Spain

Spain is less one cuisine than a collection of fiercely local ones. The Basque Country grills over oak and turns bar counters into galleries of pintxos. Catalonia pairs sea and mountain on the same plate. Valencia guards the rules of paella, and Andalusia fries fish so lightly it barely touches the oil.

The pantry is the envy of Europe: jamón ibérico from acorn-fed pigs, olive oil from groves older than most cities, saffron, smoked paprika, and wines that run from Rioja’s Tempranillo to the sherries of Jerez and the cava of the Penedès.

Meals here are social by design. Lunch is the main event, dinner starts late, and the best moments happen standing at a crowded bar with a small plate in one hand and a glass in the other.