, their signature “duck & waffle”, a dish composed of duck leg and duck egg on a waffle, doused in maple syrup, was the most talked about dish that year.
Cramped and fast foody, Café TPT serves cheap, satisfying Chinese dishes till 1am. Choose from Won Ton noodle soup, chicken with jellyfish or the ubiquitous Peking duck with pancakes.
The was the first permanent restaurant opened by the Meat burger guys. It’s noisy, impossibly trendy, and the juicy burgers are exceptional. Open till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays (the kitchen shuts one hour before closing time).
Recently refurbished after a serious fire, the Electric Diner fuses American diner classics with Gallic cuisine, like duck confit with gravy and potato hash, and bone marrow with beef cheek marmalade. Eat till 1 am at weekends and till midnight during the week.
This “gastro-brasserie” at Sketch has brilliantly cacophonous decor courtesy of Turner Prize winner Martin Creed. As with Michelin-starred The Lecture Room, the menu has been put together by Pierre Gagnaire. Open till 2 am Monday to Saturday.
This 24 hour caff has been going since 1959, serving doorstop butties, fry-ups, omelettes and puddings at low prices to hungry local workers. Fill up with a Full English and a mug of tea for just £6