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Last Updated October 15 2023
Every part of a great restaurant website should communicate what the brand and dining experience are all about.
Mouthwatering food shots are important, but so are color schemes and font choices—bright colors might be appropriate for a juice bar, while dark colors might be the right look for your steakhouse.
And, of course, don’t forget why online visitors come to the website in the first place. They want to see the menu, find directions, order online, or reserve a table, among other things. Make it easy for them to achieve these goals.
Read my tutorial on Creating Excellent Restaurant Websites for more info!
Aquarius Restaurant is a high-end seafood and grill venue situated on the picturesque banks of the Georges River. Offering both lunch and dinner options, it promises a delectable experience for seafood lovers.
The website employs a minimalist yet effective design, emphasizing visual aesthetics. The monochromatic color palette with hints of gold exudes luxury, while high-resolution images of their seafood dishes stimulate appetite. The layout is intuitively structured, with clear menu options and booking information easily accessible.
Tacos Poncitlan combines Mexican flavors with Poncitlan cooking style. Their recipes, honed over 38 years, are a blend of cross-border family traditions and ingredients, offering a unique taste experience. Obviously, Tacos are their main thing, but they also make burritos, quesadillas, and nachos.
From what I can see on the website, their tacos are delicious! And that, I guess, is a testament to the website getting the job done.
The website has it all: detailed menus, great branding with all the taco-styled buttons and yellow colors, an online ordering system, a contact form for catering, an embedded map + address information at the right place, etc.
But it’s their photos at every corner of the website that makes the mouth water — you can’t escape them: the homepage, the menu page, the ‘About’ page, even the ‘Catering’ page, and of course the gallery has well-shot photos…lots of them. You’d think that’d be overwhelming, but nope — every page and photo pulls you to visit the place!
One minor issue I found: The categories ‘Tacos,’ ‘Breakfast,’ and ‘Plate’ under the ‘Our Menu’ section at the top of the homepage seem clickable but aren’t. Instead, there’s a “See Full Menu” button below it. Ideally, if something seems clickable, it should be.
Located on King Street in New York City, the King Restaurant features a casual vibe with a menu reflecting flavors of Italy and France. The menu changes daily, and they focus on making customers feel right at home.
The King website immediately communicates an upscale, chic, and urban dining experience. The prominently featured interior shot showcases a well-lit, spacious bar area, indicating a modern and comfortable ambiance.
The website is easy to navigate, with clear sections for menus, reservations, shops, and celebrations. Important information such as location and hours is marked.
A great restaurant website is all about the photography — and I love the eye-catching splash photo on this homepage. It’s inviting and calm. Bull & Last includes everything you might need on a modern restaurant website: online ordering, drink menu, lunch menu, dinner menu and a clear reservations call to action.
Located in LA’s ‘Little Ethiopia’, Meals by Genet offers a tantalizing taste of traditional Ethiopian cuisine.
The website is characterized by its warm, inviting feel with a combination of authentic visuals and a simple layout. Highlighted by Genet’s personal touch showcased in the imagery, the design is clean, placing emphasis on the culinary journey.
The interactive “Ready to order?” prompt at the bottom beckons users to engage, emphasizing user-friendly navigation and functionality.
The Rare Bird Rooftop Bar currently has two locations, one in Nashville and the other in Denver. Both boast a trendy atmosphere with beautiful scenery and delicious menu.
The restaurant has a modern, upscale design with a chic rooftop bar. High-quality images of drinks and food create visual appeal, and warm colors create a cozy atmosphere. Visitors can easily find locations, contact information, hours, and the menu.
Streetbird is a vibrant and fun establishment focusing on flavorful chicken dishes. The Ethiopian-Swedish, James Beard Award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson is the face of this establishment. The website excellently showcases him alongside food wherever it can, including the hero section.
Besides, the site has a bold and lively design, utilizing strong contrasting colors and playful graphics. The emphasis is on creating a strong brand identity, reflected in the merchandise and energetic visuals.
Steelbird has many locations, and you can visit the website of each from the links in the ‘locations’ section of this website. Similarly, the Marcus Samuelsson Group has many restaurants, and all websites’ footers link to all other establishments, which is good for both discovery and SEO.
Bandits is a restaurant and bar located in New York. It prides itself on cold beer and popular cocktails complete with traditional bar food.
