Tom Douglas to permanently close two South Lake Union restaurants this month

Seattle's food scene is taking another hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Tom Douglas is permanently closing two restaurants in his Emerald City empire.

Douglas announced Monday that South Lake Union's Brave Horse Tavern and Trattoria Cuoco will closed permanently on July 15. Both restaurants temporarily shuttered in March, and neither location was offering food pickup or delivery.

"Many factors weighed into the determination, but in the end, it is the appropriate choice for our business," Douglas said in a statement.

Known for gourmet pub grub, dozens of craft brews and shuffleboards, Brave Horse was a popular after-work hangout spot. Cuoco's hand-crafted pasta dishes were also acclaimed by local foodies.

Being in the tech-centric South Lake Union neighborhood, both restaurants took big hits to business with workers telecommuting. Many companies like Amazon and Facebook plan to continue telecommuting into the fall, creating more uncertainty for businesses in the neighborhood.

All of Douglas's other downtown eateries remained temporarily closed, but Serious Takeout in Ballard has reopened if you need your pizza fix.

Brave Horse and Cuoco aren't the only beloved establishments closing their doors permanently due to the pandemic. Popular Capitol Hill watering hole Bill's Off Broadway closed in late June, and Washington's last Steamer Seafood Cafe in Tacoma will close in 2021 after four decades of serving up Pacific Northwest favorites like beer-battered halibut.

MORE SEATTLE FOOD NEWS:

• Washington’s acclaimed Mark Ryan Winery opens tasting room in Walla Walla
• Beloved Pike Brewing co-founder, Rose Ann Finkel, dies at age 73
• Fremont Brewing reopens following COVID-19 temporary closure
• Pandemic etiquette: 15 tips for dining in Seattle
• After more than 45 years, Tacoma's Steamers Seafood Cafe to close