If New York is the city that never sleeps, then culinarily speaking, Boston is the city that goes to bed just as the party gets going.

In most parts of town, late-night eating means a stale bag of chips from behind a bar. The few all-night (and dry) diners aren’t much better. Besides, what’s the point of a midnight meal if you can’t finish with a nightcap?

That’s why we were so happy to, er, stumble upon the new late-night menu at waterfront brasserie Sel de la Terre — which serves until 12:30 a.m. Settle into leather banquettes and feast on dishes like herb-roasted chicken with curry-black currant aioli on sourdough, or grilled panini of andouille sausage, caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and sauteed mushrooms. All items are less than 15 bucks, and most come with the restaurant’s much-lauded string-thin, rosemary-and-salt-dusted pommes frites.

Eating this well after 10 p.m. may mean zilch in Manhattan. But here, it’s one very good reason to stay up past your bedtime.

Sel de la Terre, 255 State Street, Financial District (617-720-1300 or seldelaterre.com).