Chef Travis Kukull and Epic Ales owner Cody Morris are shutting down Gastropod to focus on their new restaurant, Mollusk, in South Lake Union.
Chef Travis Kukull and Epic Ales owner Cody Morris are shutting down Gastropod and Epic Ales to focus on their new restaurant, Mollusk, in South Lake Union. Beth Crook

Gastropod and Epic Ales Are Shutting Down
Cody Morris and Travis Kukull, owners of Sodo’s Epic Ales brewery and Gastropod restaurant, announced yesterday that they are closing down both businesses on Friday, September 11.

In a series of tweets, Morris explained: “Over the last week Travis and I had to make one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever had to. We are shutting down Gastropod and Epic Ales. With Mollusk on line to open in mid-to-late October, we realized if we split our focus we couldn’t perform at the level we want. Our last day will be Friday, September 11th. It's been a wonderful experience and we hope this'll give folks a chance to say goodbye."

Mollusk, a 5,000-square-foot space currently under construction in South Lake Union, will house a much larger brewing operation for Epic’s expanded line of pilsners, pale ales, and IPAs, and serve a rotating menu of Southeast Asian curries.

While it’s understandable that Morris and Kukull want to focus on their new project, this news makes me sad. The Sodo operations are wonderfully tiny and idiosyncratic—Kukull’s diversely flavored food and Morris’s funky, farmhouse-style ales are wild and experimental, and the physical space feels particularly special because it's tucked away in an industrial neighborhood. For South Seatle to lose a gem to bright, shiny, and techie-filled South Lake Union hurts a little, though I’m hopeful the owners can retain some of the same spirit and feel at Mollusk.

In the meantime, you have just under a month to enjoy Gastropod. Go!

Entre Amis Has Closed, Will Be Replaced by Eden Hill
Just four months after opening, Queen Anne's French bistro Entre Amis (which Seattle Times critic Providence Cicero awarded two-and-a-half stars just last month) suddenly closed its doors last week. Owner Benjamin Bernard-Luneau had to return to France for personal reasons and ceased all restaurant operations.

According to Eater Seattle, the space likely won't sit idle for long. Austin chef Maximillian Petty, who grew up in Seattle, hopes to open Eden Hill, serving "avant-garde New American small plates," there by the end of the month.