Tucked away in Chinatown, Supper Inn remains a long-standing Melbourne dining institution. Open daily until 2.30am, don’t be surprised to find a queue here after midnight. Would-be diners are known to line the stairs of this seemingly no-frills Chinese restaurant, but that’s all part of its charm – and the best place to learn what to order, too. You might not come for the decor or service, but the food off this lengthy menu demands a visit. There are Cantonese classics such as congee, noodles and roasted meats, and while they do offer a drinks list, the clincher is they’re also BYO. Level 1/15 Celestial Ave, Melbourne; facebook.com.

Proving that midnight dining can also be sophisticated is Bar Margaux – one of the classiest late-night experiences you’ll find in town. Open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays (and either midnight or 1am on other nights), this French-inspired basement bar does late nights in serious style. Swing by with a mate before midnight to order the set Beggar’s Banquet of steak tartare, six oysters, fries and two glasses of Champagne ($80). Show up later and the menu includes a cheeseburger, which you might pair with a French 75 or local pinot. This is the place when you don’t want the date to end. Basement/111 Lonsdale St, Melbourne; barmargaux.com.au.

A street-side souvlaki can be the high point of a night out, but next time the craving hits, go one better and head to Stalactites. Another Melbourne dining stalwart, this buzzy venue has been dishing up dips, pita, giro platters and other Greek goodness for almost 45 years. Open until 2am on weekends and midnight other nights, they know how to feed a crowd. If there’s at least five of you who are ready to fuel up, go for the banquet, which includes saganaki, sausages, calamari, mixed meats, salad and chips for $60 a head. Expect old-school hospitality and good-for-the-soul food – a winning way to seal a night. 177-183 Lonsdale St, Melbourne; stalactites.com.au.

Few venues have won over the Melbourne scene as much as Her, with its bustling ground-floor all-day restaurant and bar, and seriously vibey first-floor Music Room that’s home to great vinyl and drinks. There’s also the hot-property rooftop bar – nab a seat if you can – and below, on level three, sits BKK, which cooks up Thai-style street food until 1am each night. Even if you settle in after 10pm, you can still choose between fish cakes, pork skewers and Chiang Mai sausage, to name a few. Flame-licked and spicy, the food here works beautifully with the smart drinks list, which you may need to hose down your palate. 270 Lonsdale St, Melbourne; her.melbourne.

If it’s late, you’re south of the river and peak hunger kicks in, hightail it to Leonards House Of Love. Behind a deceiving terrace facade, complete with picket fence, this love-note to the ’70s (there’s a lounge room plucked right out of the era) serves deeply satisfying American-style food until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1am other nights. From jalapeno poppers and the fan-favourite Southside Chicken Burger to a double cheeseburger and poutine wedges, this is the stuff of hungry late-night dreams. Great beers, funky wines and cocktails will wash it all down – or a pickleback if you’re game for the whisky shot and pickle juice chaser. 3 Wilson St, South Yarra; leonardshouseoflove.com.au.