I would say New York, and Tokyo are a must! For anything to everything your heart contents.

London, LA, Las Vegas, and Hong Kong to me has a lot of great places but I never get that fulfillment or satisfaction. It may fill you up but never takes you over the edge to wanting to go back for more. Usually just a meh factor for me.

Paris? Everyone said it before me :D

I am surprised there are not more votes for places in Italy and Thailand... both countries have amazing food...

- Bangkok - you can find amazing food even in the food courts in the shopping malls!
- Chang Mai - It helps to have a local guide (my wife speaks Thai so we got hooked up)
- Florence - It seems like everything I ate there was amazing... can't go wrong with bisteka florentina!
- Singapore - I agree with most that the food variety is pretty amazing, and it's about the only thing that is affordable there.. besides who does not like chili crab?
- Ipoh - I think the best food in Malaysia is in Ipoh... I hear that people drive in from KL or Penang on the weekends to eat there...
- LA - another vote for LA ... you can find amazing food along the entire spectrum, from amazing fine dining to amazing hole in the wall places.
- Las Vegas - We don't gamble so when we go there all we do is eat for a few days straight... Vegas has an amazing variety...

Another addition - not the single best place but definitely one to add to a foodie itinerary: Lima, Peru. Just moved here a few months ago and am thoroughly enjoying myself, especially the seafood options.

And as an Italian, the local approach to food (as an integral part of culture) is something that I have only really found in China, Thailand and France (feel free to disagree).

With an attitude like that, I'm not surprised they pissed in your food.

True, but in France smaller portions ;)

region/sub-continent: southeast asia
country: spain
city: probably tokyo... but this one can go many ways
american city: chicago

most overrated: well covered, but its france / paris.
also overrated: while i still generally like italy, its quite overrated
most underrated: turkish

singapore is mighty fine but its a coinflip with malaysia or hk

Best in the world, Tokyo gets my vote.

Best in the U.S., in this order: Chicago, San Francisco

I'm surprised that Las Vegas hasn't been mentioned more. It's not just cheap buffets anymore (although I am a sucker for a good buffet and deep fried oreos).

For me, it's among Tokyo, Hong Kong, Cape Town, Lima, San Francisco, New York, or Copenhagen. There is no such thing as the best city overall IMO ...just the best for a particular taste or for a particular moment in time.

I go there fairly often, and I just don't see great food. Good, yes. But not great.

It's where every excellent chef has their third or fifth restaurant; not their first. Their hearts aren't in those locations; the restaurants care too much about overpriced alcohol.

They have gone several notches above the cheap buffets, but still nothing groundbreaking or unusual or intense. Raku is the closest.

There's truth to your statement. But I went with Tokyo because they do so many different foods and tastes so very well there. I just haven't experienced many cities like it that have both the quality and the variety.
It's one of the reasons I'd never list Paris, which is very good but IME doesn't cover the world cuisines as well as Tokyo.

Is the question about fancy restaurants run by famous chefs? Then Las Vegas.
Is the question about the foodie experience? Then Copenhagen.
Is the question about cultures that centralize the proper preparation of food at all levels of cuisine, home cooking to 3-star? Then Italy, France, Japan. Any city or village in these countries should present you with world class opportunities.
Imo....

Seven culinary capitals?

Gwangju, Korea - Really the best of Korean ingredients & cooking, beyond anything you'd find in Seoul or elsewhere on the peninsula

Osaka, Japan - "mokkarimakka": Steady high quality from greasy spoon okonomiyaki and takoyaki to Kaiseki fugu dishes

Hong Kong - Apart from the Communist Party canteens on the Mainland the only place in China to find reliably sourced ingredients without health risks and the highest skill sets in various Chinese style cooking

Cologne, Germany - Sometimes better Italian food than in Italy, better Turkish than in Turkey, local hearty specialities and the wonderful "Le Moissonier" for the ultimate French bistro experience

London - For keeping up the great traditions like English butchers breakfast, Anglo-Italian sandwiches for lunch or fish & chips takeaway for dinner. And the best Chinese/Cantonese, Indian/Pakistani and Israeli/Jewish restaurants in Europe.

Dalian, China - Several cities along Bohai Bay have a great culinary tradition, but this former spiky clean colony of Bo Xilai, now imprisoned for attempting a coup, has the best grilled fish in all of China and sold at street stalls. Sit down, sip local brews straight from the bottle and enjoy a great, unique meal

Unidentified shopping mall, X state, USA - It never ceases to surprise me how many hidden gems of restaurants there are in the strip malls on the new continent. Wine bars that rival any in Europe, seafood temples at par with the best Japanese or Korean, BBQ joints without comparison etc.

London and New York, there is just something for everyone, from cheap to the best fine dining

Only thing London lacks is street food

I've been to several places in China including Dailian and agree some great fresh food to be had. Food in China really can be amazing, so different to 'western chinese food'. You get used to the big tanks full of fish and seafood after a while, you know your getting fresh :)

The best food will be from Tokyo