Has it really been five years?
Since Daniel and Brenda Castillo opened their lauded San Juan Capistrano restaurant in 2020, Heritage Barbecue, the husband-wife duo has consistently drawn crowds and earned heaps of accolades, including best-of lists and a James Beard nomination.
To mark their five-year anniversary, the Castillos will host a beach fete on Saturday, Aug. 9. The festivities will take place at Bolsa Chica State Beach, roughly 30 miles northwest of their eatery. The location? SeaSalt Honky Tonk, Alicia Cox’s newly revamped concession where Heritage has been running a summer-long pop-up, SeaSalt Smokehouse.
ALSO READ: Heritage Barbecue changed OC’s restaurant landscape — and beyond. Here’s how they did it.
“Five years ago, we opened our doors in San Juan Capistrano with the hope that people would connect with what we were doing — bringing Texas-style barbecue to Southern California with a lot of heart, hustle and respect for the craft,” said Daniel Castillo in a written statement. “To be here five years later, still doing what we love, is something we don’t take for granted.”
He went on to note that they wanted to celebrate this milestone in a major way, “and hosting the anniversary on the beach seemed pretty perfect for a summertime BBQ party. It’s a celebration not just of how far we’ve come, but of the community that’s been with us every step of the way.”
In addition to live-fire barbecue from pitmaster Daniel and his team, the event will feature other acclaimed pitmasters from Illinois and Texas:
- Evan LeRoy of LeRoy & Lewis BBQ (Austin, Texas)
- Dave Bonner of Green Street Smoked Meats (Chicago)
- Kelli Nevarez of LaVaca BBQ i (Port Lavaca, Texas)
- M. Brady Clark of Brisket Country (Georgetown, Texas)
- Charlie McKenna of Lillie’s Q (Chicago)
- Evan Tate of Tate Farms TX (Rockwall, Texas)
The anniversary celebration runs from noon until 7 p.m. As with any Heritage event, you will want to get there early; the food is sure to go fast. Revelers can also look forward to beer galore, live music and raffle prizes, as well as additional fare from Cox’s adjoining concession, SeaSalt Honky Tonk at the Beach.
Find it: SeaSalt Smokehouse at Bolsa Chica State Beach, 17851 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach