180 Queen Street W.

Tel: 416-977-6400

Chef David Lee and front-of-house man Yannick Bigourdan have owned Toronto's fine dining scene since taking over the much-touted Splendido in 2001. Now the duo has teamed up with Splendido's founder, Franco Prevedello, to open Nota Bene, a stylish, playful space where underground scenesters meet the opera house crowd. The design channels Danish modernism by way of Tokyo: a long teak bar, dark woods, crisp lines, and accent lighting. Lee's dishes are richly satisfying: Maple-spiked butternut squash soup tastes like fall distilled, while sumptuous braised short ribs come with a piquant cucumber, cornichon, and horseradish salad. The service is polished and assured—the kind you'd expect with meals three times as expensive.
Tip: Power brokers opt for the 60-day dry-aged steak from Lee's private stock. (entrées, $15–$72).