Sawmill Brewery’s Smoko Room serves locally sourced dishes and has indoor dining reservations, group event bookings, and special offerings like “The Happiest of Hours” and “BYO Wine Monday” to enhance visitor experience.
This is a mature, sophisticated restaurant website with rich interiors. It has amazing images and a calming dark color scheme. It includes contact info, let’s you order online and purchase gift cards. This is one of the best restaurant websites on this list!
Loro is a popular Asian steakhouse in Austin known for, as they put it, “Smoked meats, boozy slushees, rad veggies, and chill vibes.” They also have two locations in Dallas, one in Houston, and another Houston location coming soon.
The combination of visual appeal, user-friendly design, clear and concise information, and customer testimonials makes the website effective in conveying the restaurant’s brand and offerings.
No doubt, this is a professionally done website by top-notch web designers & developers.
As you see on the home page of the website, Fat Choy is located in New York and mixes Chinese and Vegan flavors. They offer dine in, carry out and outdoor dining options for their customer base.
Farmacy is a design example of how to communicate a restaurant’s story. They make it clear that this is a farm to table restaurant with bright imagery and photography that spans the farm to the dining room.
This catches the visitor’s attention right off the bat with a beautiful piece of steak — important for a steakhouse. This website includes an online ordering system and is a pretty solid restaurant website design.
Cafecito is a family-owned coffee house at The Trailhead. They serve Italian-style coffee drinks, Argentinian tea (called Mate), and other Armenian, Argentinian & Italian dishes.
The café’s website is both beautiful and functional. On the design end, it features excellent food photography, a soothing color palette, and nice font. On the functional side, the site has clear navigation, proper CTAs, and well-structured pages.
Blue Dog’s website is quite obvious (obvious = user-friendly). The homepage gives three options: Eat, Drink, and Visit. ‘Eat’ will show the food menu, ‘Drink’ opens the drinks menu page, and ‘Visit’ gets you to the directions & timings page. The on-hover background image change also helps with the obviousness.
The obviousness is worth having for any website, including your restaurant website, but it’s the gallery page of Blue Dog that’s the most inspirational. It has well-shot images showcased in a big, two-column layout—something you might want to consider for your site:
Dhamaka is a culinary delight offering an explosive taste of Indian dishes. Known for its unapologetic and authentic flavors, the restaurant is a journey through the diverse landscapes of India through food.
It’s so popular that you must reserve your table days in advance, especially for some specialty items. Therefore, the emphasis on the Resy “Book Now” button is evident.
On the design side, the website has an explosive red palette, reflecting the fiery essence of the restaurant’s dishes. The seamless layout beautifully showcases their dishes above the fold. Next in the visual hierarchy are their menus for brunch, dinner, beverages, and desserts. And last is an impressive display of accolades from reputed publications (like #1 Restaurant of 2021 in The New York Times Top 10 New Restaurants of 2021).
All in all, it seems like a one-page website that does its job.
Murray’s Cheese Bar is a specialized eatery in Long Island City that celebrates the decadent pleasures of cheese.
The website boasts a clean design with high-quality images that draw visitors into the cheesy experience. The blend of close-ups of dishes and ambient shots of the restaurant provides a comprehensive view of what customers can expect.
Yang’s Place presents an authentic culinary experience, weaving rich traditions of Chinese flavors. This family-run restaurant takes pride in its years of gastronomic expertise, offering a taste of Chinese fine fare.
The website embodies elegance with its tranquil color palette and delicate illustrations of traditional Chinese elements. The use of high-quality food imagery stimulates the appetite, while the clean layout ensures easy navigation. The design speaks to both tradition and modernity, inviting users to explore further.
District Café is a great spot for coffee in the morning or a quick bite to eat. It’s located in the heart of downtown, making it convenient for those who work in the area. The café website also has a selection of pastries and baked goods. District Café is a casual spot that is perfect for meeting up with friends or grabbing a treat on the go.
The website has beautiful professionally shot pictures, all essential information, and an excellent (not PDF) web-formatted menu.
Mighty Fine is a vibrant burger joint that prides itself on offering top-notch burgers, sandwiches, and shakes. Their ethos revolves around the distinction between merely good and genuinely “mighty fine” food.
The website utilizes crisp, clear photos to showcase its food and ambiance. The dominant burger image immediately grabs attention, while photos of their locations and branded items add a touch of authenticity and brand personality. The color scheme of red, white, and yellow echoes the classic fast-food ambiance, while modern functionalities like online ordering and feedback forms prioritize user convenience.
