25 places to eat after midnight on weekends in Asheville

Christmas Jam is a seriously late event, requiring lots and lots of fuel. Your options before the show are many of course. Afterward? While Asheville has gotten to the point where numerous restaurants are open fairly late into the night, the selection gets slightly slimmer as the evening hours creep into the early morning.

Here's a slice of what's cooking after midnight in Asheville on the weekend (weekday hours are generally likely to be earlier than what's listed here). Do also note that this isn't a complete list, so keep your eyes open for late-night surprises while you're out and about after midnight.

Anchor Bar and Kitchen: Pizzas, sandwiches, nachos and wings until last call on weekends, 747 Haywood Road.

Barley's: The kitchen of this beloved pizza restaurant is open until 1 a.m. on weekends. The dozens of taps only sweeten the deal. 42 Biltmore Ave.

Ben's Tune Up: This South Slope restaurant serves until 2 a.m. every night. The late-night menu includes a basket of fried tofu, a burger and wings. Wanton "nachos" are a staff favorite, topped with pulled pork, queso and jalapenos. 195 Hilliard Ave.

Bartaco: This new-ish Biltmore Avenue eatery serves tacos, rice bowls and fortifying bowls of posole (and mezcal, too) until 1 a.m. on weekends. 121 Biltmore Ave.

Charlotte Street Pub: Dips, nachos, tots, quesadillas and sandwiches until 1:30 a.m. nightly at 157 Charlotte St.

Desoto Lounge: This beloved West Asheville bar serves plenty of dips and bites, bar standards and hearty sandwiches and wraps until 1 a.m. nightly at 504 Haywood Road.

Foggy Mountain Brew Pub: Super cheesy mac and cheese, burgers, dips, wings and sandwiches served until 2 a.m. most days (only until midnight Sundays) at 12 Church St.

Mojo Kitchen and Lounge: Mojo Kitchen and Lounge has a late-night menu served until 2 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday (brunch on Sundays), with everything from breakfast tacos to macaroni and cheese with add-ins like roasted tomatoes and pesto. Find plenty of vegetarian options here, as well as big beefy burgers.

Pack's Tavern: On weekends, this tavern serves a late-night menu from the wood-fired oven, which means pizza, subs and shepherd's pie from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. at 20 S. Spruce St.

Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge: This restaurant is a quick shot from the U.S. Cellular Center and serves food until 2 a.m. nightly. You'll find surprisingly excellent bar fare here, but trust us when we tell you to get the burger. 7 Rankin Ave.

Sovereign Remedies: This place is well-known for its craft cocktails, but the food is not to be ignored. Served until 2 a.m. daily, late-night standards like burgers and tots, elevated by the hand of chef Graham House, have become a hospitality fave. Owner Charlie Hodge's pick is an order of chicken skins, which he said are "to die for."

"They're kind of crack. They fry them up with a little honey and some spice, and I never sit down to eat without ordering them," he said. 29 N. Market St.

Social Lounge: This sister restaurant to Strada not only has a smart late-night menu (served until 1 a.m. weekends), but also a great rooftop space for dining and sipping cocktails. Expect elevated burgers and fries, sliders and petite personal pizzas, served . 29 Broadway St.

The Social: Burgers, wings, cheesesteaks and other late-night fuel, served nightly in East Asheville until last call nightly at 1078 Tunnel Road.

The Southern Kitchen and Bar: This restaurant serves food until last call nightly. Modern-American comfort food includes sandwiches, salads, mac and cheese, pasta and deviled eggs. 41 N. Lexington Ave.

Standard Pizza: This pizza restaurant's 631 Haywood Road location is open until 2 a.m. serving good, solid pie to West Asheville.

Storm Rhum Bar: The kitchen of this bistro is open until 1 a.m. nightly, serving a late-night menu that includes macaroni and cheese, a very good burger, fries and hearty snacks at 125 S. Lexington Ave.

Twisted Laurel: This restaurant stays open extra late weekends, serving a late-night menu until around 1 a.m. with pub fare like wings and nachos at 130 College St.

Universal Joint: This West Asheville haunt serves a full menu until 1 a.m. on weekends with loaded tots, great burgers and more. Then the restaurant shifts to a limited "fried menu," in the words of an employee, until last call. 784 Haywood Road.

Village Wayside: The kitchen at this Biltmore Village industry fave serves an abbreviated late-night menu of elevated pub food until 1 a.m. on weekends at 30 Lodge St.

Waffle House: We had to. For those of you still up and at 'em after last call, this classic, 24-hour-a-day diner is there daily for all your scattered, smothered and covered needs at 171 Tunnel Road.

West Asheville Lounge and Kitchen: In West Asheville, WALK serves food until 1 a.m. on weekends. Expect a full menu of salads, sandwiches, tacos and burgers plus, of course, plenty of craft beer and cocktails. 401 Haywood Road.

Westville Pub: This beloved West Asheville bar serves food until 1 a.m. daily. Expect dips, wings and plenty of fried things, plus some larger plated entrees for the super hungry late-night drinker. 777 Haywood Road.

Wicked Weed: The main pub serves a late-night menu until closing time, which is usually about 1 a.m. on weekends at 91 Biltmore Ave.

Wild Wing Cafe: Serving a late-night menu of wings and other apps until about 1 a.m. on weekends at 65 Long Shoals Road.

Yacht Club: Tots and tiki drinks until last call nightly at 87 Patton Ave.

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THE JAM

Twas the night of the Christmas Jam, and through much of the town, not a sous chef was stirring, no sushi could be found.

The tongs were hung by the smokers with care because, by midnight at 12 Bones, not a soul was there.

Sandwich shops, fancy restaurants, food trucks and carts, all shuttered for the night and hopelessly dark.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a red blinking "open" sign, promising a burger and beer.

At Beer Garden, at Mojo, at Ben's Tune-Up and Storm, they're serving after midnight, well into the morn'.

Fuel up with a slice at Barley's, nab a sandwich at WALK, now dance away, dance away, dance away all!