Late Night food Delivery Montreal

In the city that supposedly never sleeps, it can be surprisingly hard to get a good meal after 10 or 11 p.m. You get out of a show or work late, only to be greeted with a “kitchen’s closed.” And what’s good at prime dining hours isn’t always so great after-hours. Late-night fare should have flavors that are bold, not delicate; comforting, not challenging. It should have the potential to absorb alcohol, and, ideally, be eaten with few (or no) utensils. Being fried or containing cheese isn’t a requirement, but it helps.

With all this in mind, we rounded up some of the best food available after midnight. Have a bite . . .

Best burger

The Spotted Pig; 314 W. 11th St.; 212-620-0393

After more than a decade, it’s still hard to beat April Bloomfield’s chargrilled burger topped with Roquefort cheese and nothing else. In a town of over-adorned patties, it stands out for its simplicity: the play of the tangy cheese against the juicy, umami-rich patty. The beef blend is a closely guarded secret but suet is reportedly added to the grind to achieve juicy perfection. Served with a heap of shoestring fries flecked with garlic slivers and rosemary, it’s just about perfect — save for the fact that they’ll bring you ketchup or mustard, but not mayo, for said fries.

Dinner until 2 a.m. nightly

Honorable mention: Chez Sardine (183 W. 10th St., 646-360-3705) serves a mighty fine and very different burger — topped with smoked Cheddar, cucumber, BBQ mayo and crispy potatoes — until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and until midnight the rest of the week.

Best tacos

Empellón Al Pastor; 132 St. Mark’s Place; 646-833-7039

Forget searching for some mythical taco truck in the wee hours, and just head to Alex Stupak’s bar-cum-taqueria in the East Village. Bartenders cheerfully take orders for food and drink and the kitchen sends out tacos ($4 each) — from the namesake al pastor with pork and pineapple (below) to a satisfying cactus creation with chil and cheese — with remarkable speed. And that’s especially important for off-hours dining. Tortillas are made fresh daily, and they make for great chips — served with fresh, unfussy guacamole ($4)— as well as tacos.