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Hands hold onto a cheeseburger from Tasty Burger, held aloft above more burgers and onion rings — Most of Tasty Burger’s locations keep late-night hours.

Where to Eat After Midnight in Greater Boston

Burgers, Brazilian hot dogs, mapo tofu nachos, and bison Bolognese galore

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal and Adam H. Callaghan Updated Oct 17, 2022, 3:03pm EDT

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Most of Tasty Burger’s locations keep late-night hours.

| Tasty Burger

by Rachel Leah Blumenthal and Adam H. Callaghan Updated Oct 17, 2022, 3:03pm EDT

Boston is not really a late-night city: The T shuts down on the early side — and the bars and live music scene with it — so it can be hard to find a snack or full meal late at night and into the early morning hours, especially on a weeknight. Adding to the difficulty, continuing staffing shortages and other pandemic-era challenges have caused a lot of restaurants to cut hours over the past few years.

So it’s hard, but fortunately not impossible, to find a solid meal after midnight. Here are 19 of the best late-night dining options in and near Boston, from mapo tofu nachos to bison Bolognese to Brazilian hot dogs. All restaurants on this map serve food past midnight at least a couple nights a week; many of them serve a substantial menu until 1:30 a.m. nightly. (That said, hours can change without notice — see above re: staffing shortages — so it’s best to call and confirm before heading over.)

Is your favorite missing? Are you looking for something a little different? Hop on over to our Facebook group to share and receive local dining recommendations with other readers and Eater staff.

This map was originally published on October 16, 2018; it is updated periodically, and the date of the most recent update appears above.

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Love Dog Hot Dog Buffet

Late-late-night Brazilian hot dogs — what more does anyone need in life? Hungry visitors will likely find this Everett truck parked and serving up sliced and pressed hot dogs loaded with toppings from dinner time until at least 1 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday; on Fridays and Saturdays it’s there as late as 4 a.m.

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1865 Revere Beach Pkwy, Everett, MA 02149

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The Abbey

At the Abbey, a gastropubby neighborhood spot with locations in Cambridge and Brookline, the full dinner menu is available until 1:30 a.m. nightly, including dishes like bison Bolognese, grilled pizza, chive gnocchi, and steak frites.

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1755 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

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Two deviled eggs sit on a long, rectangular white plate, garnished with microgreens. — Deviled eggs at the Abbey.

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Ali Baba

Steps from the Sullivan Square T station, Ali Baba, primarily a takeout and delivery joint, is serving halal Turkish and other Middle Eastern fare until 1:30 a.m. — think kebabs, pide, meze, and more. Find its older sibling in Boston’s South End, also open late.

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99 A Cambridge St, Charlestown, MA 02129

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La Hacienda

From pupusas and tacos to platters of marinated chicken, steak, and beef liver, East Boston’s La Hacienda serves some irresistible Mexican and Salvadoran specialties until 2 a.m. nightly (an Everett location closes at midnight). The drink menu includes a full slate of margarita flavors, too.

150 Meridian St #150, Boston, MA 02128

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Pinocchio's Pizza & Subs

Feeding hungry Harvard students and locals for over 55 years, Pinocchio’s serves thin-crust pizza as well as Sicilian-style rectangles. There are also subs, pasta dishes, and salads. The restaurant is open until midnight on Sunday and 1 a.m. the rest of the week, except for September to May when Harvard undergrad classes are in session, at which point Friday and Saturday hours extend to 2 a.m.

74 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138

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The menu board, counter, and an employee at Pinocchio’s in Harvard Square — Pinocchio’s, a Harvard Square institution.

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Bova's Bakery

Classic North End spot Bova’s Bakery is one of the only 24-hour establishments in town, covering your very-late-night grab-and-go needs with Sicilian pizza slices, arancini, Italian pastries, and more — dinner, dessert, and breakfast in one. At 1 a.m., late-night specials kick in: $5 stuffed croissants (chicken parm, Buffalo chicken, and steak and cheese) and $7 arancini (meat and peas, spinach, and pepperoni).

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

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View of a pastry case in an old-fashioned Italian bakery, with rows of cannoli and other treats behind glass. — Bova’s Bakery pastry case.

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JM Curley

In the heart of Downtown Crossing, neighborhood mainstay JM Curley stays open until 2 a.m., serving comfort food until 1:30 a.m. nightly. Midnight espresso martini and a burger, anyone? (For more excellent cocktails and snacks like lobster pancakes, the Wig Shop, JM’s new next-door sibling, also stays open till 2 a.m.)

