Oak & Reel to Welcome New Underground Cocktail bar This Friday

Oak & Reel, the Milwaukee Junction Italian seafood restaurant, is gearing up to launch The Upright, a cozy bar and lounge situated beneath the restaurant to serve as a spot where diners can top off dinner with a night cap. Guests will be able to enjoy cocktails, designed by bar manager Jacob Feitler, and small plates like bolognese arancini, and cacio e pepe pasta fritti — crispy pasta bites with parmesan and pepper. The Upright opens Friday, Sept, 30 at 7 p.m., and will be open 7 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Tables are first come, first served, and reservations can be made for parties of 6 or more by calling 313-270-9600. Oak & Reel flung open its doors in September 2020, bringing exceptional seafood to east Grand Boulevard. Chef and co-owner Jared Gadbaw, a Michigan native, developed his knowledge of Italian seafood while at a two Michelin-starred New York restaurant before returning back to the Great Lakes region to establish his own spot, which upon opening during a spike in COVID-19 cases, provided customers with high-end pantry staples and groceries. The restaurant went on to be recognized in the 2021 Eater Awards for Detroit for best new special occasion restaurant. The restaurant joins Freya nearby and Savannah Blue downtown in developing an adjoining cocktail bar where diners can enjoy an after-dinner drinking option. Freya’s Dragonfly includes low and no alcohol options and Savannah Blue’s Willow speakeasy incorporates the flavors of the African diaspora in its menu. Good Cakes and Bakes expands The bakery will use the new space for a commercial kitchen, office, fulfillment center, and community baking classes Good Cakes & Bakes, the beloved bakery on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion, has plans to open a second location — complete with a commercial kitchen, fulfillment center, and space for classes — inside a formerly abandoned 5,600-square-foot building. According to the Metro Times, the new development will provide an area to accommodate baking classes, an offering frequently in demand among customers. In addition, the extra square footage will help owners April and Michelle Anderson expand its wholesale capabilities.