Best Seasonal Restaurants in Lakewood / Bellflower

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.

Came here on Valentine’s Day, which so happens to be my Fiance’s birthday. We were a little nervous to see if that would affect the service, but we’re very surprised to see that service ran smoothly. We had time before our dinner reservations so we decided to check out their jazz bar. It was a busy little corner so we only stayed for a drink. However, there are other nooks on the first floor where you can sit. Next, we went to our dinner. We got our drinks and food very quickly, the server was amazing and the look of the restaurant was so picturesque. We will be back without a doubt.

Overall great experience! Would definitely go again and try their full menu. We went for the valentines prefixed menu and the options they had were great and so I’m excited to see what else they have to offer! Staff was very attentive and courteous. Lots of seating and the ambiance is welcoming!

Beautiful atmosphere and the staff are not just friendly, but very welcoming! Definitely a new "go to" spot for me! I took my wife there for Valentines and our server was very warm and bubbly and was very personable. My wife got a few appetizers since she ate a late lunch and she mentioned how delicious everything was. I got the Filet Mignon and WOW, my taste buds could not be more happier. My wife even looked at my plate and said "WHERE'D THE STEAK GO!?" (She's pescetarian so she wasn't planning on stealing any of my food! LOL)

Food was great as usual Megan our server was the best we've ever had definitely ask for her next time