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

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Lone Star Taco Bar

Lone Star is open until 1 a.m. daily, both at its original Allston location (with a hidden patio) and its Cambridge one. As the name suggests, the menu is mostly focused on tacos, although there are a few others options too, such as Frito pie, torta Milanesa, and huevos rancheros.

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479 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134

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Two shredded beef tacos and a wedge of lime sit on a plate — Tacos at Lone Star.

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Dumpling Cafe

There are soup dumplings and lots more until 1:30 a.m. on weekends at Dumpling Cafe, a popular Chinatown spot that has been extending its hours again bit by bit. (Pre-pandemic, the shop was open until 2 a.m. nightly.) The rice cakes with pork and mustard greens are also a must-try. Also check out the cafe’s royal siblings in Allston (Dumpling Kingdom, open until 12:30 a.m. or 1:30 a.m., depending on the night) and Back Bay (Dumpling Palace, open until 2 a.m. nightly).

695 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

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A wooden steamer holds half a dozen plump soup dumplings. The steamer sits on a round white plate on a wooden table. — Soup dumplings at Dumpling Cafe.

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Double Chin

When the occasion calls for cube toast stuffed full of ice cream and other sugary treats, or scallion pancake sandwiches, or mapo tofu nachos, it’s Double Chin to the rescue. The Chinatown restaurant is open until 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights (11 p.m. the rest of the week).

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86 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111

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Cube Toast is a doughy exterior stuffed with several scoops of ice cream, candy pouring out, Pocky sticks, and chocolate syrup — Double Chin’s cube toast is for those with a major sweet tooth.

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Pastoral

Between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, visitors to Pastoral in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood will find a variety of wood-fired pizzas and garlic knots on the late-night menu.

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345 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

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A large, wood-fired fennel sausage knot sits on a plate, covered with grated cheese — Fennel sausage knot at Pastoral.

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Where to Eat Near the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC)

The Avenue Bar

Open until 2 a.m. nightly with the kitchen firing until last call at 1:45 a.m., the Avenue is the type of place to relive those college years with Fireball shots, Jell-O shots, wings and burgers in a variety of flavors, cheap beer buckets, and more.

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1249 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02134

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South Street Diner

Another member of Boston’s small class of 24-hour dining options, South Street Diner has been open for decades, serving typical diner fare (omelets, club sandwiches, frappes, and such) a short walk from one of Boston’s main transportation hubs, South Station. You can also order beer and wine until 1 a.m. nightly.

178 Kneeland St, Boston, MA 02111

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A patron at South Street Diner cuts into food on a plate, with a pile of fries in the foreground — South Street Diner is open 24/7.

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Tasty Burger

The best late-night solution is often a fast-casual burger or hot dog with a milkshake and a jumble of fries and onion rings on the side. Local chain Tasty Burger offers just such a fix: The Harvard Square and Back Bay locations are open until 2 a.m. on the weekends and midnight the rest of the week, while the Fenway original (which is moving to a shiny new home around the corner in late 2022) stays open till 2 a.m. nightly.

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1301 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215

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Anchovies

Anchovies, a South End neighborhood staple, is the place to go for cheap beer and red-sauce Italian, served until 1:30 a.m. nightly. Nothing says midnight dining like cheesy stuffed peppers over linguine and marinara.

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

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The exterior of a restaurant with maroon awning, shot from across the street after dark. Neon signage in the window says Anchovies in red. — Anchovies.

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Franklin Cafe

Open for over 25 years, Franklin Cafe offers its full menu until 1:30 a.m. nightly in the South End — gastropub fare, from smoked mussels to steak frites to roasted chicken.

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278 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118

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A burger, stacked high with onion rings — The Franklin Cafe full dinner menu is available until 1:30 a.m. nightly.

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Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

Lincoln Tavern’s full dinner menu wraps up at 10 p.m., but there’s late-night food — mostly wood-fired pizzas — available until 1 a.m. nightly at this popular South Boston spot, which specializes in the aforementioned pizzas and gastropub fare, not to mention fun cocktails.

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

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A post shared by Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant (@lincolnsouthbos)

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Chilacates

While Chilacates serves great street food like tacos and tortas from several spots around Boston, only this Jamaica Plain location on Centre Street does so past midnight Friday through Sunday. Do get the lengua burrito, which is one of the finest in the city.