Neptune’s Taphouse & Eatery is a coastal haven, providing patrons with a delightful fusion of surf and turf dishes. Whether one is looking for a casual lunch or a special dinner, Neptune’s is a choice destination.
The website dazzles with its beachy vibes and pastel color schemes, echoing the coastal theme perfectly. Vibrant food photos pop against the backdrop, enticing users with mouth-watering visuals. A clear call-to-action for online ordering and seating adds to the website’s user-friendliness.
Fiola by acclaimed chef Fabio Trabocchi is a Michelin-starred restaurant epitomizing culinary excellence paired with farm-fresh ingredients.
The website design exudes sophistication, leveraging a minimalist aesthetic punctuated by high-quality images of dishes, the establishment, and the chef. Its luxurious palette and clean lines, combined with easily accessible information sections, ensure visitors get a full taste of what Fiola has to offer, both in cuisine and ambiance.
Sarma is a lively restaurant and bar, mirroring Turkey’s traditional meyhanes with a menu of shareable small plates (meze), paired well with their array of drinks. While rooted in Mediterranean flavors, Chef Cassie adds a unique twist based on her diverse culinary encounters, aiming for a blend of the familiar and novel in their offerings.
A slideshow of full-screen photos in the hero section beautifully showcases the vibe, culture, and food of Sarma. The navigation menu options are also on-brand.
Moreover, the website has an excellent ‘Our Team’ section, showcasing their experienced chefs. Plus, the usual - reservation feature, gift cards, location/address, contact information, and obviously their menu…
…though, this website shows the menu a bit differently than most. You have to toggle the menu open—which has both upside (space saving) and downside (could be a bit confusing):
Fat Cow offers an exquisite Japanese Wagyu dining experience, transporting flavors directly from the atelier to your table.
The website design radiates a luxurious ambiance with its deep, moody tones and a strikingly vivid image of a gourmet dish. The minimalistic approach, with subtle navigation and elegant typography, puts culinary artistry in the spotlight. The emphasis on awards and recognitions further establishes the restaurant’s esteemed reputation.
Culture Espresso owns two locations in New York City (both loved by the people of New York). They serve inventive coffee drinks and fresh cookies & pastries.
This café website nails the vibe quotient a coffee shop website demands. It does so by showcasing natural pictures of their coffee, the people making it, and the people enjoying it with friends. The beige background color just adds to it.
A good impression is important and Raku creates a perfect first impression with their opening photo — it’s clear this is a high-end sushi restaurant.
Landini Brothers transports diners back in time, offering traditional Italian delicacies in a rich, historical setting reminiscent of old-world charm.
The website exudes an air of elegance, combining classic interior photographs with snippets of their culinary journey. A unique blend of sepia-toned and vibrant images provides a balanced look into the restaurant’s legacy and current offerings. Navigation is streamlined, making it easy for users to dive deeper into the restaurant’s story or make reservations.
Wild Ginger presents itself as an upscale dining experience in the heart of the city, blending Asian inspiration with the welcoming ambiance of everyday dinner service.
The website utilizes a sleek, modern design. High-quality imagery takes center stage, showcasing mouthwatering dishes in an appealing manner. The use of muted color palettes combined with easily navigable sections ensures visitors are immediately drawn to essential details, such as reservations and menu highlights.
Yang’s Kitchen is a modern and chic eatery offering a relaxed environment with fresh food. The website’s design is light, airy, and welcoming. The use of clear photographs of the interior and dishes suggests transparency and a focus on freshness.
Patois Toronto combines the heartwarming flavors of the Caribbean with the intricate nuances of Asian culinary artistry, branding itself as a provider of unique “Asian Soul Food.”
The eclectic mix of traditional plate designs with contemporary food presentation is intriguing. The top banner’s catchy phrase, “EAT. DRINK. SHARE.” encapsulates the restaurant’s ethos, promoting a communal dining experience. The multilingual greeting further emphasizes inclusivity and cultural blending, making it appealing to a broad audience.
Luna Grill champions the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean, serving dishes that burst with freshness and authenticity.
The website design leans heavily into mouth-watering imagery, showcasing their signature dishes front and center. The navigation is clear and intuitive, with easily identifiable calls-to-action like “Order Online” and “Join our E-Club.”
