Life with Bees

Canberra's not known for its busy late night dining scene, a fact that's pained anyone's who's ever stumbled home from post-work drinks at 10pm and realised they haven't actually had dinner. There were four of us cruising back from a Brumbies rugby game on the weekend, our enthusiasm for a late dinner growing as quickly as the number of dispiriting "closed" signs on restaurant doors.

But the lights were on at Jimmy's Place and there were even a couple of people waiting for takeaway. A hopeful inquiry was met with a flurry of menus and a table for four. Hot tea appeared and the kitchen quickly produced a succession of plates piled with roast duck, silky steamed tofu and leafy greens. It was more than enough for four hungry rugby fans who hadn't eaten since lunchtime and were still a bit high after photo ops with the players.

For a late night in Canberra, it was a pretty decent meal and, for our vegetarian friends,  a much happier alternative to a drive-through burger or greasy pizza from a cart outside a nightclub. 

The kitchen at Jimmy's Place closes at 11pm on Friday and Saturday, the latest I've seen in Canberra. It serves standard Asian dishes, from shark's fin soup to fried noodles, with plenty of greens and tofu for vegetarians. Food is decent but not outstanding and service is speedy.

Other restaurants in Canberra where you can get dinner after 9pm:

Parlour Wine Room

16 Kendall La, New Acton

Serves tapas and desserts until 12 midnight, when the kitchen goes to a very limited, four-dish menu. But it's such a popular nightspot and bar that dashing out for a quick meal in your polar fleece isn't possible.

Portia's Place

11 Kennedy St, Kingston

A bit hit and miss but the much-loved Kingston hangout does open until 10pm. Portia fed us happily at 9.45pm every other night for a week last year, when we were moving house by hand.

Tongue & Groove

Cnr Bunda and Genge St, Civic

It's crammed with party-goers on the weekend but slip past the velvet rope to the restaurant section and you can often get a table or a big chesterfield sofa. It won't be quiet and there might be laser disco lights, but pizzas and mains are served until 10pm.