The Night Isn’t Dead—But It’s on Life Support

Published 25.06.2025 - Part 2 of 2

It’s not like late-night culture is extinct—other cities are still doing it brilliantly. So what gives here?

 Late-Night Dining: A Global Comparison (AKA Who’s Still Doing It Right)

Cities that still know how to live:

  • New York: Post-show steak frites at 10PM? Standard.

  • Barcelona & Madrid: Dinner at 9:30 is baseline. Kids stay out later than most British adults.

  • Tokyo: Ramen, whiskey, and a salaryman crying into his tie at 2AM. Magic.

  • Paris: You can still stumble into a bistro at 10:30 and be greeted with a shrug and a wine list.

  • Buenos Aires: Dinner doesn’t start until everyone has already Instagrammed their outfit.

And in the UK? You get five minutes past your booking time and a warning email from Resy like you’ve broken parole.

 

Who’s Still Holding the Line?

  • Jeremy King, our unofficial late-night czar, is still pushing for restaurants that stay open and feel alive well past the witching hour.

  • Sam & Eddie Hart (Barrafina, Quo Vadis), The Hart brothers continue to run some of the few places where walk-ins at 10PM are welcome, and the food is still hot and joyful.

  • The French House, an old Soho staples that remember what post-theatre hospitality looks like.

  • Tony Conigliaro & Monica Berg (Tayēr + Elementary), Serving Michelin-level cocktails and solid food until late. They’ve redefined what a “bar” can be—and keep the vibe alive until well past 12.

  • Duck & Waffle, Still remains one of the only proper restaurants in London where you can sit down at 2:37AM and order something hot, plated, and halfway decadent without anyone blinking.

But the field is thin. The second seating is an endangered species. And everyone else seems determined to act like no one eats after 8 unless they’re lost or on drugs.

 

So What Now?

If we want late-night hospitality to come back, we have to stop pretending that everyone wants to be home by 10, in bed by 11.

We need:

  • Real closing times. Not aspirational ones.

  • Transport solutions that don’t punish the post-10PM crowd.

  • Menus that run late, and staff who are supported (and paid) to run them.

  • A cultural shift away from treating second seatings like a hassle, and more like a business opportunity.

 Because right now, we’re not just losing sales. We’re losing the soul of the night. And frankly, I’m not ready to swap my late-night steak for microwave chips and a side of self-pity.

 

Let’s Make Midnight Matter Again.

I’m still wearing the hat—and this time, I’m bringing friends.