Guide: Late-night dining on Long Island

Some of the most satisfying meals you’ll ever have occur late in the evening and often in unexpected places, which is half the fun. Whether you’re craving a slice, a scene, a beer and a burger or a martini alongside a platter of local oysters, here are some varied spots that will take care of you in the wee hours. You may want to make time in the afternoon for a disco nap.

HAMZA & MADINA: FALAFEL TO GO

What started in Queens as a certified-halal food truck just over a decade ago has since expanded to nine outposts of the Middle Eastern franchise owned by original vendor Idris Mashriqi. The takeout spots across New York, New Jersey and Virginia have become late-night havens for those who crave savory, crunchy falafel; generous platters of lamb or chicken over rice; gyros and kofta; even burgers, chicken fingers and Philly cheese steaks. This is fast-casual late-night dining at its finest. And it couldn’t be any more no-frills. Hamza & Madina may occupy real estate in nondescript shopping centers and gas stations, but they’ve caught on because they’re affordable, reliable ... and open virtually all night: until midnight (Commack, Ronkonkoma), 3 a.m. (Hempstead), 3:30 a.m. (Hicksville), and even 4 a.m. (Bethpage). The menu is straightforward, offering chicken, lamb, breaded white fish, kofta, falafel or chapli kebabs (Pakistani meat patties) over rice or salad, or in a gyro or wrap. Add hummus, salata (chopped tomato, cucumber, onion), "white sauce" (a New York — style concoction of yogurt, mayo, dill, and mint) — which they sell by the bottle, as well — hot sauce, or lettuce to your pita. (Pros, by the way, add french fries to their falafel.) We’re partial to the location in Commack, inside a Quik Mart off the LIE. There, in the parking lot, surrounded by gas pumps and the fuzzy glow of overhead streetlights, you can eat in peace. And let’s be honest: Who hasn’t been lured off the highway for a quick, indulgent bite that will soak up some of the night’s shenanigans? For that, there is Hamza & Madina. You’re welcome.

More info: 100 Crooked Hill Rd., Commack (inside Quik Mart), 917-402-0691, hamzamadina.com Open daily until midnight. (Other locations open as late as 4 a.m.)

LITTLE VINCENT’S PIZZA: THE COLD SLICE

Steady foot traffic keeps this minimalist haunt packed, especially after a concert at the nearby music venue The Paramount, and how the pizzaiolos keep up with demand is nothing short of miraculous. This Little Vincent’s Pizza, the sister location (since 1972) to Lake Ronkonkoma’s Little Vincent’s, is owned by the Monaco family. Glowing green neon beckons patrons into the slice-and-pie-shop, which features throwback wood paneling, six Kelly-green leather booths, and counter seating overlooking busy New York Avenue for those who want to linger.

Anchored by a wall of pizza ovens, every available nook and cranny is lined with assembled boxes waiting for piping-hot pies. It famously serves only classic (that is, round) pies, and you won’t see any of the glossy hybrids — white pizza, ziti-topped pizza, salad-topped pizza — found at other local places. Although these pies may be customized with the usual suspects — pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions — the cold slice is the main attraction.

Legend has it that local teenagers asking to top their slices with a fistful of chilled "mozz" were the inspiration for this treat at Little Vincent’s, and, indeed, 15-year-old Austin Weiss, of Jericho, calls it "the perfect mix between cold and hot and always hits the spot." For the uninitiated, a fresh-from-the-oven slice topped with a mound of shredded mozzarella is hardly cold, but the cool cheese does get slightly melty from the heat of the slice, offering a temperature and texture shake-up for your taste buds. (Not to mention some great cheese pulls.) With its crispy crust finish, it makes for some fine late-night grazing. 

More info: 329 New York Ave., Huntington, 631-423-9620, Open until 1 a.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat.; 1:30 a.m. Sun. Cash only.

THE GREEN DOOR: SPEAKEASY VIBES

When one Lindenhurst door closed — Bakuto’s — The Green Door opened. A stylish new cocktail-forward spot marked by — what else — a green light above the main entrance — is characterized as a "speakeasy with a modern-day twist and no password," by Mike Commisso, a co-owner with Mike McNamara, who had previously worked front-of-house at nearby Restoration Kitchen & Cocktails. The team took inspiration from Great Jones Distilling Co. in Manhattan, a NoHo whiskey distillery, for their cocktail menu, most of which was overseen by McNamara.

