As a website designer (and a bit of a foodie), I notice good (and bad) restaurant websites every week. I love to support local businesses, but I hate seeing some of the websites that are out there, knowing they might be hurting business. So, if you’re a restaurant owner and have been thinking about re-doing your website, here’s some inspiration!
What makes a good restaurant website?
As I was putting together this list of good restaurant websites, there were a few things I was specifically looking for:
How does the design look? As a web designer, this is pretty much the first thing that catches my attention. How do they use their brand color palette, how is the organization (especially when it comes to menus), do they have good food photos, and so on. I’ll be covering some of these principles with the examples below.
How well does it function? I’m a big believer that form is usually more important than function. With websites, design is not the ONLY goal. Does the website load fast? Is the text legible? Can we actually see the menu and read it easily? Functionality is key to convert website visitors into customers.
Does it make sense? A big mistake I see in a lot of restaurant websites is people being too vague in their copy and it’s hard to find their location. To capture the visitor’s attention, we need the site to be engaging and clear. This usually comes down to clear messaging and copy, but also layout.
15 examples of great restaurant websites
FYI, these are in NO particular order! If you’re interested in getting your own website re-done (or built from scratch), I’d love to design a website for you, or help you show up in more local Google searches!
Mujō Atlanta, Sushi Restaurant
Mujō is an intimate and modern sushi restaurant, and they have a fantastic website that conveys that well. The style of their images and the simplicity of their website elevates their brand. There is something about having a single object in an image that gives such a luxurious feel.
Website: Mujō Atlanta
BoccaLupo, Italian Restaurant
BoccaLupo is a neighborhood Italian restaurant with a unique menu of handmade dishes. Their website is simple, but fun, and shows their casual vibe. It can be hard to capture the personality of a restaurant, especially Italian restaurants that typically lean towards fancy. Having their contact info and hours at the top is great for users!
Website: BoccaLupo
Delbar, Middle Eastern Restaurant
Delbar’s restaurant is full of personality and texture, which actually matches their interior decor pretty well. Many people overlook this connection from the online to the in-person experience, but it really adds to the overall experience, and can even elevate your brand.
Website: Delbar
Folk, Pizzeria
Folk’s home page of their website is so fun, yet clear and informative. The progressive picture tiles, along with the large headings, help inform people what they serve. As an added bonus, when people click on each heading, it takes them directly to that menu. Love it!
Website: Folk
Redheaded Stranger, Tex-Mex Restaurant
If you want a restaurant that screams fun and personality, this is where to start! Redheaded Stranger incorporates scrolling text, texture, and GIFs without overwhelming the user. Again, large display of their address right at the top is great for the users!
Website: Redheaded Stranger
Butcher & Bee, Mediterranean Restaurant
This list wouldn’t be complete without highlighting Butcher & Bee’s website. Beautiful imagery is the highlight of this website, but they used it in such a way that keeps the site engaging, instead of resorting to another slideshow. There’s texture, all the info you need, and a fun layout that makes the site enjoyable to be on. A+ all around!
Website: Butcher & Bee
BARCA, Wine Bar Restaurant
BARCA’s website layout is not a common one, but it’s one that works! They use photos on the left (that rotate through photos of their menu), and all information is on the right. I wanted to include this design because it’s unique without being too far “out there” that it would confuse people.
Website: BARCA Pier and Wine Bar
The Antler Room, New American Restaurant
It was impossible to get a great screenshot of this design, but I loved the “funkiness” of this website. And by the sounds of it, the design and personality of this website match their menu, too! I love that they have quicklinks to their different food and drink menus on the Home page.
Website: The Antler Room
Ari Korean BBQ Restaurant
As a fan of Korean BBQ myself, this website stood out to me right away. The way they display the meat and bowls in this banner mimics how customers have food at their table! (Technically, it’s not usually bowls of raw meat… but that’s beside the point.) The website is fun and interesting, without being TOO over the top.
Website: Ari Korean BBQ
Strange Taco Bar Restaurant
Rounding out this post with this colorful taco restaurant! It’s bright, fun, and easy to navigate. The photos being bright and fun adds to this vibe. You can’t see it in the screenshot, but they also have a lower navigation bar that sits at the bottom of the screen, which I also loved.
Website: Strange Taco Bar
Thinking about a restaurant website redesign?
I’d love to help you create a restaurant website that perfectly reflects you as a business, and helps you grow. You can check out my portfolio, or my client testimonials.
