Hugo Brunch opened its doors in Bridel 3 months ago and has already won over many customers. With a delicious brunch menu with Greek influences, an attentive and smiling owner and a carefully decorated interior where everyone feels welcome, everything is there to ensure you have a great time.
From a team of 4 to 10 people in 3 months
Ioanna, the owner, and her husband George, both from Athens, have been living in Luxembourg for 6 years. “I’d always wanted to open my own café, I was bubbling over with ideas, and it was thanks to George and his support that I took the plunge” she tells us with an infectious smile. It is on the ground floor of a huge house, which for the last 5 years has housed George’s fitness studio (still in place on the 1st and 2nd floors), that Ioanna launched her great café project.
It was then essential for her to find the right chef to make her dreams come true. It is the former chef of the Pop-Up Hertz, also from Greece, who officiates in the kitchen. “There were 4 of us at the start and now we are a team 10″, enthuses the owner. It has to be said that the café is open every day, so the staff work one shift after another, and reservations (only necessary on weekends, to avoid disappointment on arrival) are fully booked for the next few weeks.
Greek flavours on the plate
On the menu: brunch classics like eggs Benedict, avocado toast and Mexican-style sweet potato. “But every month we add special dishes with Greek influences” explains the owner.
We tried the Spanakopita salad, in homage to the famous filo pie filled with spinach and feta, eaten all over Greece. “For summer, we’ve made it into a salad for extra freshness!” told us Ioanna. We loved the lemony mint and basil vinaigrette, and a filo puff pastry that you have to break down and mix well before eating, “so that you get every ingredient in every bite, just like the tart”. Another favourite is the Kagianas, a dish made with tomatoes, peppers, egg and feta cheese. The portions are generous, “just like in Greece” as said by Ioanna.
Not to forget to mention a really good coffee, also from Greece, from a well-know coffee roaster “Nine Grams”. “I used to work for them when I was a student in Greece, and I always said that I would serve their coffee in my dream café” confided Ioanna.
Sweet treats without the calories
In addition to the menu prepared by the chefs, Hugo Brunch offers a wide range of bars from the Greek brand Fystiki Shop. “These bars are delicious and healthy! They’re all gluten-free, sugar-free and some are also guaranteed lactose-free” told us Ioanna. Pistachios, dates, peanuts, figs with chocolate, caramel – the choice is yours. Jams, peanut butter and tahini from Greece are also available for purchase. Not forgetting 4 flavors of ice cream, also Greek, vegan and sugar-free.
Loyal customers and homey vibes
“We already have regular customers, some of whom bring their families every weekend – it’s incredible” says Ioanna with a smile. “It was essential for me to create a place where the food is good, as I love it, but where the atmosphere is also different”. Wooden furniture, terracotta walls and rattan mirrors create a warm interior. A second room has been designed with a corner for the little ones, so parents can enjoy brunch in peace and quiet. Throughout the summer, customers can enjoy a brunch on one of the round tables on the wooden terrace.
By the way, for dog lovers out there, Hugo is the owners’ French bulldog (seen on the café logo), and if you ask Ioanna and George, they’ll be happy to introduce you to him!
Hugo Brunch
89 rue de Luxembourg, L-8190 Bridel Kopstal
