East County is about to get its first true five-star steakhouse. The Heritage Steakhouse opens this November in Santee, pairing a classic American steakhouse experience with a modern California perspective and timeless white-tablecloth service.

Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Meredith Manée, whose 28-year career spans the Four Seasons, Hotel del Coronado, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, and The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.

A Sizzling Start to Dinner

The meal kicks off with starters that blend steakhouse tradition with California flavor, like Prime Beef Tartare with truffle crema and a Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cake with grapefruit hollandaise.

The showstopper is the Volcanic Searing Stone, where you sear premium ahi tuna sashimi or prime filet crudo yourself, tableside, on a sizzling volcanic stone.

Add Fire Kissed Lamb Pops, West Coast Oysters served raw or Rockefeller-style, and a tableside Heritage Caesar Salad, and you’ve got plenty to share.

For a celebration, the Chilled Seafood Tower for Two piles on lobster tails, cocktail shrimp, oysters, lobster salad, and ahi poke.

Aged, Seared, and Served Right

Every steak is USDA Prime, Certified Angus, or American Wagyu, aged at least 28 days and finished in a high-temperature broiler for that caramelized crust steakhouse fans crave. A few cuts to look for:

• 6-ounce Hand Cut Filet
• 12-ounce Double R Ranch Prime New York Strip
• 14-ounce Prime Ribeye
• 35-Day Dry Aged Cowboy Ribeye
• 36-ounce Prime Tomahawk, made for sharing

Make it your own with Sauce Oscar, Grilled Red Argentinian Shrimp, or a Cold Water Lobster Tail, plus house-made compound butters and The B.O.M., a melt of Point Reyes Blue Cheese, braised red onion, and sautéed mushrooms.

Sides like Truffle “Mac” n’ Cheese, Twice Baked Potato, and Mexican Street Corn are made for sharing.

Something for Every Craving

Chef Manée’s vision goes past the traditional steakhouse playbook.

Seafood lovers can dig into Pan Roasted Diver Scallops over farro “risotto,” while other entrées include Colorado Lamb Rack, Bourbon Roasted Half Chicken with mole negro, and a Double-Cut Iberico Pork Chop with a smoky apple glaze.

It’s a menu that gives everyone at the table something to get excited about, even the friend who doesn’t want steak.

End the Night on a Sweet Note

Close the night with “Death by Chocolate,” a showstopper of chocolate textures and pistachio gelato, or the Decadent Toffee Pudding with brown butter caramel.

Seasonal bourbon peach cheesecake and house-made ice creams and sorbets, from Ceylon Cinnamon Vanilla to Blackberry and Mango, round out the finish.

See you there!

With prime cuts, creative twists, and tableside theatrics, The Heritage Steakhouse is shaping up to be a destination dinner worth the drive to Santee.

📆 Opening this November
📍 200 Lantern Crst Wy 6th Floor, Santee
ℹ️ Get more info here

See you there, San Diego!