It’s 2 a.m. and you’ve just emerged from the party or bar that you spent the last three hours raging at. You’re about to head home when you realize that there’s nothing you would like more than to stuff your face with a ridiculously large portion size of the greasiest, cheesiest thing you can find. Instead of letting rational you lead you home to bed, you trek enthusiastically towards Franklin Street, thinking only of the delicious fate that awaits you.
We all have our moments of late-night hunger attack weakness. So when the idea of munching on a burrito or slice of pizza is too tempting to resist, your early morning meal better be as satisfying as your imagination has promised you it will be. Check out this guide to the best late-night food on Franklin Street to ensure you never have to hit the hay feeling an overwhelming sense of disappointment about the food that just violated your taste buds.
1. Qdoba
Yes, Qdoba is a chain and therefore doesn’t exclusively serve the elite late-night frequenters of Franklin Street. However, this offense is forgivable for two very important reasons:
a. Queso
b. Burritos
Let’s talk about that first reason. How great is it that Qdoba will literally serve you a bowl of melted cheese? Yeah it comes with chips, but we all know that creamy three-cheese goodness is the main draw.
In fact, the reason burritos made it onto the list of important factors at all is that Qdoba puts an entire ladle of queso inside of them. And let’s be real, if the thought of a queso burrito doesn’t fill you with sheer glee, then there’s no reason for you to be getting late-night food anyways because nothing will ever satisfy your inhuman standards.
2. Artisan Pizza Kitchen (formally known as Artichoke & Basil)
Now that Pokey Sticks are no longer an option (you’ll always be in our hearts Gumby’s), APK has officially taken over as Chapel Hill’s pizza hot spot. There’s nothing quite like a gooey slice of their signature artichoke pizza to quell your late-night cravings and send you home happy.
And hey, if for some reason you’re not so into the artichoke variety, equally-delicious regular slices are also available for your purchasing pleasure.
Low prices and a near-perfect crust to topping ratio make Artisan Pizza Kitchen a go-to late-night Franklin Street eatery.
3. [B]SKI’S
OK, most important things first: the drink machine. How does one make something as boring as soda seem so magical? Does anyone actually know just how many different flavors of drinks that machine produces or does the limit not exist? Whoever invented it is either an evil genius seeking to empty the wallets of all inebriated college kids or just some guy who really enjoys concocting new soft drinks.
But back to what we’re really here to talk about. Besides soda, [B]SKI’S also sells a super delicious variety of grilled wraps. Fillings include everything from chicken tenders to veggies to scrambled eggs. Basically, you get a tortilla jam-packed with pretty much whatever you want. If you’re a first-timer and unsure what’s good, [B]SKI’S’ top five recommendations are the Caesar Ski, Mesquite Ski, Original-T Ski, A.K. Ski (a personal favorite) and Veg-E Ski.
4. Time-Out
If you want food that is so deliciously bad for you that it may just induce early heart failure, then Time-Out is the place for you. Known for its appearance on Man v. Food, Time-Out’s Chicken Cheddar Biscuit has enticed many drunken college students throughout the years.
The huge homemade biscuit filled with a giant hunk of fried chicken and a slab of cheddar cheese is Time-Out’s main attraction, but it also offers many other mouth-wateringly greasy options. Check out their BBQ or macaroni and cheese for some other tasty choices.