Heritage Pub and Chop House may feel a bit familiar when you walk in, and not just because it used to be part of Mountain Charley’s in downtown Los Gatos. The Chop House is also the new home for the leprechaun that was perched above the bar at CB Hannegan’s, as well as for the beer taps that provided draughts for thirsty patrons for almost years before the beloved Irish pub closed down in 2018.
“There’s been a sense of loss in the community since CB Hannegan’s closed, almost a sense of mourning,” says Kristi Pearce-Percy, who owns the Chop House with her husband Walker. “We’ve been missing that warm and friendly shared place where so many occasions were celebrated over the years.”
She says one of her goals in restoring the space at 15.5 N. Santa Cruz Ave. was to give the community a cozy, relaxed place to meet friends and bond with neighbors. From the convivial bar to the cozy dining room and the even cozier high-end private whiskey and tequila lounge with its own speakeasy to the lively game lounge, plus TVs for sports fans, this place has it all, including an outdoor patio and a private dining room for celebrations.
The Pearce-Percys, along with executive chef and partner Yvonne Khananis, envision the Chop House as an ideal place for family gatherings and momentous celebrations, and for quiet moments during a busy week when a full-strength classic cocktail and a plate of calamari with tarragon aioli might just fill the bill.
It will also prove ideal for the guys who want to enjoy a draft beer or a flight of curated whiskeys while nibbling on sourdough pretzels with beer cheese and hot mustard or a pretty fun bar menu (fried sardines and crisps, ham sandwich with onion marmalade, onion rings with ranch, and a warm lobster roll), before entertaining themselves at the arcade, where they can enjoy a amusements like a driving game, basketball pop shot and shuffleboard.
In the warmly lit main dining room, with its brass sconces and table lamps, Khananis plans to serve plenty of soups like curried lentil, chicken noodle and potato leek, and ample salads, including Cobb, Caesar and a chopped Greek, plus a main course Heritage Salad with beets, avocado, cheddar, bacon, tomato, poached chicken, garbanzo beans and red wine vinaigrette.
There will be smash burgers with onions and special sauce, plus a burger on potato bun with gouda fondue. Other “between the bread” options include fried chicken sandwiches, prime rib dip au jus, a Pub Club and a quite unique Irish grilled cheese on sourdough with stilton, smoked cheddar and pickled onions.
Seafood offerings include fish and chips with malt vinegar aioli, as well as branzino, crab cakes, scallops and a filet o’ fish with tartar and shredded lettuce.
There will also be typical chophouse fare like dry-aged New York steak, ribeye, pork chops, rack of lamb and beef tips. There’s a veal chop, not easy to find outside the Midwest anymore. Sauces (up charge) include stout and onion gravy, beurre blanc and Heritage steak sauce.
There’s diversity of the menu, with a nod to the Irish with brown bread and butter with Celtic sea salt, and to pure Britannia, with beans on toast with melty cheese, hand pies with leek and mushrooms or a meat option, served with mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as bangers and mash shucked peas with onion gravy.
Careful attention has been paid to every aspect of the design, an eclectic blend of traditional Irish-English pub and the American flair of a Midwest chophouse.
including the seating (seriously cushy, comfy chairs), the classy tableware and glassware, the cool British Isles carpet, the artwork on the walls and the bespoke seating in the secret lounge.
Even the logo, which has a definite Celtic flair, is a work of art. Kristi Pearce-Percy, an owner at Cuschieri Horton Architects, designed the logo as a nod to the building’s past. Originally part of the Hofstra Block, built between 1895 and 1905 by Dutch immigrant Sake Hofstra, the property later became known as La Cañada.
With Heritage Pub and Chop House, the branding honors not only Hofstra’s legacy but also the Spanish, Italian, Scottish and Irish heritage represented in the building’s history. All of this is woven into the name of the restaurant as well as the logo, which Pearce-Percy envisioned and then worked on with artist Beverly Connelly to execute.
On the wall in front of the private whiskey lounge is a space for old Los Gatos photos and memorabilia. The Pearce-Percys, Los Gatos High alums who grew up in this town and are now raising their daughter Brooke here, hope people will bring in memories of times spent here in this building to share with others.
“Family is everything to us,” says Kristi Pearce-Percy. “Our best memories have always been made around the table celebrating milestones, sharing food and enjoying tradition. That’s the feeling we want to re-create at Heritage.”
As of this writing, an opening date for Heritage Pub and Chop House hadn’t been set, but they plan to be open daily, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. For updates, visit https://heritagepubandchop.com.