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Photograph by George Sakkestad The Hunger: When the pangs strike 12, So Say We is still serving. Where to Dine Round Midnight Late-night and all-night diners, restaurants and cafes By John Yewell WE'VE ALL BEEN there. Perhaps it was a late date or a midnight cult movie. Maybe the party ran on and on. Something, someone made food necessary, compelled extending the celebration or the conversation. One more stop to sort out who's going home with whom and who's going home alone, or just one long laugh-riot that would not, should not end. Whatever it was, there had to be a place to ease the culinary craving. Fortunately, Santa Cruz is blessed with dozens of options for that late-night urge. There are a handful of places open 24 hours and many more open at least until midnight--not to mention all the fast-food joints that keep the grill light burning for that quick fat-and-cholesteral fix on the way to a bonfire on the beach. Sometimes, the nighttime need is highly specialized. Ferrell's, for instance, has been satisfying the after-midnight donut crowd for two decades. Several coffee shops stay open late with light fare, pastries and such. Other times, the urge points to something more exotic: the wine-bar menu at Ristorante Avanti, the complete menu (until 2am) at So Say We, the chicken fried steak at Tiny's. If it's really late, the newly reopened Saturn Cafe, with its French Kissed Toast and yummy fries (perfect, I've heard, for soaking up the extra beer from a night on the town), is not to be missed. Next door, the Washrock fulfills the need to munch pastries and do a load of whites at 3am. For ravenous insomniacs, the Santa Cruz Diner on Ocean Street dishes up everything from a great burger to Asian, Italian and vegetarian dishes. Maybe it's just the so-Santa Cruz dolphin logo, but the place looks like a fresher, healthier Denny's--and with a genuinely cool jukebox to boot. John's favorite painting is Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks." Round the Clock Denny's 1515 Ocean St., SC (426.4628); 6014 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley (438.2023) Ferrell's 2227 Mission St., SC (423.3448); 1403 Ocean St., SC (423.9470) Jeffery's Restaurant 2050 Soquel Dr., SC (425.1485) Santa Cruz Diner 909 Ocean St., SC (426.7151) Saturn Cafe 145 Laurel St., SC (429.8505) The Washrock 135 Laurel St., SC (471.0555) Tiny's Family Restaurant 1549 41st Ave., Capitola (475.5764) Round Midnight Cafe Pergolesi Fri-Sat. until midnight. 418 Cedar St., SC (426.1775) Espresso Royale Caffe 1545 Pacific Ave., SC (429.9804) Lyons 1900 41st Ave., Capitola (462.1504) Mr. Toots Fri.-Sat. until midnight 221 Esplanade, Capitola (475.3679) Manuel's Mon.-Sat. until midnight 261 Center Ave., Seacliff (688.4848) 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall Appetizers daily until midnight; Fri.-Sat. until 1am 110 Walnut St., SC (459.9999) Pizza My Heart Fri. until 2am; Sat. until 1:30am 1116 Pacific Ave., SC (426.2511) Fri.-Sat. until 1am 209 Esplanade, Capitola (475.5714) Positively Front St. Weekdays until midnight; Fri.-Sat. 1am 44 Front, SC (426.1944) Ristorante Avanti Wed.-Sat. until midnight for light fair (wine-bar menu) 1711 Mission St., SC (427.0135) So Say We Daily until 2am 418 Front St., SC (454.9547) Starbucks Fri-Sat. until midnight 1335 Pacific, SC (459.7681) Tampico Restaurant and Bar Appetizers daily until 1:30am 822 Pacific Ave., SC (458.2821) Taqueria Vallarta Daily until midnight 608 Soquel Ave., SC (457.8226) 893 41st Ave., Capitola (464.7022) The Crepe Place Weekdays until midnight; Fri.-Sat. until 1am 1134 Soquel Ave., SC (429.6994) [ Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]