Woodie Fisher

The restaurant built into the transformed Hose Company No. 1 building downtown got off to a rocky start in late spring, parting ways with its opening chef and going into an extended soft-opening mode until a replacement could take over. But Franco Ruiz is no second-stringer; he came to the restaurant after six years at Fruition, where he had built up an understanding of Colorado's small farms and ranches — and a Rolodex to go with it. Ruiz turned things around with a menu of regional American dishes with a little Mediterranean flair, all highlighted with seasonal produce and top-quality meats. The gorgeous space, with its vaulted glass ceiling and retro-chic decor, now has beautiful food to match.