I Love Manhattan Pizza
Open until 2 a.m. Monday-Thursday; 3 a.m. Friday-Saturday
It's all well and good that this place loves Manhattan's (exceptional) pizza, but that doesn't make up for the fact that theirs has the consistency of cardboard at many times the price. Even the impressively late delivery hours don't make up for the shoddy product, which will have you yearning for the Marketplace/Great Hall variety in no time. Or, though the administration may loathe the idea of students eating alone in their rooms, Domino's and Papa John's also deliver late and are generally easier on the food points. If you're stuck on campus and you need pizza, just stick with the big guns. And if you're really craving a New York slice, head to RDU.
Rating (out of five): tt
Dain's Place
Open until 2 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday
Offering a variety of burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches, Dain's provides an almost ideal opportunity for late-night dining fare. Go with the Dainer, an exquisite burger garnished with bacon, Thousand Island dressing and a bevy of other
toppings, and you'll undoubtedly go to bed full of something other than mixed drinks. Speaking of which, Dain's convenient location on Ninth Street places it right in the way as you return home from late-night Durham fun, which makes up for the lack of a delivery option.
Rating: tttt
Dragon Gate
Open until 10 p.m. Monday-Thursda; 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
I would be failing in my duties as a food critic and self-respecting journalist if I didn't include a Chinese take-out place on this list. Seeing as Grace's closes at 9 pm, Dragon Gate is the only option for those craving some bedtime General Tso's or a pint of fried rice to distract you from the 37 midterms you've neglected. And, with the quickest delivery on points, you won't have to wait long for your chicken and broccoli combination plate (highly recommended). Tip the delivery man well, because the food comes so fast that it's clear he has earned it.
Rating: ttt
Jimmy John's
Open until 3 a.m. Monday-Sunday
One of the few (if not only) sandwich places on points open late, Jimmy John's earns bonus points for also delivering. Be warned, though: leave aside a good hour and a half for your sandwich to actually arrive after you place the order. They are not prompt. At all. Ever. The sandwiches themselves are solid, utilitarian versions of the traditional cold-cut and/or chicken concoctions. Very edible, but unlikely to make you forsake that phenomenal deli that you and your high-school buddies used to frequent for lunch back home. Oh, the memories.
Rating: ttt
(+ eight inches)
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