Charlie Mellor's Modern European wine bar on Hackney Road in east London, opened 2017, runs the city's most-trusted late kitchen with small plates until 23:30 Wed-Sun.
Tip: The downstairs wine cellar takes walk-ins any night. Closed Mon-Tue. Last orders for kitchen at 23:30 sharp.
Address: 277 Hackney Road, London E2 8NA
The Brick Lane Beigel Bake bakery in east London, trading since 1974, runs 24-hour hand-rolled bagels and salt beef sandwiches, the city's defining late-night cheap eat.
Try: Salt beef bagel
Tip: After midnight queue runs 15 minutes. Salt beef bagel £6, cream cheese bagel £2.50. Cash or card.
Ross Shonhan's Soho ramen bar on Peter Street in central London, opened 2012, runs late-night tonkotsu ramen, fried chicken bao and a Japanese-American menu until 23:00.
Try: Tonkotsu ramen
Tip: Walk-up only after 21:30. Counter seats face the open kitchen. The Soho original closes at 23:00; the Bond Street sibling runs to 00:00 on weekends.
Alan Yau's Cantonese gastropub on Berwick Street in Soho London, opened 2015 in the former Endurance pub, runs Cantonese dim sum and a late kitchen serving until midnight.
Try: Late Cantonese dim sum
Tip: The upstairs dining room takes bookings; the downstairs pub-and-bar walks in any night. Closed half an hour 16:00-16:30 daily.
Joy King Lau on Leicester Street in Chinatown London, trading since 1985 as a four-floor Cantonese family restaurant, runs roast meats, congee and dim sum from 11:00 until late.
Try: Cantonese roast meats and dim sum
Tip: Walk-in any night for the takeaway counter at the front. The roast goose with rice is the marquee plate at £18.
Four Seasons on Gerrard Street in Chinatown London, trading since 1996, runs the city's most-cited Cantonese roast duck, served whole or half with plum sauce.
Try: Cantonese roast duck
Tip: Walk-in any night. Take-away roast duck is half the dining-room price. The Queensway Bayswater sibling runs the same kitchen.
Cay Tre Vietnamese kitchen on Dean Street in Soho London, opened 2009 by Hieu Trung Bui, runs late pho, bun cha and banh mi until 22:30 every night.
Try: Vietnamese pho and bun cha
Tip: Walk-in or book a fortnight ahead. The pre-theatre menu at £20 for two courses runs until 18:30.
