Going Local: AJ Buckley

Star of CSI:NY AJ Buckley spills the beans on LA's gastro hotspots

BEST FOR SPLURGING
CLEO AT THE REDBURY
I do like this place, I do a lot of my birthdays there. It’s Danny Elmaleh’s Middle Eastern cuisine. We have flatbreads, mezes, shared plates; lamb is one of my favourite dishes there. I just really like the atmosphere – that and the food. I love when all the plates come out and everyone’s tasting at the same time; I grew up with a big family so we’d always be doing something like that. If we’re going to see a show, my fiancée and I will hit that, and then go over there.
1717 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (http://theredbury.com/eat_drink/cleo)

BEST FOR CELEB-SPOTTING
THE GROVE
Go to the Grove. It’s got movie theatres and restaurants and all sorts – it’s an outdoor market area. Anytime I have cousins or stuff in town that want to spot somebody, usually The Grove is where we’ll go. It’s where a lot of the paparazzi hang out and a place I try to avoid at all costs.
189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (www.thegrovela.com)

BEST LOW-KEY HANGOUT
FINN MCCOOL’S IRISH PUB
Santa Monica on Main Street is great, I used to live down there. The Library Alehouse is really great and Finn McCools Irish pub is just a fun place to go have a pint and relax. They pour a good pint of Guinness there.
2702 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (www.finnmccoolsirishpub.com)

BEST AREA FOR FOODIES  
CAFÉ MONTANA
Montana Street in Santa Monica has this beachy, cool yoga vibe, with lots of really healthy salad-ey places and stuff. You get on your bike, you head downtown to Montana and down to parts of Santa Monica and just sort of cruise through. Café Montana is awesome, they’ve got great pumpkin ravioli and it’s great for just people-watching. Take a dog, go to the beach, have coffee or a glass of wine or you know, it’s great for breakfast – it’s a good way to start the day.
1534 Montana Avenue, CA 90403 (www.cafemontana.net)

BEST FOODIE DAY OUT
HOLLYWOOD FARMERS’ MARKET
Every Sunday morning, between Hollywood and Sunset, there’s an outdoor market. All the local farmers and fisherman come in, and there’s live music. It’s really a fun Sunday thing to do. Right across the street there’s the Arclight cinema, so we usually go down there, get some breakfast, watch some of the music or pick up our groceries for organic stuff, and cruise over to the cinema.
Between Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd, near Vine Street (www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.net)

Keep up to date with AJ's upcoming projects at www.ajbuckley.net and follow him on Twitter at @AjohnBuckley.

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