The La Cañada Building, with its iconic turret at the corner of W. Main Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue, is one of Los Gatos’ most recognizable landmarks, celebrated on postcards and the chamber of commerce logo. Now, a new name is emerging for the building’s second story: Heritage Pub and Chop House.
Owners Walker and Kristi Pearce-Percy, who are also husband and wife, are opening the doors to their new restaurant this week. Working alongside Executive Chef Yvonne Khananis, they have been preparing the space and menu for the past year. Banners for the new spot were hung up in the windows one year ago; now, their plan to create a vintage Los Gatos experience is coming to fruition.
Total Makeover
Vacant for the last seven years, this space most recently housed the popular nightclub and restaurant Los Gatos Bar & Grill. Walking into the space with the new owners, it’s immediately clear that the spot has been given a makeover—to the point of being almost unrecognizable.
The Pearce-Percys are both Los Gatos natives. Almost a decade back, Kristi was approached about using the space for her architecture firm, Cuschieri Horton Architects. Though that plan fell through, it eventually led to the idea of opening a restaurant with friend Yvonne Khananis, who owns Polenteria just downstairs. “I really feel that people who have never started a business, especially in the food business, there’s so much that goes along with it,” Kristi said. A remodel began in August 2024, which led to a reimagining of the space along with the development of a completely different menu.
For both owners and the chef, family values inspired the restaurant’s design as a space to create long-lasting memories. Customers can expect classic pub food from Ireland, England and Scotland—fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, corned beef and cabbage—paired with American classics. In addition to new flooring, an Essex green bar creates an Irish feel. Seasonal chops will differentiate Heritage from traditional steakhouses, with an array of daily options such as Sunday’s roast and prime rib night. “Comforting, delicious and affordable” are words used by Chef Khananis to emphasize the fare will be pocketbook-friendly, with families able to come here a couple times a week.
A serendipitous relationship led Kristi Pearce-Percy and Khananis to go into business together. Khananis befriended Kristi’s mother as a customer in her store in 2021, and both women have served on the KCAT board and volunteered on Oktoberfest. Realizing they worked well together, the conception of Heritage was a natural progression. “The heritage of this building and this space inspired our logo,” Kristi says, pointing out that it celebrates the different cultures in the building’s past: Dutch, Spanish and Italian. “We’re going to have little pieces of history from the town of places that are no longer, like Steamer’s and CB Hannegan’s, and we’re paying tribute here with old photos, as well as businesses that were in this space like LGBG and Alligator Grill.”
Kristi says that Los Gatos is the town and community that raised her and it is important to make Heritage Pub & Chop House special as a way to give back. Husband Walker, who has played a hand in overseeing the renovations of the space, also grew up in town, graduating from Los Gatos High School as part of the class of ’97. Walker joined the military and became a pilot; he now serves in the Air Force Reserve part time and works as a commercial pilot for United Airlines.
Walker went to the Air Force academy and graduated in 2001, then finished pilot training in 2003 and did C-5 training. “I’ve held multiple positions over my career, but I’ve recently just finished being the squadron commander of our C-5 squad: 155 people and flying cargo all over the world. That’s it in a quick nutshell. And I’m still serving now, with over 24 years.”
Place of Belonging
In addition to the restaurant and pub, the left corner of the bar is designated as the Heritage Club, a speakeasy-style space that holds 78 lockers for whiskey and tequila drinkers who pay an annual membership. With seating for six to eight people at a time and a designated server, it’s a place to share shots with friends and colleagues. On the other side of the restaurant is a banquet room for private events; with the outdoor seating in the back patio, the entire space can accommodate 180. There is also a game hall in the back, with multiple arcade games as well as a shuffleboard.
“This space was originally the meeting house for a local community service group called the Odd Fellows Lodge, where the men met in the early 1800s. There’s a lot of history in this space, and our goal is to celebrate the history,” Kristi says.
As befits its name, Heritage Pub & Chop House will celebrate the heritage of Los Gatos. There will be heritage walls, with space for customers to display items that reflect the town’s vintage aesthetic. In the same building, Second Story opened late last year; Petals Creamery, right below, opened this summer. The Historic Commercial District is in a new era, welcoming businesses that will hopefully stand the test of time.
Heritage Pub & Chop House will open to the public on Oct. 10. Find more information at heritagepubandchop.com.
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