Olive & Rose, a modern bistro from the siblings behind Heritage, opens today

It’s been years in the making, but the revamped City Center Motel will become the home of Michelin-starred Chef Philip Pretty and his sister Lauren’s newest venture: Olive & Rose.

The restaurant, named after Pretty’s children, is set for a soft opening Wednesday, Oct. 2, after years of renovation and construction to the historic, but until recently, dilapidated Downtown motel. 

The Long Beach locals opened their first restaurant, Heritage, in 2020 and earned Long Beach its first Michelin star and Green star in 2023. In August, it was announced it had retained the stars for a second year.

Now, the siblings will take on a new challenge: a modern interpretation of an old-school, hometown bistro with high quality, locally sourced, approachable cuisine. 

The motel has been completely refreshed and part of the revitalization included adding a dining element. Pretty had been looking into opening another restaurant, so when he was approached two years ago about the partnership, it was the right fit. 

“I think our space is absolutely stunning,” Pretty said. “It looks out to the whole courtyard, and the pool, and the plants, and the shared communal area.”

He’s confident the cocktail program will thrive in the communal space where the drinks can be enjoyed with the ambiance of a garden. 

Noah Friedman, who previously worked at Baby Gee, will join Pretty to head up the drinks and Chef Patrick Claytor, previously sous chef at Heritage, will move over to Olive & Rose as chef de cuisine. 

The space is cozy with 32 seats. Five bar seats allow dinners to enjoy their meal while watching the ordered chaos of the line from first fire to the finishing touches of a dish.

The menu will highlight California purveyors and California produce, featuring dishes like an aged rib cap with fries and au poix (think pepper steak), chicken with chanterelle mushrooms and jus, mussels with bacon and house pasta, black cod with brandade cream and pommes puree (creamy mashed potatoes). 

“We have a reputation based on quality and freshness and that's going to translate over there,” Pretty said. 

The menu will be shaped to entice guests to try everything. Some may come in for a glass of wine and a crudo, while others go straight for the steak frites, Pretty said. 

It took Pretty ten weeks to develop and test the dishes that made the final cut for the menu. While Heritage’s menu changes practically daily, Pretty wants Olive & Rose to be approachable in both price and familiarity. If one customer loves the roast chicken or handmade pasta, they can expect it to be there the next time they visit. 

“When you walk through the door [at Heritage], it costs 150 bucks,” Pretty said.
“You walk through the door there [Olive & Rose], it's gonna be 16 bucks.” 

While the bistro will only be open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, locals and visitors can swing by in the morning for a walk-up bagel and coffee window. The window will have its soft open on Oct. 3 with service hours from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

“We're calling it O&R Bagels,” Pretty said. “It's going to have a separate Instagram, a separate feel, a different service style.” 

They plan to offer everything bagels and plain bagels with smear and fresh produce like avocados, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers. There will also be a lox bagel. 

The Prettys' growing footprint in Long Beach won’t stop with the restaurant.

Pretty revealed they plan to open a bar in 2025 called Pretty’s across from Heritage on Seventh Street. He plans for Friedman to spend time at the Downtown restaurant as it gets off the ground to train other bartenders before moving over to Pretty’s.  

But excitement for the new restaurant is front-and-center for the time being and the excitement is palpable from Pretty and the staff.

"As a kid growing up, the City Center's a very iconic Long Beach motel," Pretty said. "Mid-century modern, it was cool. It was ahead of the time."

Olive & Rose is at 255 Atlantic Avenue.