Barcelona

Considering its hip image as a young people's paradise, Barcelona may seem an odd choice among other great restaurant cities. But in addition to a vibrant food culture of its own—from the restaurants and cafes lining Las Ramblas to the seafood restaurants along the Barceloneta docks—this sensuous city has been the epicenter for New Spanish Cuisine, which has had tremendous influence on the rest of Europe's and America's culinary leanings. Cutting-edge restaurants like Abac, Evo and Comerç 24 coexist with classics like El Racó d'en Freixa and Drolma; international incomers include Kansas (inexplicably Italian), Samoa (a pizzeria), Brasserie Flo (an import from Paris), Hippopotamus (a grill), Chihuahua (Mexican) and Eljaponés (Japanese).