It was the end of an era of outrageously good food when Carbondale’s Restaurant Six89 closed its doors this past October. It was time to “go out on top of our game,” says Mark Fischer, chef-owner of what many locals regarded as the best dining room in the entire valley since virtually the day it opened thirteen years ago. Along the way, Fischer pioneered farm-to-table cooking, partnering with farmers and ranchers at a time when few people thought anything besides cows could be raised locally. He also garnered all sorts of national acclaim, including several James Beard Award nominations.

The good news is that Fischer is planning to open a new restaurant next spring, in the modern space across Main Street that used to house Hestia. Meanwhile, Fischer’s fan club can content themselves at his other local dining spots, Phat Thai in Carbondale and the much-acclaimed Pullman in Glenwood Springs.