Shakewell evolves into The Well; Snail Bar expands vertically

Editor’s note: Nosh covers food and restaurant news across the East Bay, and each week we publish one article covering all the restaurant openings and one article covering closings. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here.

Sweet Maple

Local brunch chain Sweet Maple just opened its fifth California location in Walnut Creek. Expect popular brunch items like scrambles, benedicts, omelettes and breakfast sandwiches, plus creative signature Sweet Maple dishes, including the blueberry cloud French toast (deep-fried French toast stuffed with house-made blueberry marmalade, cream cheese and blueberry cream). Sweet Maple, 1523 Giammona Dr., Walnut Creek 

The Well

Folks who wondered what would become of Shakewell after last year’s closure, here’s your answer: the Lakeshore staple just reopened under a new name, The Well. While the menu has changed (Shakewell leaned towards Mediterranean; the Well specializes in American comfort foods like burgers, wood-fired pizza, steak, lamb and pork chops), you’ll still find a vibrant cocktail and wine program on the menu. The Well also plans to host live jazz every Tuesday night and quarterly wine education events with resident sommelier Michael Mittelbuscher. The Well, 3407 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland

Upstairs

Snail Bar, the undisputed cool kids’ haunt for chasing escargot with natural wine, has inched its way into a new, hotly-anticipated venture set to open March: Upstairs, a listening bar and café that’s located, as the name suggests, in the apartment directly upstairs. (The former tenant of the apartment, the landlord, and Snail Bar are still embroiled in litigation over excessive noise and other complaints neighbors have brought against the restaurant.) 

By day, Upstairs will serve as a café, offering pour overs, espresso drinks and light breakfast bites. By night, expect lowkey listening nights with live DJ sets and wine-fueled dance parties that, thanks to the $80,000 soundproofing Chef Andres Giraldo Florez installed, won’t keep the neighborhood up all night. Check their Instagram for updates on opening hours and events; for now, Upstairs will be open Friday to Monday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (café service) and 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Upstairs, 4935 Shattuck Ave., Oakland