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658 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

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Porter Cafe

Another comforting gastropub, West Roxbury’s Porter Cafe stays open till 1 a.m. nightly, serving an eclectic mix — from Quebecoise poutine to pork schnitzel to fish tacos to Mississippi pot roast — alongside wine, local beer, and cocktails.

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1723 Centre St, Boston, MA 02132

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Love Dog Hot Dog Buffet

1865 Revere Beach Pkwy, Everett, MA 02149

Late-late-night Brazilian hot dogs — what more does anyone need in life? Hungry visitors will likely find this Everett truck parked and serving up sliced and pressed hot dogs loaded with toppings from dinner time until at least 1 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday; on Fridays and Saturdays it’s there as late as 4 a.m.

Open in Google Maps

1865 Revere Beach Pkwy, Everett, MA 02149

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Love Dog Hot Buffet (@lovedoghotdogbuffet)

The Abbey

1755 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

At the Abbey, a gastropubby neighborhood spot with locations in Cambridge and Brookline, the full dinner menu is available until 1:30 a.m. nightly, including dishes like bison Bolognese, grilled pizza, chive gnocchi, and steak frites.

Open in Google Maps

1755 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

Visit Website

Two deviled eggs sit on a long, rectangular white plate, garnished with microgreens. — Deviled eggs at the Abbey.

Ali Baba

99 A Cambridge St, Charlestown, MA 02129

Steps from the Sullivan Square T station, Ali Baba, primarily a takeout and delivery joint, is serving halal Turkish and other Middle Eastern fare until 1:30 a.m. — think kebabs, pide, meze, and more. Find its older sibling in Boston’s South End, also open late.

Open in Google Maps

99 A Cambridge St, Charlestown, MA 02129

Visit Website

La Hacienda

150 Meridian St #150, Boston, MA 02128

From pupusas and tacos to platters of marinated chicken, steak, and beef liver, East Boston’s La Hacienda serves some irresistible Mexican and Salvadoran specialties until 2 a.m. nightly (an Everett location closes at midnight). The drink menu includes a full slate of margarita flavors, too.

150 Meridian St #150, Boston, MA 02128

Visit Website

Pinocchio's Pizza & Subs

74 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Feeding hungry Harvard students and locals for over 55 years, Pinocchio’s serves thin-crust pizza as well as Sicilian-style rectangles. There are also subs, pasta dishes, and salads. The restaurant is open until midnight on Sunday and 1 a.m. the rest of the week, except for September to May when Harvard undergrad classes are in session, at which point Friday and Saturday hours extend to 2 a.m.

74 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Visit Website

The menu board, counter, and an employee at Pinocchio’s in Harvard Square — Pinocchio’s, a Harvard Square institution.

Bova's Bakery

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

Classic North End spot Bova’s Bakery is one of the only 24-hour establishments in town, covering your very-late-night grab-and-go needs with Sicilian pizza slices, arancini, Italian pastries, and more — dinner, dessert, and breakfast in one. At 1 a.m., late-night specials kick in: $5 stuffed croissants (chicken parm, Buffalo chicken, and steak and cheese) and $7 arancini (meat and peas, spinach, and pepperoni).

134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

Visit Website

View of a pastry case in an old-fashioned Italian bakery, with rows of cannoli and other treats behind glass. — Bova’s Bakery pastry case.

JM Curley

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

In the heart of Downtown Crossing, neighborhood mainstay JM Curley stays open until 2 a.m., serving comfort food until 1:30 a.m. nightly. Midnight espresso martini and a burger, anyone? (For more excellent cocktails and snacks like lobster pancakes, the Wig Shop, JM’s new next-door sibling, also stays open till 2 a.m.)

21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111

Visit Website

Lone Star Taco Bar

479 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134

Lone Star is open until 1 a.m. daily, both at its original Allston location (with a hidden patio) and its Cambridge one. As the name suggests, the menu is mostly focused on tacos, although there are a few others options too, such as Frito pie, torta Milanesa, and huevos rancheros.

Open in Google Maps

479 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134

Visit Website

Two shredded beef tacos and a wedge of lime sit on a plate — Tacos at Lone Star.

Dumpling Cafe

695 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

There are soup dumplings and lots more until 1:30 a.m. on weekends at Dumpling Cafe, a popular Chinatown spot that has been extending its hours again bit by bit. (Pre-pandemic, the shop was open until 2 a.m. nightly.) The rice cakes with pork and mustard greens are also a must-try. Also check out the cafe’s royal siblings in Allston (Dumpling Kingdom, open until 12:30 a.m. or 1:30 a.m., depending on the night) and Back Bay (Dumpling Palace, open until 2 a.m. nightly).

