Stockholm

Stockholm's restaurant scene is closing in fast on its great rival, Copenhagen, which reigns supreme as Scandinavia's gastronomic capital. After the Swedes spent years importing cuisines from around the globe, husmanskost (Swedish home cooking) has shrugged off its inferiority complex and New Nordic cuisine is all the rage. Stockholm's chefs have an abundance of talent and are determined to show that traditional ingredients such as pork, fish, berries, and game are no obstacle when it comes to creating a dazzling meal. The only thing still holding the city back is its patrons: Unlike the out-every-night Danes, Stockholmers tend to stay home during the week and hit the town on the weekends.

For a spectacular night out, head to Grill for, well, something grilled; Lux for modern Scandinavian food; or the Opera House and Wärdshuset Ulla Windbladh for more traditional dishes. You'll also find many excellent—and inexpensive—Italian and Thai restaurants, and there's been a French bistro boom of late. You will, however, be hard-pressed to track down decent Indian or Mexican food, and vegetarians often find their options sorely limited. Local seafood is superlative, although sushi tends to be underwhelming (surprisingly, considering how fresh the fish is). If you're not sure what you're in the mood to eat, there are a couple of great restaurant streets in town, so head there: Scheelegatan on Kungsholmen island and Rörstrandsgatan in the Vasastan district are both packed with places to eat and drink and are a pleasure to explore. Since they're outside the city center, you'll be surrounded by locals as soon as nearby offices start to empty.