Apicius

A Michelin star hides on the first floor of the Saint-Pierre market. At the helm is Arkadiusz Zuchmanski, a Polish chef turned Auvergnat, who has run the restaurant since 2007 and won the star in 2010.

The cooking starts from the ingredient and never lets go of it: Auvergne terroir, small producers, herbs and peppercorns sometimes picked by hand. You come across a foie gras lifted with wild pepper, veal sweetbreads with truffled parsnip, pared-back plates where nothing is there by chance. The wine list gives pride of place to Saint-Pourçain and Côtes d'Auvergne.

As for the dining room, forget the starched tablecloth: pared-back decor, small flexible rooms seating 2 to 14, a tree-shaded terrace in fine weather. Expect around €65 for the lunch menu (served Wednesday, Friday and Saturday lunchtime), €130 to 160 for the evening menus (check prices when you book). Book three to four weeks ahead, smart dress expected.

Our take, frankly: lunch remains the smartest way in to taste this cooking without blowing the budget. You leave with a clear idea of what ‘a starred restaurant in Clermont’ means.