695 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

Visit Website

A wooden steamer holds half a dozen plump soup dumplings. The steamer sits on a round white plate on a wooden table. — Soup dumplings at Dumpling Cafe.

Double Chin

86 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111

When the occasion calls for cube toast stuffed full of ice cream and other sugary treats, or scallion pancake sandwiches, or mapo tofu nachos, it’s Double Chin to the rescue. The Chinatown restaurant is open until 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights (11 p.m. the rest of the week).

Open in Google Maps

86 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111

Visit Website

Cube Toast is a doughy exterior stuffed with several scoops of ice cream, candy pouring out, Pocky sticks, and chocolate syrup — Double Chin’s cube toast is for those with a major sweet tooth.

Pastoral

345 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

Between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, visitors to Pastoral in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood will find a variety of wood-fired pizzas and garlic knots on the late-night menu.

Open in Google Maps

345 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210

Visit Website

A large, wood-fired fennel sausage knot sits on a plate, covered with grated cheese — Fennel sausage knot at Pastoral.

The Avenue Bar

1249 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02134

Open until 2 a.m. nightly with the kitchen firing until last call at 1:45 a.m., the Avenue is the type of place to relive those college years with Fireball shots, Jell-O shots, wings and burgers in a variety of flavors, cheap beer buckets, and more.

Open in Google Maps

1249 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02134

Visit Website

South Street Diner

178 Kneeland St, Boston, MA 02111

Another member of Boston’s small class of 24-hour dining options, South Street Diner has been open for decades, serving typical diner fare (omelets, club sandwiches, frappes, and such) a short walk from one of Boston’s main transportation hubs, South Station. You can also order beer and wine until 1 a.m. nightly.

178 Kneeland St, Boston, MA 02111

Visit Website

A patron at South Street Diner cuts into food on a plate, with a pile of fries in the foreground — South Street Diner is open 24/7.

Tasty Burger

1301 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215

The best late-night solution is often a fast-casual burger or hot dog with a milkshake and a jumble of fries and onion rings on the side. Local chain Tasty Burger offers just such a fix: The Harvard Square and Back Bay locations are open until 2 a.m. on the weekends and midnight the rest of the week, while the Fenway original (which is moving to a shiny new home around the corner in late 2022) stays open till 2 a.m. nightly.

Open in Google Maps

1301 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215

Visit Website

Anchovies

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Anchovies, a South End neighborhood staple, is the place to go for cheap beer and red-sauce Italian, served until 1:30 a.m. nightly. Nothing says midnight dining like cheesy stuffed peppers over linguine and marinara.

433 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Visit Website

The exterior of a restaurant with maroon awning, shot from across the street after dark. Neon signage in the window says Anchovies in red. — Anchovies.

Related Maps

Franklin Cafe

278 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Open for over 25 years, Franklin Cafe offers its full menu until 1:30 a.m. nightly in the South End — gastropub fare, from smoked mussels to steak frites to roasted chicken.

Open in Google Maps

278 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Visit Website

A burger, stacked high with onion rings — The Franklin Cafe full dinner menu is available until 1:30 a.m. nightly.

Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

Lincoln Tavern’s full dinner menu wraps up at 10 p.m., but there’s late-night food — mostly wood-fired pizzas — available until 1 a.m. nightly at this popular South Boston spot, which specializes in the aforementioned pizzas and gastropub fare, not to mention fun cocktails.

425 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant (@lincolnsouthbos)

Chilacates

658 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

While Chilacates serves great street food like tacos and tortas from several spots around Boston, only this Jamaica Plain location on Centre Street does so past midnight Friday through Sunday. Do get the lengua burrito, which is one of the finest in the city.

Open in Google Maps

658 Centre St, Boston, MA 02130

Visit Website

Porter Cafe

1723 Centre St, Boston, MA 02132

Another comforting gastropub, West Roxbury’s Porter Cafe stays open till 1 a.m. nightly, serving an eclectic mix — from Quebecoise poutine to pork schnitzel to fish tacos to Mississippi pot roast — alongside wine, local beer, and cocktails.

Open in Google Maps

1723 Centre St, Boston, MA 02132

Visit Website

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