Cocktails, which are priced in the $16 to $18 range, are plentiful and beautiful here. The neat, multipage menu is arranged by spirit — vodka, whiskey/bourbon/rye, tequila, rum — and includes classics such as Old Fashioneds, Negronis, Cosmos and Manhattans. The attention to detail extends to the cocktail vessels: The handle of the silver mug in which the Mules are served, for instance, is an elephant’s trunk. Particularly refreshing are the Bees Ankles (Milagro reposado tequila, hot habanero honey syrup, lemon), Speakeasy Squizzle (Don Q rum, muddled raspberries, mint simple syrup, fresh lime, egg white), and Pistachio Rose Martini (Reyka vodka, lemon, rosewater, pistachio syrup). The small plates menu leans American but is accented by some Latin flavors from former Restoration chef Aldo Chacon. Think: pork belly empanadas, grilled wings with chipotle-bourbon honey butter and crispy plantains, Beef & Reef skewers (marinated beef fillet and sea scallops) with creamy poblano polenta. But wait, there’s more, including a burrata wedge; a slider trio with lamb, Wagyu short rib, and pork belly between the buns; grilled oysters with pork belly and a gremolata sauce; and lobster ravioli. Only need a snack? Look no further than the bone marrow fries. 

More info: 121 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, 631-256-1003, thegreendoorlindenhurst.com. Open until midnight daily; closed Tues.

GOODY TWO SHOES: THE SCENE

With a catchy slogan like "Vice & Vittles" and a 2 a.m. close on weekends, you know the cocktails are fantastic at the former T.J. Finley’s in Bay Shore, which launched a new concept, Goody Two Shoes, under the same management in 2023. The bar remains the space’s North Star, but otherwise expect Gilded Age aesthetics mixed with modern, playful styling. It’s eclectic and fun, sophisticated and classy. Come nighttime, it’s packed. The well-priced drinks menu (most run between $12 and $15) features beer and wine, but there’s a heightened emphasis on cocktails, whether a tried-and-true Amaretto Sour or Paper Plane (bourbon, Amaro, Aperol, lemon), or something more inventive, such as a Hot Honey Peach Marg, with its ghost pepper — infused tequila; a Queen’s Tea with rye, maple, chocolate bitters and spiced black tea; or a salty, sour Dirty Pickle, with vodka, pickle brine and olive bitters. The bouquet of spritzes include Aperol, limoncello and blood orange.

Assertive drinks go best with grub, and there is plenty to choose from here. Shareable pickings include deviled eggs, birria egg rolls and feta-filled buñuelos; among the other offerings are a Mexican corn dog, bacon jam ribs and jalapeño potato pancakes. Wings, burgers, a fried chicken sandwich and a French dip will satisfy larger appetites, and there are soups and salads, too. Those looking for some music on their night out can rest easy: It’s live on Thursdays while on Friday and Saturday evenings, the DJ begins at 9 p.m.

More info: 42 E. Main St., Bay Shore, 631-647-4856, goodytwoshoesbar.com. Open until midnight Sun.-Thurs.; 2 a.m. on Fri. and Sat.

FLANAGAN’S PUB: PATTY MELT & A PINT

There is nothing like an Irish pub. Maybe it’s the comfortable ambience, rife with shamrocks, corner dartboards and an abundance of beers on draft. Cozy, authentic and featuring a double-sided fireplace, Flanagan’s Pub in Lake Ronkonkama (which is no longer part of the Lily Flanagan Group that originally purchased the space in 2013) is now owned by Matt Venturini and Heather Hemberger.

It specializes in Irish fare with a twist, such as fried Irish egg rolls made with corned beef, cabbage and mashed potatoes. Traditionalists still gravitate toward Flanagan’s corned beef sandwich, shepherd’s pie, fish-and-chips or — if the spirit moves — Jameson Irish whiskey in the form of a Limerick Mule, with ginger beer and lime.

