Cafe Website Design for Melbourne Coffee Culture

New cafe opens in Fitzroy. Great coffee, nice fit-out, solid menu. But no website — just an Instagram page. Six months later they're wondering why foot traffic is inconsistent and Google searches don't find them.

Instagram is great for existing customers. But it doesn't rank on Google. When someone searches "cafe Fitzroy" or "best coffee Melbourne," Google shows websites, not Instagram profiles.

Why cafes lose customers without a website

Melbourne's cafe market is saturated. Someone walking down Brunswick Street has 20 cafes to choose from within 500 metres. The ones showing up on Google get discovered. The ones relying only on Instagram don't.

Common problems for cafes without proper websites:

• Not showing up in "cafe near me" searches — invisible to potential customers walking the area
• Menu not searchable — someone looking for specific dietary options can't find you
• Opening hours unclear — Instagram bio says "Mon-Fri 7-3" but is that current?
• Location details missing — exact address, parking info, public transport access
• Can't showcase vibe — Instagram shows food, but not the full cafe experience

The cafes getting consistent foot traffic have websites. Clear menus. Accurate hours. Location details. Photos of the space. They show up when people search.

What a cafe website needs

Cafe websites should be simple and visual. People want to know what you serve, where you are, and when you're open. That's it.

Menu with dietary filters. Don't just upload a PDF. List your menu properly. Breakfast, lunch, all-day items. Mark vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free options. People search for "vegan cafe Fitzroy" — you want to show up.

Coffee offering highlighted. Single origin? Blends? Which roaster? Milk alternatives available? Melbourne takes coffee seriously. If you're using a good roaster, say so. If you do great flat whites, mention it.

Photos of the space, not just food. Instagram is food porn. Your website should show the vibe. Indoor seating. Outdoor area. Counter setup. Natural light. Help people imagine sitting there with a coffee.

Location and parking info. Exact address. Nearest tram stop or train station. Street parking availability. Bike racks? This stuff matters to customers choosing where to go.

Opening hours clearly visible. Not buried in a footer. Prominent display. Public holidays different? Say so. Nothing worse than walking to a cafe because Instagram said it's open and finding it closed.

Online ordering integration (if you do takeaway).Integrate with your POS or use a simple ordering form. Takeaway coffee and breakfast pre-orders can add 15-20% to morning revenue.

Local SEO for Melbourne cafes

Cafe searches are hyperlocal. Someone in Carlton North isn't driving to Prahran for a coffee. They're searching "cafe near me" or "cafe Carlton North" on their phone while walking around.

Ranking locally requires:

• Google Business Profile fully optimised (photos, menu, hours, reviews)
• Website mentions your specific location (Fitzroy, Brunswick, Collingwood — not just "Melbourne")
• Menu content targeting searches (vegan breakfast Fitzroy, gluten-free cafe Melbourne)
• Customer reviews visible and recent (Google loves fresh reviews)
• Site loads fast on mobile (most cafe searches happen on phones)

We built a site for a cafe in Brunswick. Within two months they were ranking first page for "cafe Brunswick," "vegan breakfast Brunswick," "specialty coffee Melbourne." Foot traffic up. More customers finding them via Google instead of just walking past.

How we build cafe websites

Cafe websites need to be visual, fast, and mobile-friendly. We build them with Next.js — modern, clean, and easy to update.

What's included:

• Menu pages with dietary filters (vegan, GF, DF, vegetarian)
• Photo gallery showing your space, not just food
• Location and getting here page (address, parking, public transport)
• Opening hours prominently displayed (easy to update when hours change)
• Online ordering integration if needed (Ordermentum, Square, Mr Yum, etc.)
• Google Business Profile setup and optimisation
• Mobile-responsive design (works perfectly on all devices)
• Hosting and support for the first year

Starter package ($1,995) suits most cafes. Professional package ($4,995) adds online ordering integration, advanced menu features, and comprehensive local SEO for competitive areas.

If you're a quality cafe with great coffee and food but you're not showing up on Google, you're losing customers to cafes with worse coffee and better websites. Fix that. Simple website, proper SEO, more foot traffic.