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If you went to one of Hilary Duff’s two sold-out shows at the Kia Forum last week, you might still be processing it: the adrenaline, seeing her in the flesh, and the flood of memories of our younger selves listening to her albums on our Discmans in the back of a car or in our bedrooms.
In May 2006, I saw Hilary in Madrid on her Still Most Wanted Tour. I was 13. Twenty years later, here we were again — this time in Los Angeles, the city I’ve called home for almost 11 years. Growing up in Spain, one of my first glimpses of Los Angeles came through Hilary Duff’s music videos. I first saw Venice Beach in “So Yesterday” and downtown Los Angeles in “Why Not”. Last week, singing “You’ll never get to Holland, or even to LA” alongside her felt like a full-circle moment.
During the whirlwind Lucky Me press tour, Hilary has answered basically what I would ask her if I ever got the chance to interview her. What are her favorite restaurants in LA?
Although Hilary Duff is a proud Texan, she shared on the Table Manners Podcast that she grew up in the Burbank neighborhood. Hilary, her sister, and her mom moved to Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1990s and stayed at the iconic Oakwood apartment complex, where many young aspiring actors lived. If you don’t know about it, I highly recommend you check out the story, as well as the documentary, The Hollywood Complex (2010), (watch it here for free). It’s fascinating!
Many celebrities get fed up with the industry and move out of state to raise their families, but nearly thirty years later, Hilary Duff continues to be a proud Angeleno.
On the first LA night of The Lucky Me World Tour, she said to the thousands of thirty-somethings decked out in Y2K and Lizzie McGuire-inspired outfits: “I’m home. I played Texas like a week ago and I was like, “my hometown, my hometown”, but this is different.” On an Instagram story, Hilary thanked Los Angeles — “my city,” she said — for showing up the way they did the night before.
Whether you’re visiting town or you’re looking for new restaurants, I hope you find this guide useful! Most of these recommendations come from Hilary’s two appearances this year: the popular Mythical Kitchen YouTube show Last Meals, and the British food podcast Table Manners.
In-N-Out
You can’t get more California than an In-N-Out burger. On both, Last Meals and Table Manners, Hilary mentioned her specific In-N-Out order: “mustard fried cheeseburger with grilled onions, extra pickles, and no tomato.”
Hilary Duff’s love for In-N-Out is such that she had her “Mature” single release party catered by them at the Moonlight Rollerway skating rink. On Last Meals, host Josh Scherer asked her about the Texan chain Whataburger. She responded: “My Texas people, I’m going to let them down right now. I had Whataburger not too long ago and it didn’t hold a candle to In-N-Out.”
On Table Manners, Hilary doubled down on her love for In-N-Out . “I mean, how do you get better than an In-N-Out burger? Have you ever asked for a mustard fried burger? They put mustard on the burger and they fry it. It adds this depth. It’s sooo good.” In the photo above, Hilary also had the fries, but like most people, she’s not a fan, as she said on the podcast.
Admittedly, when I first moved to Los Angeles I did not get the hype, but in the last three years I’ve become obsessed with it and need to have it at least once a month. Whereas before I was “meh,” now I’m an In-N-Out defender. It really is that good, especially for the price. Contrary to what most people will say, I like their fries well done, albeit they’re not my favorites.
French Fries from Petit Trois
718 Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038
13705 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
I’m currently writing an article about the best French fries in LA, so stay tuned! Petit Trois‘ fries are considered some of the best in the city. They’re fried in clarified butter, which gives them a deeper golden color and a richer flavor. I went to the Petit Trois in the Valley, which is bigger and better for parking. They were delicious while they were hot, but once they cooled down, they weren’t nearly as impressive.
Hilary said: “I want crisp on the edge and wiggly in the middle. People don’t understand what goes into a French fry. It seems like a basic side, and the salt, I want to see the salt in there.”
Sushi
Throughout the years, Hilary has been seen at many sushi spots in the San Fernando Valley. In fact, she even mentioned that she craved Sugarfish all the time while she was pregnant, and even nibbled on sushi while she was delivering her third child, Mae James, in 2021.
On the Table Manners Podcast, Hilary shared that her family goes out for sushi a lot and mentioned Kiwami. She has also been seen many times at Katsuya, and more recently at Sushi Tomoki (read my review here), also in Studio City. In 2022, Hilary and her husband, Matthew enjoyed a date night with Joel Madden—Hilary’s ex—and his wife, Nicole Richie, at Sushi by Scratch in Encino. For those not familiar, Ventura Blvd. has the highest concentration of Japanese restaurants in the United States!
