The Late-Night Menu: Snacks and Nightcaps

Many hotel bars, including Bar Pleiades in its day, served a shorter late-night menu after the main kitchen had closed: a few savory plates and something sweet, for guests coming in after the theater, a dinner or a long flight. It is a very civilized idea. A good late-night menu does not try to do much. It offers comfort.

What makes a good nightcap

A nightcap is the last drink of the evening. It should be small, slow and usually stirred rather than shaken. Most great nightcaps are spirit-forward, slightly sweet or bitter, and served either neat or over a single large cube. Rich, aromatic spirits such as cognac, rye, aged rum and amaro are the natural choices.

Our late-night drinks

Vieux Carré

Rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine and two bitters. Rich and complex.

Hanky Panky

Gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet-Branca. A bitter, herbal finish.

Old Fashioned

The simplest and still the best.

Brandy Alexander

Cognac, crème de cacao and cream, shaken and topped with nutmeg. Dessert in a glass.

Stinger

Cognac and white crème de menthe, stirred and served over crushed ice. A classic after-dinner drink.

Amaro on ice

A bitter Italian liqueur, served over a large cube with an orange peel. Helps digestion, or so tradition says.

Espresso Martini

Vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso. For those whose evening is not quite over.

Late-night food

Late-night food should be comforting, simple and quick:

• Croque monsieur: ham and Gruyère toasted with béchamel. Few things are better at midnight.
• A small cheeseburger or sliders: see our bar food guide.
• Fries with aioli or a good mustard mayonnaise.
• A cheese plate with honey and walnuts, ideal with a nightcap.
• Chocolate: a few squares of good dark chocolate with an aged rum or a cognac.
• Madeleines or cookies with a digestif or coffee.

Hosting a late night at home

If friends are staying late, prepare a simple tray in advance: a mixing glass, a bar spoon, a bottle of good rye or cognac, sweet vermouth from the fridge, bitters and a few rocks glasses. Put out water, which is the most underrated late-night drink of all. A plate of cheese and something sweet is enough food. Turn the lights down and the music low.

And please make sure everyone gets home safely. Book a taxi or a car for guests who have been drinking.