diff --git a/server/registry/actions_apis_test.go b/server/registry/actions_apis_test.go
index d05624c6b..e5aae9d41 100644
--- a/server/registry/actions_apis_test.go
+++ b/server/registry/actions_apis_test.go
@@ -45,10 +45,11 @@ func TestCreateApi(t *testing.T) {
 				Parent: "projects/my-project/locations/global",
 				ApiId:  "my-api",
 				Api: &rpc.Api{
-					DisplayName:        "My Display Name",
-					Description:        "My Description",
-					Availability:       "My Availability",
-					RecommendedVersion: "My Version",
+					DisplayName:           "My Display Name",
+					Description:           "My Description",
+					Availability:          "My Availability",
+					RecommendedVersion:    "apis/my-api/versions/my-version",
+					RecommendedDeployment: "apis/my-api/deployments/my-deployment",
 					Labels: map[string]string{
 						"label-key": "label-value",
 					},
@@ -58,11 +59,12 @@ func TestCreateApi(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			want: &rpc.Api{
-				Name:               "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
-				DisplayName:        "My Display Name",
-				Description:        "My Description",
-				Availability:       "My Availability",
-				RecommendedVersion: "My Version",
+				Name:                  "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
+				DisplayName:           "My Display Name",
+				Description:           "My Description",
+				Availability:          "My Availability",
+				RecommendedVersion:    "apis/my-api/versions/my-version",
+				RecommendedDeployment: "apis/my-api/deployments/my-deployment",
 				Labels: map[string]string{
 					"label-key": "label-value",
 				},
@@ -288,11 +290,12 @@ func TestGetApi(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			desc: "fully populated resource",
 			seed: &rpc.Api{
-				Name:               "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
-				DisplayName:        "My Display Name",
-				Description:        "My Description",
-				Availability:       "My Availability",
-				RecommendedVersion: "My Version",
+				Name:                  "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
+				DisplayName:           "My Display Name",
+				Description:           "My Description",
+				Availability:          "My Availability",
+				RecommendedVersion:    "apis/my-api/versions/my-version",
+				RecommendedDeployment: "apis/my-api/deployments/my-deployment",
 				Labels: map[string]string{
 					"label-key": "label-value",
 				},
@@ -304,11 +307,12 @@ func TestGetApi(t *testing.T) {
 				Name: "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
 			},
 			want: &rpc.Api{
-				Name:               "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
-				DisplayName:        "My Display Name",
-				Description:        "My Description",
-				Availability:       "My Availability",
-				RecommendedVersion: "My Version",
+				Name:                  "projects/my-project/locations/global/apis/my-api",
+				DisplayName:           "My Display Name",
+				Description:           "My Description",
+				Availability:          "My Availability",
+				RecommendedVersion:    "apis/my-api/versions/my-version",
+				RecommendedDeployment: "apis/my-api/deployments/my-deployment",
 				Labels: map[string]string{
 					"label-key": "label-value",
 				},
diff --git a/server/registry/internal/storage/list.go b/server/registry/internal/storage/list.go
index d202c1d9c..c51ede92b 100644
--- a/server/registry/internal/storage/list.go
+++ b/server/registry/internal/storage/list.go
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ var apiFields = []filtering.Field{
 	{Name: "update_time", Type: filtering.Timestamp},
 	{Name: "availability", Type: filtering.String},
 	{Name: "recommended_version", Type: filtering.String},
+	{Name: "recommended_deployment", Type: filtering.String},
 	{Name: "labels", Type: filtering.StringMap},
 }
 
diff --git a/server/registry/internal/storage/models/api.go b/server/registry/internal/storage/models/api.go
index 4f4001c65..53f44dbe0 100644
--- a/server/registry/internal/storage/models/api.go
+++ b/server/registry/internal/storage/models/api.go
@@ -25,31 +25,33 @@ import (
 
 // Api is the storage-side representation of an API.
 type Api struct {
-	Key                string    `gorm:"primaryKey"`
-	ProjectID          string    // Uniquely identifies a project.
-	ApiID              string    // Uniquely identifies an api within a project.
-	DisplayName        string    // A human-friendly name.
-	Description        string    // A detailed description.
-	CreateTime         time.Time // Creation time.
-	UpdateTime         time.Time // Time of last change.
-	Availability       string    // Availability of the API.
-	RecommendedVersion string    // Recommended API version.
-	Labels             []byte    // Serialized labels.
-	Annotations        []byte    // Serialized annotations.
+	Key                   string    `gorm:"primaryKey"`
+	ProjectID             string    // Uniquely identifies a project.
+	ApiID                 string    // Uniquely identifies an api within a project.
+	DisplayName           string    // A human-friendly name.
+	Description           string    // A detailed description.
+	CreateTime            time.Time // Creation time.
+	UpdateTime            time.Time // Time of last change.
+	Availability          string    // Availability of the API.
+	RecommendedVersion    string    // Recommended API version.
+	RecommendedDeployment string    // Recommended API deployment.
+	Labels                []byte    // Serialized labels.
+	Annotations           []byte    // Serialized annotations.
 }
 
 // NewApi initializes a new resource.
 func NewApi(name names.Api, body *rpc.Api) (api *Api, err error) {
 	now := time.Now().Round(time.Microsecond)
 	api = &Api{
-		ProjectID:          name.ProjectID,
-		ApiID:              name.ApiID,
-		Description:        body.GetDescription(),
-		DisplayName:        body.GetDisplayName(),
-		Availability:       body.GetAvailability(),
-		RecommendedVersion: body.GetRecommendedVersion(),
-		CreateTime:         now,
-		UpdateTime:         now,
+		ProjectID:             name.ProjectID,
+		ApiID:                 name.ApiID,
+		Description:           body.GetDescription(),
+		DisplayName:           body.GetDisplayName(),
+		Availability:          body.GetAvailability(),
+		RecommendedVersion:    body.GetRecommendedVersion(),
+		RecommendedDeployment: body.GetRecommendedDeployment(),
+		CreateTime:            now,
+		UpdateTime:            now,
 	}
 
 	api.Labels, err = bytesForMap(body.GetLabels())
@@ -76,13 +78,14 @@ func (api *Api) Name() string {
 // Message returns a message representing an api.
 func (api *Api) Message() (message *rpc.Api, err error) {
 	message = &rpc.Api{
-		Name:               api.Name(),
-		DisplayName:        api.DisplayName,
-		Description:        api.Description,
-		Availability:       api.Availability,
-		RecommendedVersion: api.RecommendedVersion,
-		CreateTime:         timestamppb.New(api.CreateTime),
-		UpdateTime:         timestamppb.New(api.UpdateTime),
+		Name:                  api.Name(),
+		DisplayName:           api.DisplayName,
+		Description:           api.Description,
+		Availability:          api.Availability,
+		RecommendedVersion:    api.RecommendedVersion,
+		RecommendedDeployment: api.RecommendedDeployment,
+		CreateTime:            timestamppb.New(api.CreateTime),
+		UpdateTime:            timestamppb.New(api.UpdateTime),
 	}
 
 	message.Labels, err = api.LabelsMap()
@@ -111,6 +114,8 @@ func (api *Api) Update(message *rpc.Api, mask *fieldmaskpb.FieldMask) error {
 			api.Availability = message.GetAvailability()
 		case "recommended_version":
 			api.RecommendedVersion = message.GetRecommendedVersion()
+		case "recommended_deployment":
+			api.RecommendedDeployment = message.GetRecommendedDeployment()
 		case "labels":
 			var err error
 			if api.Labels, err = bytesForMap(message.GetLabels()); err != nil {