Best Californian Restaurants in Brea / La Habra

Heritage Restaurant, Long Beach – A Well-Earned Michelin Star by Michael Broderick. In a city where “Californian” culinary ambition often plays second fiddle to casual dining, Heritage in Long Beach has carved out a place of quiet excellence, earning a well-deserved Michelin star. This intimate dining experience is a testament to ingredient-driven, technique-forward cooking, where flavors are both restrained, unpretentious, and deeply expressive. From the first bite, it was clear that Heritage excels at layering textures and flavors in unexpected ways. The meal began with an Amuse Bouche trio: a delicate prawn cracker topped with sweet Dungeness crab, a green leaf with another seafood salad that was to be eaten like a mini street taco, and balanced with the brightness and light crunch of pickled turnip. A seemingly simple couple of bites, but one that foreshadowed the precision and thoughtfulness of the courses to follow. To cleanse the palate, a mint tea infused with palo santo was served—a meditative interlude that was both refreshing and aromatic, setting the stage for the evening’s journey. The first official course, Crème Caviar, featured Russian Sturgeon Heritage Caviar and chive, a chilled preparation that was rich yet elegantly restrained. This was followed by Kanpachi Crudo, presented with carrot, ginger, and macédoine vegetables, offering a balance of clean ocean flavors against bright, vegetal undertones. Then came what I consider the star of the evening: a dish that fully captured the ethos of Heritage—Hen of the Woods Mushroom, topped in a “sunchoke stew” (crispy fried sunchoke) with fermented mushroom. For an additional $25, an indulgent shaving of black truffle took the dish to another level, transforming it into a sensory experience that evoked the deep, earthy satisfaction of foraging. The interplay of umami-rich elements made this course a masterpiece of textural and flavor contrast. The proteins that followed were executed with equal care.

We went for the Valentines special dinner and my wife and I were both blown away by the beautiful decorations, the staff was wonderful, the food was absolutely delicious!!!

Michelle was a wonderful server! The food recommendations she made were spot on! It was a lovely meal!

I made reservations. I chose this restaurant because none of my guests had eaten here before and to celebrate a friend's 91st birthday. for a friend. When I made the reservations I requested a table overlooking the nursery. There was no wait when we arrived. They accommodated us with a table I requested. The overall service was excellent. The waitress, Becca was pleasant, knowledgeable about the menu, and very attentive. She came back several times during our lunch to make sure everything was okay and to see if we needed anything. Everyone raved about the food. Three or us ordered the tuna sandwich and one ordered the burger. It was all excellent. Remembering we were there to celebrate a birthday, Becca brought out a complimentary dessert with a candle. The whole experience for me and my guests couldn't have been better. We will definitely be returning and bringing more friends.

Our server, Rachel, was outstanding! We were a bit of a high -maintenance party, we ordered staggered drinks and food throughout the evening. Rachel just seemed to appear like magic anytime we needed anything, and seemed to anticipate our needs throughout the evening. The hostess and other staff were so friendly. This was our first visit, but it won’t be our last! Thanks Rachel and the rest of the staff for a wonderful evening!