But for late night? There’s nothing like a patty melt, the burger’s sandwich-style cousin, here called — wait for it — the Paddy Melt. Flanagan’s melt, served on marbled rye, is loaded with caramelized onions and perfectly melty mozzarella. The steak fries, lightly battered and twice-fried, stand up to the sandwich. As for a beer to go with, a velvety Guinness will soak up the glorious grease from the griddle. The late-night happy hour menu here offers two-for-one on domestic pints, bottles and house wines; $10 Tito’s and Casamigos pint drinks; and a selection of bar snacks. Among the other themed evening offerings on tap are trivia nights, ’80s and ’90s dance parties, live music, bingo and open mics.

More info: 451 Hawkins Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma, 631-588-9843, flanaganspubny.com. Open until 4 a.m. daily.

ON PARADE DINER: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

With a 50-year history of making fluffy pancakes, loaded clubs, crisp salads, hot open-faced sandwiches and even fresh turkey burgers (first created in California as early as 1938), the family-owned On Parade Diner has been welcoming late-nighters to its Woodbury home for decades. By day, the bustling restaurant, complete with jukeboxes in the booths, caters to a clientele composed of families grabbing grilled cheeses and chicken fingers, boys’ soccer and girls’ flag football teams celebrating their latest win, elderly couples silently contemplating tuna platters, and friends catching up on one another’s lives. At night, however, the number of hungry young folks — teenagers who are old enough to drive, college kids on holiday, post-moviegoing couples on dates, and evening revelers rises. And On Parade delivers exactly what they’re craving: crunchy, golden Disco Fries, which are smothered in mozzarella and thick, brown gravy; mozzarella sticks; fragrant Belgian waffles piled with ice cream; and assorted other salty or sweet treats such as burgers, onion rings, pizza bagels, soft-serve yogurt, shakes and black-and-white cookies.

"The most popular is the Disco Fries, the after-9 p.m. special," said Chris Krimitsos, a second-generation owner. It was his father, Gus, along with his two brothers, Jimmy and George, who bought the diner in 1969. "The teenager fan favorite is croissant French toast with Nutella and bananas," a new menu item that debuted after Krimitsos made it for his own teen daughter, to rave reviews. "It’s not as crazy at night as it used to be," he explained about the late-night diner scene, but on holidays, "especially Halloween, there’s often a hundred or more kids in the parking lot." Just sayin’.

More info: 7980 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 516-364-1870, onparadediner.com. Open until 11 p.m. Sun.-Wed.; midnight Thurs.-Sat.

THE FRISKY OYSTER: A PEARL OF A PLACE

In the early 20th century, freight trains loaded with literally tons of oysters left Greenport every day bound for New York City. Now, condos stand where canneries once took pride of place, and tourism, not maritime industry, floats the economic boat, but at its heart Greenport remains an oyster town. Locals and visitors to the North Fork alike flock to Little Creek or Noah’s, say, for platters of local bivalves, pristine and briny-sweet. But if you roll in late at night (which, on the North Fork, means 9 or thereabouts), pickings are slim. Unless, that is, you make a beeline for The Frisky Oyster. Don’t be misled by the small bar or streamlined, intimate dining room, as the talent is outsize. We’d endure a crowded Jitney any time for one of the stellar cocktails (if it’s squally out, a Tall, Dark & Frisky is especially nice), Oysters Friskafella (Matt Ketcham’s Peconic Gold oysters with a mantle of garlicky spinach, chipotle and a Parmigiano aioli) or Mike Osinski’s Widow’s Hole oysters, glistening ever so briefly on the half shell before disappearing down your gullet.

Aside from well-tuned mains such as seared sea scallops with mushroom risotto, pan-roasted duck breast with a cherry Port reduction and pomegranate barbecue short ribs, there are suave little plates — duck sliders, Montauk tuna spring rolls and interesting salads. You may need some truffle fries for the table. And if the smartly edited list of after-dinner libations is anything to go by, you’ll probably require a slice of the Dubai chocolate pistachio cake as well. Fair warning: In season Frisky is typically packed to the gills, and you’ll need a reservation. Oh, drat — no luck? Try again another time and know there’s always the Whiskey Wind Tavern ("Cold Beers Food Late Always Open") right across the street.

More info: 27 Front St., Greenport, 631-477-4265, thefriskyoyster.com. Open Wed.-Thurs. until 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. until 11 p.m.; Sun. until 9 p.m. As of early July, the restaurant will be open on Tues. until 10 as well. (Check website for further developments.)

—Jane Lear

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.