Let’s continue our tour of Lyon’s finest restaurants with a new address that is full of character and history. It recalls the authenticity of Brasserie Georges, with the only difference being that the premises are 100 times smaller! Right in the center of Lyon, on Rue Pizay, this tiny establishment has everything a large one has: sharing and passing on traditions, two words that alone characterize the small world of Chez Hugon.
Chez Hugon, a Lyon institution for all generations
© Lyon cuisine with Jean-Luc Petitrenaud – 1997
Just like the Café des Fédérations, this place is quite simply an institution. It would be impossible to mention it without talking about Arlette (Mère Hugon), queen of the establishment between 1985 and 2023, who, along with her husband Henri, worked tirelessly. In nearly 40 years behind the stove, this Lyonese mother served chicken with vinegar, freshly baked quenelles, and, of course, chicken liver cake, the house specialty… Because here, it’s all about culinary heritage at its finest. Quite simply, the place exudes gastronomy. On the plate and off. Small without being cramped, noisy without being deafening, decorated without being cliché. A 100% bouchon just the way we like it.
This bouchon restaurant was featured on Jean-Luc Petitrenaud’s TV show in August 1997 on Lyon cuisine. A cult moment in television that will have you licking your fingers. Arlette, the last Lyon mother? Not quite. At Hugon’s, tradition has a future!
©INA
At Hugon today? Renewal without changing anything
As we all know, old pots make the best jam… at least that’s the saying that the two new owners have in mind. Paola and Fatima make a great pair in this small but wonderful establishment. There’s no question of adding neon lights under the bar or offering menus via a QR code: here, the coffee maker sings in a hubbub where the comings and goings set the pace for the time spent at the table. The stoves are always running at full speed and haven’t changed their location or appearance, hidden behind a glass partition adjoining the dining room to whet our appetite even before we’re served.
©Trip Advisor
Meurette eggs or terrines as starters, quenelles,chicken in vinegar, chicken liver cake… a word of advice: prepare your stomach before crossing the threshold because, first of all, you’ll want to try everything, and secondly, the portions are extremely generous. Save a little room for the praline tart, which is simply to die for . The only downside? It’s closed on Saturdays and Sundays!