No one in this slightly down-at-heel corner of the 14th arrondissement has heard of a vegetarian diet. No soya smoothies or baby leaf salads at Severo – here it's all about well-bred meat selected by former butcher William Bernet and his partner Hugo Desnoyer, who supplies both high-end restarants and neighbourhood bistros like this one, where time seems to have stopped in the last century. There are a few wooden tables, an open kitchen behind a zinc bar, jolly clients and the owner, making his rounds of the tables with a red lipstick kiss on his cheek.
On the menu, all sorts of piggy things to begin with, then mostly beef, in all its forms from a modest steak haché with chips or green beans (€15) to the bloody entrecôte (€38). Look out for the excellent andouillette sausage, with its enticing smell. The meat also deserves to be tried raw, in a steak tartare – here, the naturally fatty meat is minimally seasoned: no egg, no spice, but just an edge of capers and shallots. The quality of the meat, soft and full of flavour, is top notch, and the chips – often neglected elsewhere – also stand out, set to one side in their own bowl.
Among the nursery-style desserts on offer, avoid the lumpy and disappointing chocolate mousse – instead, go for the crème caramel or a lovely plum tart.
This restaurant serves one of Time Out's 50 best dishes in Paris. Click here to see the full list.