May melancholy: Favored spots in Berkeley and Oakland close before summer

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. The openings and closings for each month are then compiled into a round-up. Have a tip for Nosh? Submit it here.

Berkeley restaurant closures

Bear’s Lair Tavern

05.22.25: The UC Berkeley campus has lost its longstanding pub, The Bear’s Lair, after over 50 years of serving beer and bar food to Cal football game-goers and celebrities alike (Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead among them). It’s unclear what will take its place. The Bear’s Lair was located at 2465 Bancroft Way #140 in Berkeley.

Crixa

05.08.25: After 25 years of serving small-batch chocolate cakes, peach raspberry pies and Hungarian kifli on Adeline St., Crixa Cakes has closed shop. An announcement from owners Elizabeth Kloian and Zoltan Der stated they won’t be renewing their lease, but hope to find another spot to reopen in the future. Their last day of business was May 10. Crixa was located at 2748 Adeline St. (between Stuart and Ward) in Berkeley.

Khana Peena

06.05.25: A longstanding favorite for Indian food in the East Bay, Khana Peena has closed its Solano Avenue location, a tipster told us. The Berkeley location’s website is no longer active and its Yelp page states it’s closed permanently. (The Oakland location on College Ave. is still open, and you can find the menu online.) Khana Peena was located at 1889 Solano Ave. (at The Alameda) in Berkeley.

Starbucks (Shattuck Ave.)

05.15.25: After a turbulent few years involving worker strikes and sudden, unplanned closures, Starbucks has shut its Shattuck Avenue location for good. The store has been listed as permanently closed on Yelp and Google. Starbucks was located at 2224 Shattuck Ave. (between Allston Way and Kittredge St.) in Berkeley.

Sushi California

05.08.25: Sushi California is calling it quits after 38 years in Berkeley. Known for its live music Wednesdays and Sundays, Sushi California served dependable Japanese fare including nigiri, sushi rolls and ramen. The SF Chronicle first reported the closure. Sushi California was located at 2033 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (at University Ave.) in Berkeley.

El Cerrito restaurant closure

Church’s Chicken (El Cerrito)

05.15.25: Another East Bay Church’s Chicken location has shuttered — this time in the city of El Cerrito. (Oakland’s Church’s Chicken closed its doors recently after failing a health inspection.) Church’s was located at 11575 San Pablo Ave. (at Cutting Blvd.) in El Cerrito.

Oakland restaurant closures

Brewja Coffee

05.15.25: Brewja Coffee’s Downtown Oakland location has permanently closed. A second location still operates in San Lorenzo. Brewja Coffee was located at 409 14th St. (at Franklin) in Oakland.

Phở Vy

05.15.25: Acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant Phở Vy, known for its comforting soups and Mexican-Vietnamese fusion, closed its doors on May 18. Owner Tuan Nguyen told KQED that he’s powering down to take care of elderly family members, but plans to expand service to catering and pop-ups are underway. For nine years, Phở Vy has served some of the East Bay’s most beloved soups, as well as bò kho tacos — a spin on quesabirria made with Vietnamese beef stew and topped with pickled vegetables typically put in bánh mì. Phở Vy was located at 401 International Blvd. in Oakland.

Pomella

05.25.25: The popular Israeli restaurant Pomella, known for its fresh Middle Eastern cuisine and its penchant for hosting community-oriented gatherings, closed on May 26. Owner Mica Talmor initially told the SF Chronicle that the business was “no longer viable,” citing slowing sales and the rising cost of ingredients.

From hosting Zumba classes on the patio, LGBT speed dating, and talks with peace activists in wake of the war in Gaza, Pomella was a true community gathering space that aimed not just to feed patrons, but to “fill your soul with a big hug.” Read more about Pomella’s closure and community impact in Nosh’s recently published feature article. Pomella was located at 3770 Piedmont Ave., Unit B, in Oakland.

Teta Nahla

05.08.25: Mohammad Abutaha, of Shawarmaji acclaim, is closing his most recent venture, Teta Nahla, after just seven months in business. In an Instagram video, Abutaha announced that the restaurant would close on May 9, but its spirited Jordanian-Palestinian comfort foods will live on through its catering program. “We’re spread a little too thin between the two Shawarmaji restaurants,” he relayed, adding that he hopes to reopen Teta Nahla in the future. Teta Nahla was located at 2123 Franklin St. in Oakland.

The Well

05.25.25: The Well, née Shakewell, has closed its doors for good. Owner Soroush Ghaderi, who bought the previous restaurant Shakewell in 2023, said in an email that he initiated Shakewell’s rebrand to The Well in hopes of igniting a casual neighborhood joint.

“The food at Shakewell was amazing, the restaurant had a great vibe, but a change was necessary,” he said in an email, citing sluggish post-pandemic sales. The Well opened in January, offering jazz nights and a budget-friendly menu in hopes of drawing bigger crowds, but the restaurant continued to operate at a loss.

“After working 17-hour days for almost two years and losing money, I hit burnout,” he said. “Shakewell/The Well was an amazing experience. The staff was amazing, the food was top notch, but burnout was real. In the beginning of May, I decided it was time to close, and staff agreed.” May 10th was The Well’s last day. The Well was located at 3407 Lakeshore Ave. in Oakland.

Walnut Creek restaurant closing

Walnut Creek Yacht Club

05.15.25: After nearly three decades of serving steamers, prawn cocktails and loaded clam chowders, Walnut Creek Yacht Club has sailed into the sunset. Owners Ellen McCarty and Kevin Weinberg announced the closure on the restaurant’s website.

“After long and thoughtful consideration, we have made the decision to close Walnut Creek Yacht Club, and set sail on the next challenge of our lives — retirement,” they wrote. “We have talked with others who wished to keep WCYC sailing, but this craft was built with our blood, sweat, and tears, and we knew that if someone else took the helm, she might not weather any new storms that could come her way. To preserve her legacy and ensure that everyone could remember her as she was, we decided it was best to sail her into port and tie her safely to the dock.” Walnut Creek Yacht Club was located at 555 Bonanza St. in Walnut Creek.