Cape After Dark: Where to satisfy late-night cravings

College students are known to have sporadic schedules that don't necessarily accommodate regular eating habits. So at 1 a.m. on a Friday or Saturday night, where can night owls go for the "fourth meal"?

The typical fast-food chain restaurants, such as Taco Bell — which actually preaches the "fourth meal" — are scattered along Kingshighway and out by Interstate 55. Those restaurants may be great for someone looking for a quick meal, but what about the person who doesn't want to drive across town and sit in a drive-through?

Welcome to Stevie's Steakburgers.

Soon to open at the corner of Broadway and Frederick Street, this new dining option will be open until 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Steve Majeed and his wife Toni are opening the restaurant to give late-night Cape Girardeau residents something different.

"If people are downtown and want to eat, it's really expensive," Toni Majeed said. "So we wanted to give people something different and affordable, that they don't have to drive across town for."

As the name suggests, Stevie's will specialize in steakburgers that Majeed describes as a "big man burger."

The steakburgers are made with a quarter-pound or half-pound of Angus beef and served with onion, lettuce and tomato on a kaiser bun.

"I'm hoping that people walk away saying 'Whoa, that's a burger and that's a deal,'" Majeed said.

Steakburgers are one of the many items the menu will feature. Stevie's will also sell gyros, Philly cheese steak, chicken sandwiches, shredded barbecue beef sandwiches, Nathan's hot dogs and much more.

"We are going to let customers build their own hot dog. They will come with mustard and ketchup, but you can add sauerkraut, relish or anything else you might like," Majeed said.

Breakfast food is one of the few things they won't have, but anyone with breakfast munchies can follow Broadway to the recently opened Huddle House.

This 24-hour establishment is a sit-down restaurant that serves breakfast morning, noon and night, and coffee to keep you up the whole time.

Matt and Robin Goehman, owners of Town House Inn, opened Huddle House at the end of June.

Assistant manager Melanie Robinette said the Goehmans wanted to give their hotel guests and the community a place to go for reasonably priced, quality food.

"Customers get great service and good food at an affordable price," Robinette said. "Our Big House Breakfast Platter is only $4.99."

With a full menu to order from day or night, Robinette said she has already seen some interesting order combinations. "The other night someone ordered cheese sticks, a waffle, and biscuits and gravy," she said.

But night owls aren't always willing to venture out to get their midnight snack, so some restaurants offer their delivery services much later on weekends.

Imo's, Papa John's and Domino's all deliver until 2 a.m. Jimmy John's stays open the latest, delivering sandwiches until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.