Heritage

The story

Heritage Long Beach: Michelin-Starred Californian Tasting Menu

A House on 7th Street

Heritage occupies a century-old craftsman house in Long Beach’s historic Rose Park neighborhood. Street parking, a quiet residential block, and a front porch set the tone before the first course arrives. Inside, the dining room is intimate and unfussy—warm wood, soft light, and a sense of calm that lets the food speak for itself.

Siblings at the Helm

The restaurant is family-owned and led by siblings Lauren and Chef Philip Pretty. Lauren, the president and operator, brings years of hospitality experience, while Chef Philip crafts the kitchen’s direction. Together they have built a place rooted in a shared commitment to sustainability. That commitment earned Heritage a Michelin Star and a Green Star in both 2023 and 2024—an unusual double that signals high-level cooking paired with serious environmental practice.

Sustainability as a Guiding Principle

From the start, Heritage has operated as a zero-waste kitchen. The team collects produce directly from local farmers’ markets in reusable crates. Proteins come from sustainable sources: line-caught seafood, pasture-raised meats, open-field poultry. Farm-raised abalone is chosen for its minimal footprint—even the shell eventually returns to sand. Every ingredient is used to its fullest; trimmings become staff meals or compost, often at Heritage Farm, a regenerative plot just a mile away.

The Tasting Menu

The meal unfolds as a nine-step tasting menu that changes frequently to reflect what’s best and freshest. Recent dishes include Kaluga Caviar with preserved mushroom and chopped steak, Sea Urchin Toast with brown butter-yuzu on brioche, and Local Abalone Rice with black garlic and sesame. A course of Live Scallop in Shell arrives in a fragrant dashi with smoked trout roe. The 32-Day Aged Rib Chop comes with truffled potato pavé and au poivre. Even the desserts are precise and unexpected: Whipped Meringue Yogurt Mousse with herbed tea gelée and poached kiwi. Wine pairings are drawn entirely from California producers, supporting the same local ecosystem the kitchen champions.

A Dynamic, Personal Experience

Because the menu is fixed and built around whole-ingredient utilization, Heritage cannot accommodate individual allergies or dietary restrictions—every dish is crafted with intention, and nothing is wasted. The result is a dining experience that feels both rigorous and generous. Private dining is available for up to forty guests in the Saint Louis Room or as a full buyout. Heritage serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday, reservation only.