Alyson Hannigan interview on her favorite places in LA

This one time, in Los Angeles, I had lunch with Alyson Hannigan — and she was just as funny and down-to-earth as you’d hope she would be. Best known for her roles in Buffy, the American Pie series, and How I Met Your Mother, she was there to celebrate the launch of The Good Girlfriend Guide. (It has to be said: she does have nice hair.)

Alyson and her husband, fellow Buffy alum Alexis Denisof, spent years traveling the world before the birth of their daughter, Satyana. With another baby on the way, though, the family generally stays closer to their Southern California home. “Now that we have a daughter,” Alyson confessed, “I really don’t like to travel as much.” Instead, the Hannigan-Denisofs find a lot to explore in food. Between the cooking classes Alexis takes, Alyson’s love of Iron Chef, and toddler Satyana’s budding interest in the family’s backyard garden, eating well is key. Here, Alyson shares a few of her favorite restaurants in the Golden State.

Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi
“My favorite restaurant in LA is Giorgio Baldi. Their white corn ravioli with truffle oil is just to die for. It’s like heaven. In fact, Sati was born on my birthday, which was her due date as well. We wanted to make plans for my birthday, but I felt like she was going to come on that day. So we made reservations at Giorgio Baldi with friends, just in case. I went into labor that morning, and told my friends, ‘You have to go anyway. Please have that ravioli for me.’”
114 W Channel Road, Santa Monica (310) 573-1660. [link]

alyson hannigan interview

Sweet Rose Creamery

“Sweet Rose Creamery has small-batch ice cream that’s made on-site with organic ingredients. The flavors always change depending on what’s at the farmer’s market. They have a fresh mint chip ice cream with actual mint that you can taste. Oh my god, it’s ridiculous.”
In the Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th Ave, Suite 51, Santa Monica. (310) 260-CONE [link]

Max’s on the Square
“I love San Francisco. It’s such a wonderful city — it’s so great just to walk around. My favorite pancakes are at a hole in the wall called Max’s on the Square. Their buttermilk pancakes are so good that I still think about them. There’s some magic in there.”
398 Geary St, San Francisco. (415) 646-8600 [link]