There’s a mutual enjoyment watching Chef Philip Pretty—and, on the front-of-house end, sister and business partner Lauren Michaelis—bounce between the Michelin-starred juggernaut that is Heritage (and its farm) and the more vibey, appropriately less serious Olive & Rose.
Bringing on former Heritage Chef de Cuisine David Villatoro to head the Olive & Rose kitchen, the pair have created one of Long Beach’s most consistently quality spaces. One that balances enough of the esoteric—geoduck and gooseberries for a salad here, bits of ice plant for a citrusy pop on a crudité board there—and the familiar, if not outright nostalgic, in a way that elevation and comfort meld seamlessly.
And if this is Chef David’s inaugural menu for the space—where vegetables shine brightly, earthiness and umami lead the path into spring, and protein selection is at its height—one can only hope for what he will achieve as Olive & Rose strides into its second year of operation.
The spatial aspect of Olive & Rose is also what helps steer its menu…
There is something outright magical about a spring dinner at Olive & Rose. At around 6PM, the sun begins to peek through the western-facing, open wall of the restaurant, spilling across the pool and courtyard of the hotel it sits in, and into Olive & Rose itself.
Your quarter loaf of a Hey Brother Baker sourdough will cast a beautiful shadow across your table, the smudge of full-fat butter topped with Maldon glistening. A cheese platter will look like its honeycomb center is a diamond mine surrounded by the glutamate-d worlds of French, Spanish, and Danish cheeses.
Chamomile flowers from their Heritage Farm will contrast its whites, greens, and yellows in a stark light, highlighting your wine, should you partake in some. It’s a vibe—and for as trendy as that word is, Olive & Rose actually fulfills the meaning behind it.
Olive & Rose’s spring menu is exactly what is needed: bright, blissful, and bold without being overbearing.
Chef Phil and Chef David have crafted a menu that traverses the emotions and fruitfulness of spring with whimsical, if not wonderfully literal representations: A crudité plate—arranged in annular layers, rings of colors featuring the best that the earth can grow—is a spring-inspired culinary painting.
A geoduck and kanpachi crudo are each sliced with a brightness of orange: gooseberries on the former and preserved kumquat on the latter. It’s one of the most refreshing dishes to come out of the space.
There’s the bowl of black lentils doused in pure earthiness: shaved black truffle. Mushrooms. Grated parmesan. An earthy-meets-umami plate like no other, where the lentils were cooked risotto-style to create a creamy, bright ode to the humble legume. Simply divine, even if it divides diners with wonderfully narcissistic flavors like truffle.
There’s a hearty-yet-still-feels-light octopus dish, where tentacles are braised and deep-fried to a crunch before being layered atop Romesco and topped with salsa verde-drenched white beans and crisped potatoes.
Exploring Olive & Rose’s spring menu for 2026…
Clearly Californian while wittily worldly. Accessible but not boring. Adventurous but not aggressive.
Bread Plate: bread | cultured butter | Maldon salt
3 Cheese Selection: Chabichou d’Antan (French, soft) | Thise Dairy Lighthouse (Danish, cow’s milk medium) | V de Navarro (Spanish; sheep’s milk semi-firm) | honeycomb | dates
Fruits de Mer: geoduck | gooseberry | kanpachi | preserved kumquat
Market Crudité: radish | endive | broccoli | asparagus | pickled asparagus | baby sunburst squash | baby zucchini | ice plant | heirloom tomato | fennel | broccoli hummus | cilantro oil
Beluga Lentil “Risotto”: beluga lentils | wild mushrooms | black truffle | shallots
Braised Octopus: Weiser potatoes | white beans | Romesco | sauce verte
Local Vermillion Rock Fish: poached mussels | vin crème blanc | pickling oil with paprika
Heart of Ribeye: smoked garlic pommes purée
Toasted Marshmallow Affogato: house-made ice cream | Common Room espresso
Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream Sundae: brûléed banana | peanut | maraschino | chocolate drizzle
They also have a cocktail program that’s utterly worth diving into…
Aiden Plant, Olive & Rose’s bar director, has a sophistication to his drinks that fits the space—whether alone or paired with food. He is a mentee of the great Nathan McCollough, which means is not remotely bothered by savory cocktails. (You might remember Nathan from heading Padre, Mezcalero, or Whatever Lola Wants in DTLB before he took over The Wolves in Downtown Los Angeles when Kevin Lee, currently at Long Beach’s Tokyo Noir, left.)
Here’s a look at some of Aiden’s spectacular concoctions…
Stalk & Pepper: Rum | Asparagus | Lemongrass | Tarragon | Black Pepper | Lime
Pear Pressure: Mezcal | Korean Pear | Coconut | Gochujang | Lime | Milk Clarified
Depth Charge: Blended Scotch | Mushroom | Leek | Fennel | Citrus
Helios: Cognac | Apricot | Greek Yogurt | Citrus
Pretty in Pink: Vodka | Coffee | Cacao | Strawberry
Monkey Business: Rum Blend | Cacao | Banana
Avo Maria: Tequila | Avocado | Herbs | Jalapeño | Bell Pepper | Citrus
Gettin’ Figgy With It: Widow Jane Applewood Rye Whiskey | Fig | Roasted Pecan
Olive & Rose is located at 255 Atlantic Ave.