Alinea Restaurant has a simple web design with a ‘Book Table’ CTA front and center, which is good. But the reason this website is in the “inspiring restaurant websites” collection is its food photography—it’s, simply put, a superb gallery; I don’t even mind the absence of gutters between image blocks.
This is a charming Parisian spot offering a unique blend of brunch with a Bali-inspired twist. The website showcases an elegant design with vibrant pastel colors. Visually pleasing food photography dominates the screen, inviting users to explore the menu. The layout is clean, with well-defined sections, making navigation seamless.
ION Restaurant has been offering an array of delectable plant-based cuisine since 1987. It has even garnered accolades such as the “Best Vegan/Vegetarian in State” by Connecticut Magazine.
The ION Restaurant website exhibits a clean and inviting design, with high-resolution images that highlight the vibrancy and allure of their vegan offerings. The subtle color palette, complemented by crisp typography, creates an atmosphere of sophistication. The embedded call-to-action, “see our menu,” is strategically placed to engage visitors and prompt exploration.
The website exudes tranquility and sophistication, with a neutral color palette that complements images of their lush dining spaces. A minimalist design approach puts the focus on the visuals, and the user journey is streamlined with clear sectional divisions. The inclusion of an Instagram feed at the bottom further bridges the digital with the physical, giving users a comprehensive view of what to expect.
High St. Deli presents a mouthwatering array of sandwiches that are deeply rooted in the San Luis Obispo culinary tradition.
The website’s design is crisp and engaging, with high-quality images emphasizing the delicacy of their offerings. An urban vibe permeates the site, with a combination of modern fonts and graphics that give it a trendy feel. Clear call-to-action buttons enhance user experience, urging visitors to view menus and order online.
Tea at the Empress provides a timeless experience, offering patrons the elegance of a world-renowned Fairmont Empress tea ritual cherished since 1908.
The website captures a sense of regal elegance, combining rich color palettes with crisp imagery of their luxurious tea offerings. Delicate ornamental designs frame sections, creating a consistent thematic touch. Besides the aesthetics, it has the usual — gift shop, gallery, reservations, hours & locations, menu, etc. — with easy navigation.
A blend of history, tradition, and modern web design makes it an inviting and informative site for visitors.
The Magic Slab celebrates the timeless pleasure of ice cream, churning fresh scoops daily and promising a nostalgic taste sensation.
Their website employs a playful and appetizing visual design dominated by a warm, dessert-inspired palette. Large, enticing images of their ice cream creations take center stage, while sections detailing their commitment to quality ingredients and local farmers add depth. The design is both whimsical and informative, encapsulating the brand’s dedication to flavor and quality.
Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh, B&B Grill House boasts its title as the purveyor of Scotland’s finest burgers, blending taste with tradition.
The website delivers a modern, grunge aesthetic juxtaposed with mouth-watering images of their signature dishes. The dark backdrop accentuates the vibrant colors of the burgers and drinks, while interactive elements, such as their rewards and suppliers sections, engage the visitor. The design effectively merges the edginess of a modern grill house with the allure of classic Scottish hospitality.
BuffBurger serves gourmet burgers that prioritize all-natural ingredients, combined with a relaxed ambiance perfect for casual dining.
The website design leans into a modern, industrial aesthetic with the use of dark backgrounds and neon highlights. Engaging visuals of mouthwatering burgers dominate the site, with playful elements like “Burgers taste better in the buff” highlighting the brand’s fun and cheeky nature.
The clear breakdown of what goes into their burgers and easily accessible information sections make the site user-friendly and informative.
Dominique Crenn’s Atelier Crenn, a three-Michelin-starred establishment, offers a blend of artistic expression and fine French cuisine set against the backdrop of San Francisco.
The website prioritizes visual storytelling, emphasizing atmospheric imagery of gourmet dishes and portraits of the chefs. Its minimalist design with black and white themes accentuates the artistic essence of the restaurant. The detailed narrative about Dominique Crenn’s journey and philosophy provides a personal touch, drawing visitors into the restaurant’s world.
REIGN is an upscale dining venue located in Toronto, showcasing Canada’s rich culinary heritage and featuring a broad selection of gourmet dishes and wines.
The website design exudes elegance and opulence, with high-quality images of dishes taking center stage. A deep color palette of greens and maroons sets a regal tone, complemented by golden accents. The site’s layout, incorporating sections like “Gather Your Peers” and “Hold Court,” reinforces the regal theme, inviting patrons to indulge in a luxurious dining experience.
