Midnight snack? Try a 3 a.m. meal

— -- Sometimes the urge strikes after pulling an office all-nighter — or, more often, after staying out way too late at the local club. Before the night slips into morning, there's a sudden need to eat, with hunger pains so strong, they won't wait for sunrise. Forget that it's 3 a.m. Who's serving?

Restaurateurs are, more than ever, willing to heed that need, according to the National Restaurant Association, which reports that service hours for diners and fast-food restaurants have jumped 33% in the past two years. "Convenience is a big factor," says Annika Stennson, media relations director for the restaurant association. "Especially for younger consumers, who want access to food whenever they want it."

And some restaurants reaching out to those consumers have stepped up their games, offering more than the greasy omelets and fruity pancake stacks that traditionally fill late-night menus. And while the meals may be upscale, the prices are not necessarily, with dishes ranging from $12 to $27.

"We had a lot of friends telling us they needed a really great all-night place to grab a bite, something with real entrees," says Susan Leonard, who co-owns New York's 24-hour Cafeteria. "They said they didn't have many options. So we gave them one."

Customers snatch up Cafeteria's decadently cheesy dishes, like the mac and cheese spring roll with a smoked gouda dipping sauce, or their very popular Mac Attack — three small macaroni and cheese crocks (cheddar and fontina; smoked gouda and bacon; truffle oil). The rich dishes have lured in a fairly famous late-night crowd, including Hilary Duff, Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.

Located in Hollywood, Kitchen 24, which opened in May and features a DJ until 4 a.m., has a fairly large celebrity clientele of its own. But it's the food, not the stars, drawing in their night-owl customers.

"We get a lot of people who don't work traditional office hours," co-owner Kimberly Roussel says. "Writers, directors, actors, people in movie production. They work all hours. And the idea was to offer them something better, more gourmet, than what they would find at a Denny's."

Roussel, a strict vegetarian, also wanted healthy options on her late-night menu. Top sellers include the vegetarian chili, served with a side of warm, in-house-baked cornbread, and a grilled salmon entree topped with tarragon butter and a side of seasonal vegetables.

Nookies' all-night dining has been so popular, three locations are now open throughout the Chicago region. Executive chef Jacob Smith believes their success is due, in part, to the fact that they offer more than just burgers and breakfast fare.

"People are looking for more than just a pound of eggs late at night," Smith says. "We get a lot of cops or doctors, people who haven't been out on a bender all night. Maybe it's just their lunch break, really, and so they want things that aren't so hard on the stomach."

Nookies' smoked chicken salad is a perfect "lunch at night," mixing maplewood-smoked chicken with grapes, pecans, red peppers, goat cheese and baby greens topped with balsamic vinaigrette.

Rolf Weithofer, executive chef for 6ix: A Bistro, is an expert in all-hours dining. After all, his restaurant sits inside Bally's Atlantic City, home to an 80,000-square-foot casino.

"We get lots of nightlife," Weithofer says. "All the players come in, all the hotel guests. We're expected to have a full menu for them at all times."

Weithofer says he is happy to offer breakfast options, but also wanted dishes so sophisticated, he could serve them anytime. Egg Oscar Au Gratin is that dish — a crab and asparagus omelet, served flat and topped with a light hollandaise sauce, then lightly browned in the oven.

"People start out ordering it for breakfast," Weithofer says. "But then they come back for it, and not just at breakfast time."

And down in Atlanta, Au Pied de Cochon is the go-to place for upscale dining at 4 a.m.

"Really, it's the only place to go to, unless you want to sit in your party clothes at the Wendy's drive-thru," says restaurant regular Sarah Waters.

Executive chef Michael Buard says his late, late menu star is the pan-roasted diver scallops, topped with forest mushroom terrine, olive oil-poached organic tomatoes and a bordelaise sauce.

But Waters says that during her last before-dawn visit, she and her boyfriend shared escargot, oysters and French onion soup. "Maybe those aren't things you'd normally order at that hour, but it was so good."