Situated so close to the equator that evening arrives reliably every day around 6 p.m., the capital city of Ethiopia has a full complement of hours for after-5 enjoyment. Home of the African Union, with a legacy of European flavor from former years of Italian occupation, this dusty cosmopolitan city offers a range of diversions and cuisines.

Overseas visitors tend to gather at established hotels. Stanley’s at the grandiose Sheraton Addis serves drinks in a bar with a clubby British atmosphere. More copasetic is the friendly Lobby Bar at the nearby Hilton, where beers and name-brand liquors cost $1.50–2 and expats and tourists assemble on chunky wooden chairs to snack on zilzil tibs (beef strips) while watching the omnipresent soccer games on TV (of 12 channels in the Hilton guestrooms, five are devoted to sports).

While there may be an active LGBT community in Addis Ababa, clubs are generally not listed openly. The country is exceptionally conservative, and consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by imprisonment under the law. The U.S. State Department reports some violence against LGBT individuals and advises LGBT travelers to proceed with extreme caution and avoid physical displays of affection in public.

Throughout the city, food is so economical it’s hard to spend more than $12–20 on a full-course meal. A vegetable kebab, a chocolate biscuit crêpe and a half-bottle of acceptable wine cost less than $7.50 in the dining room of the Taitu Hotel, its balmy rooms a throwback to the 19th-century colonial past. At sophisticated Serenade, the tables are scattered with rose petals, and rooms are decorated with vintage Coca-Cola ads and the works of local artists. Specialties include lime fish with green sauce, rustic baked duck and lots of what resembles tripe but is actually the national staple, injera bread, which sops up juices and serves as the base of almost every local meal.

For authentic local ethnic food and music, the longtime favorite is 2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant. Italian specialties at Ristorante Castelli include squid on homemade linguini, and steak and bacon with olives. Multifusion French fare is offered at Loti, while Rico’s is known for steak. Blue cheese spinach tart is the favorite at the Road Runner.

Since a hefty slice of tiramisu and cup of cappuccino at any neighborhood café costs less than $2, step out for dessert. Or stop for a sip at renowned Italian café TO.MO.CA., which claims to serve the capital’s best coffee.

While waiting for the nightclubs to get into the swing after midnight, consider relaxing in a trough full of hot mineral water at Filwoha public baths. An alternative to the pristine hotel spas, Filwoha’s meandering semi-outdoor rooms are set up around the boiling natural springs that first attracted settlers to the city. A $6.50 treatment includes a no-nonsense half-hour soak and a water massage — a high-velocity stream of the natural elixir hosed up and down your body.

Wind up the night at the Jolly Bar, all mirrors and bright lights and centrally located near Arat Kilo. Or find a table at Jazzamba Lounge, lined with photos of the jazz greats who perform there on a regular basis — right up until the sun returns reliably around 6 a.m.