Diet Coke From McDonald’s
On Last Meals, Hilary said to Josh: “Do you want to know why a Diet Coke from McDonald’s hits different than a different Diet Coke? What I’ve heard is that Diet Coke has a long life contract with McDonald’s. They get their liquid pre-mixed and delivered by truck to McDonald’s. Everybody else gets their cartridges that the machine cracks or whatever and then does the blend at the restaurant.”
The only time I drink soda is when I go to the movies, and it’s usually Sprite. One day, I went to In-N-Out and did the test. I ordered a Diet Coke, and after finishing my burger, I went straight to McDonald’s for a second Diet Coke. The stark difference was hard to believe. McDonald’s Diet Coke was so much fizzier and crisper. Even after five minutes, the cup was still bursting with bubbles, whereas the bubbles in the In-N-Out Diet Coke had already disappeared. Insane!! After some research, I found that McDonald’s does indeed have a special partnership with Coca-Cola. Its fountain drinks are prepared and served under very specific conditions, resulting in a bolder, crisper flavor. However, some people say that the reason as to why the flavor is different is because of the bigger straws.
Casa Vega
13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
On the Table Manners podcast, Hilary called Casa Vega “this very cute neighborhood restaurant” and praised its molcajete, saying, “It’s a sharing meal. It has this special sauce, and Mexican families usually have their own recipe. Casa Vega’s happens to be really good.”
Casa Vega describes the molcajete on its website as, “a sizzling volcanic stone bowl filled with marinated skirt steak, grilled chicken and shrimp, in BBQ enchilada sauce. Served with tortillas.”
Hilary described Casa Vega as a neighborhood restaurant, but it’s also a 70-year-old LA institution, named one of America’s Classics by the James Beard Foundation.
Jennifer Aniston, who was born and raised in Sherman Oaks, said on the Armchair Expert podcast that she used to live down the street. Countless celebrities have walked through its doors, and it has also served as the backdrop for numerous film and TV productions, including The Kardashians and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
The restaurant is specifically known for their family-style plates and old-school vibe, including their margaritas and classic Mexican comfort food.
Corn agnolotti from Giorgio Baldi
114 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Giorgio Baldi opened its doors on Channel Road in 1990, and 36 years later, it remains one of LA’s buzziest restaurants, with Rihanna as its unofficial ambassador due to how often she’s photographed there.
I reported my experience in 2023 and to say that I was disappointed is a big understatement. However, I met someone not too long ago who also raved about the corn agnolotti specifically. Although Hilary didn’t specify why she loved this specific pasta, she said:
“I went for the first time with my ex-husband when I was 19 (2007). Giorgio was still alive and he used to chase the paparazzi with a wine bottle when we would leave the restaurant and they would be snapping.”
According to reports, the corn agnolotti is also Kim Kardashian’s favorite pasta at Giorgio Baldi: homemade agnolotti stuffed with sweet corn and drenched in truffle sauce.
Loose Cannon Cafe
2527 Canada Blvd, Glendale, CA 91208
In early February, when Hilary announced her upcoming tour and forthcoming album, Luck… or Something, she shared on her Instagram stories Loose Cannon Cafe, a new coffee shop in Glendale co-founded by her best friend, Alanna Masterson, which had just opened that month.
Here’s my review when I went there in February:
“I had what Hilary Duff was having on her now-deleted Instagram story: the Marlowe — an iced cortado with foamy salted maple cream. The latter was the cherry on top of such a sweltering February day. Truly, one of the best coffees I’ve had. I urge everyone reading this to try it. Hilary was blown away after taking a sip, saying, “Oh my God, you guys”. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be this good!”
Mandy Moore, another good friend of Hilary, raved about it as well.
Ojai
Ojai is the epitome of California Dreamin’ and I’m currently writing a travel guide about it! It’s one of my favorite quick getaways from Los Angeles, and I love going there at least twice a year. Hilary and many other Angelenos do too. This is what she shared on her Instagram when she celebrated her birthday last year.
122 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
Restored and reopened in 2025, Hotel El Roblar is the oldest hotel in Ojai. This Spanish Colonial estate spans two acres of lush gardens and towering trees and features a spa, inviting common areas, and resident tortoises from the nearby Turtle Conservancy.
139 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
As Lauren Mechling wrote in Vogue‘s 2025 article, “How Ojai Became America’s New Culinary Hotspot,“ “Since opening three years ago, Rory’s Place has come to be the queen of Ojai’s dining scene.”
On Last Meals, Hilary shared her two go-to appetizers—the Caviar n Chips (Ruffles potato chips with caviar and crème fraîche) and the Oeuf Mayo Farm Egg. You may have seen on Instagram the viral matcha affogato from their daytime sister cafe, Rory’s Other Place.
During one of Hilary’s Ojai getaways, she also photographed The Dutchess, another favorite.
I hope you enjoyed this Hilary Duff LA food tour!
