Just two years ago I lamented the late-night dining scene here in Dallas. It was awful, and if you wanted to grab a bite after 10 p.m. your options were anything but delicious. And if the hunger pangs struck after, your choices were abysmal. That's changed greatly in the past year or so, and in the past few months three restaurants opened in Deep Ellum prompting me to update this list again.

Drunk? Past your bedtime? Hungry? Fear not, we've got your late-night sustenance.

Zalat (pictured above)

Zalat has no tables or chairs, but they'll do you even better with delivery service that runs till the ungodly hour of 4 a.m. Shoot a text to your favorite late-night pizzeria detailing your request, and before you know it a knock at the door will signal your hunger is about to come to an end.

Gemma

Late-night on the weekend at Gemma affords you two options, and both of them are good. If you're in a savory mood, request the industry special, which changes on occasion to keep things fresh and offers a thrifty plate filled with a lot of food. If you're feeling a little sweeter, order anything on the dessert menu. It's one of the best in Dallas.

Brick and Bones

No bones about it, Deep Ellum's new fried chicken joint takes the yard-bird business seriously. In fact, the four principles are so committed they each got the restaurant's logo tattooed on their arms. Lucky for you the same level of dedication is evidenced in their fried chicken with a thick, crunchy crust, served with hot sauce and citrus wedges. Hungry after dark? The kitchen is open till 2 a.m.

El Come Taco

This East Dallas taqueria is only open till midnight on the weekends, so plan accordingly. You'll have access to everything from suadero and chorizo tacos to grasshoppers and more. They also serve alcohol, which is a rarity for local family-owned taco stops.

Velvet Taco

If you pull up to El Come Taco and the door is locked, drive around the corner to Velvet Tacos where the tortillas are topped with a whimsical combination of ingredients until 4 a.m. The line may be long, but that's just a sign that the tacos you're about to devour will be very good ones.

Crushcraft

Late-night eats in Uptown brings the heat, with Crushcraft's crash course in Thai cooking. On weekends the restaurant is open till 3 a.m., allowing drunks to pad their stomachs to prevent a long morning with the blinds drawn. Don't shy away from the spice and embrace the condiments offered next to the station where you pick up your food. There is very little they can't improve.

Greenville Avenue Pizza Company

Greenville Avenue is filled with drinking options. Dining options in the wee hours, on the other hand, are limited to Greenville Avenue Pizza Company. Follow your nose and you'll find the place — the oven they use to reheat slices is next to the front door and vents outside. That same oven is also terribly effective. Be careful, these slices can scald you.

On Premise

On Premise may have kicked off the Steampunk trend that's taking over at the new bars and restaurants to open in Deep Ellum. The kitchen is open till 1:30 a.m. on the weekends and the cashews pictured above are worth a trip on their own, let alone the beer and the rest of their world-flavor-packed menu.

Armoury D.E.

Armoury is yet another newcomer to the late-night Deep Ellum dining scene, and their greatest difference may be a sandwich called the Csavargó. A chewy batard contains sliced pork belly, Hungarian sausage, lettuce, tomato and pickled jalapeños. Eat one of these and you'll jump out of bed in the morning. The kitchen stays open till 2 a.m.

Stonedeck Pizza

Stonedeck Pizza has beer like most bars around town, but they also have moonshine in scores of flavors that can be turned into far more drinks than you can handle. Thankfully, pizza's within reach, and you should plan on one slice per moonshine shot, at least. Any less and you could pay the ultimate price when the sun comes up the next day.