Ghost loader

Maple Street Bistro

Farm-to-Table Restaurant with Online Reservation System

[ Capability Demo ]

Role

UI/UX Design & Development

Timeline

4 Weeks

Visit Demo

View Live

Project Overview

This case study presents a fictional restaurant website redesign that demonstrates my web design approach and technical skills. Maple Street Bistro represents the type of local business I enjoy working with - establishments with excellent offerings but outdated digital presence.

Design Challenge

  • Outdated website from 2014, not mobile-friendly
  • Difficulty updating seasonal menu
  • No integration with reservation systems
  • Poor performance (PageSpeed score: 43/100)

Project Goals

01

Simple, Elegant Design

Create a clean 3-page website focusing on essential information and excellent mobile experience.

02

Technical Integration

Implement OpenTable system and easy menu updates while optimizing for speed.

03

Local SEO Focus

Enhance local search presence and showcase high-quality food photography.

Design Process

Research & Persona Development

Target Demographic

Ages 35-65

  • Local professionals
  • Food enthusiasts
  • Mobile-first users

Created detailed user personas and journey maps to inform the design process.

Visual Design System

Playfair Display Source Sans Pro

Developed a warm, inviting aesthetic with carefully chosen typography and colors.

Technical Implementation

HTML5 Structure
Modern CSS Layout
Minimal JavaScript

Built with performance and maintainability as core priorities.

Performance Focus

< 1.5s First Contentful Paint
< 1MB Total Page Size
100% Mobile Usability

Implementation Details

  • Critical CSS inlined for faster rendering
  • Image optimization and lazy loading
  • Cross-browser testing focus
  • Schema markup for local SEO

Key Takeaways

Simplicity Is Key

Focus on core user needs over unnecessary features for local businesses.

Mobile Experience Matters

With 67% mobile traffic, optimization directly impacts business results.

Client Empowerment

Design systems that businesses can maintain independently.