The Collegian

Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Detour

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.hubcapsdiner.com

Nocturnal Nibbles is a three-part series designed to inform the Saint Mary's community about nearby dining that continues to serve even after the last Costco chimichanga has been consumed in Oliver Hall. These eateries are open late and you don't need to bust out the fake I.D. for admittance. Here is the second installment:
Denny's (1313 Willow Pass Rd., Concord)
Open 24 hours, 365 days a year
Denny's is a place that needs little introduction-the fare is cheap and the doors are always open. Breakfast is probably the only thing people ever order, but for some reason they do have other items on the menu; avoid them. Breakfast specials make it possible for two people to eat their fill for little more than a Hamilton ($12). No matter how hard it tries, however, Denny's will never escape the stigma of being "Denny's" but still somehow this stigma gives it a strange charm.
Café La Scala (1655 N. Main, Walnut Creek)
Closes 1:00 a.m. Fri.-Sat., closes 12:00 a.m. Sun.-Thu.
Café La Scala has a very classy feel, and is definitely the mellowest late night place to check out in the WC. Mixed reviews about the food, however, make it probably a better place to get coffee-esque drinks or dessert-they have gelato! It seems as though it would be a stellar spot for winding down a date or studying (it has free wireless Internet). Most food costs around $12 (desserts are closer to $5) and the drinks are about $4.
Hubcaps Diner (1548 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek)
Closes 3:00 a.m. Fri.-Sat., closes 3:00 p.m. Mon., closes 9:00 p.m. Tue.-Thu., Sun.
Hubcaps is the premier after-hours place in downtown Walnut Creek to see a bunch of twenty-somethings heavily inebriated and unashamed to show it. The menu is analogous to Denny's and accordingly it has various specials making it a cheap late-night place to eat. The inside has a 1950s interior that looks like what one might expect to see in Grease. Extremely frugal folks will be delighted to know they can print off coupons for the restaurant if they so choose at hubcapsdiner.com.
Original Mel's (1394 N. Main St., Walnut Creek)
Closes 3:00 a.m. Fri.-Sat., closes 10:00 p.m. Sun.-Mon., closes 11:00 p.m. Tue.-Thu.
Simply put, Mel's is an over-glorified Denny's that has no specials, is a little pricier, and is a point or two higher on the quality scale. As with Denny's, I recommend sticking with breakfast which is around $8; other food gets closer to $12. Assume you will see at least some prom-goers if you show up late enough on a weekend night, and correspondingly have at least minimal amusement at their expense.
New York Pizza and Pasta (1428 Locust St., Walnut Creek)
Closes 3:00 a.m. Thu.-Sat., closes 11:00 p.m. Sun.-Wed.
While the name makes this place sound appealing, don't be fooled. One won't see many people buying pasta here. The restaurant's close proximity to the bars makes for a boisterous crowd and makes it a close runner-up to Hubcaps for best "drunk-people-watching" place. The pizza did not look great and was about $4 a slice. Probably wouldn't recommend going here unless you have enjoyed a few rounds at the bars first.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools