Concept · Neighbourhood café
Hazel
Open now? What's on? Can I order ahead? A café homepage that answers all three before the coffee's cold.
Concept project A venue we created to show how we'd approach a neighbourhood café. There's no live business behind it, so there's no performance data.
The brief
A café that's full on weekends and quiet midweek wants more locals through the door, and fewer calls asking whether it's open.
The challenge
People who'd happily come in midweek don't know Hazel opens at seven, that there's a lunch menu, or that they can order coffee ahead. The team spends the morning rush answering the same questions on the phone.
Strategy
Answer the three questions people actually have (is it open, what's on, can I order ahead) before anything else, and make the midweek offer as visible as the weekend queue.
Information architecture
- Home: today's hours, what's on and order-ahead, on the first screen
- Menu: breakfast, lunch and drinks as readable text
- Order ahead: straight to the café's ordering service
- Find us: map, parking, public transport and access
- Catering and events
UX decisions
- Today's hours, and whether it's open right now, including public holidays
- A menu in text, so it loads fast, reads on a phone and is quick to update
- Directions one tap away from every page
Mobile approach
Most people checking a café are on their phone, often on the footpath. The first screen shows today's hours, the order-ahead button and the address, with nothing to scroll past.
Design system
Warm timber, oat and the green of the awning. A friendly serif for headings, and a clear sans that stays legible at small sizes on a menu.
Key features
- Opening hours at the top of every page, right on public holidays
- A menu that reads properly on a phone, not a PDF
- Order-ahead for coffee on the way to work
- A map and directions a tap away
Conversion considerations
- Order-ahead is the main button on weekday mornings
- A midweek lunch or offer sits high on the homepage when the café wants more weekday trade
- Catering enquiries go to a short form instead of an email address
Visual details
Morning light on the counter, close-up food photography, and a relaxed neighbourhood tone in the words.
Intended outcome
More locals visiting midweek, more coffee ordered ahead, and fewer calls asking whether it's open.
A goal for the concept, not a measured result.
Hazel is a concept venue we created to show how we'd approach a neighbourhood café. It isn't a real business.