Nicell builds custom websites for cafés and restaurants across Ireland, with the menu as real text Google can read, opening hours that are always right, and one-tap ordering, booking or directions. One-time prices: €120, €299 or €630, free hosting, no monthly fees.
A café website has three jobs
Most people who look up a café or restaurant are standing on a street or sitting in a car, on a phone, deciding in under a minute. They want to see the food, know whether you’re open, and find a way to order, book or get there. A website that does those three things well beats a beautiful one that makes them hunt.
- Show the food. Your own photos of your own plates, counter and shopfront — not stock images of somebody else’s flat white.
- Answer “are you open?” Opening hours on every page, plus the same hours on your Google Business Profile so the two never disagree.
- Make the next step one tap. Call, directions, book a table or order ahead — pinned to the bottom of the phone screen so it’s always in reach.
The menu: real text, not a photo of the board
The single most useful page on a food business website is the menu, and the most common mistake is uploading it as a photo or a PDF. Google can’t read a photo of a chalkboard well, it’s hard to zoom on a phone, and every price change means a new photo. A menu written as text, split into sections with prices, loads instantly, can be updated in minutes and lets someone searching for “breakfast roll Midleton” or “vegan lunch Waterford” actually find you.
Food businesses in Ireland also have to make information about the 14 regulated allergens available for food that isn’t prepacked. Your website doesn’t replace what you show in the shop, but an allergen key on the menu page saves a lot of phone calls — check the FSAI’s guidance for exactly what applies to you.
Orders, bookings and deliveries
Different food businesses need different “next steps”, and the site should be built around yours rather than a generic contact form:
- Cakes, platters and catering: an order-request form that asks for the date, numbers and any dietary needs, so orders arrive written down instead of scattered across Instagram DMs.
- Table bookings: if you already use a booking system, the site links straight into it. If you take bookings by phone, a big call button does the job — no need to pay for software you don’t want.
- Delivery and collection: if you’re on Deliveroo or Just Eat, the site links to your page there; if you take collection orders directly, a WhatsApp button with the message pre-written works well.
- Loyalty and offers: a coffee card, a lunch deal or a seasonal menu can sit on the home page and change in minutes.
Google Business Profile does half the work
When someone searches “café near me”, the map results come from Google Business Profile, not your website. But the two work together: Google uses your website to confirm what you sell, and your profile sends people to your site to see the menu. Every Nicell build includes linking the two, matching your name, address, phone number and hours exactly, and adding café or restaurant structured data so search engines know your address, hours and cuisine. More on this in the guide to getting on Google Maps.
Instagram or a website?
Keep both. Instagram is brilliant for regulars — the special of the day, a new cake, a busy Saturday. But it’s a feed, not a reference: hours get buried in old posts, the menu is a photo from March, and nobody finds you there by searching for what they want to eat. The website is the permanent answer; Instagram is the daily news. Each should link to the other. There’s a longer version of this in the café website guide.
Example: a Cork café, built and live
Toastie Cafe
Toastie Cafe had the food, the regulars and a steady Instagram, but the menu lived in photos of the board and anyone wanting a cake had to message and hope. The site has five pages — Home, Menu, Grab & Go, Cakes & Orders and Visit Us — with the full priced menu as real text, a live open-now badge that checks the time, an order-request form for platters and cakes, their loyalty card on the home page, and call, directions and menu buttons on every phone screen.
What it costs
Three fixed, one-time prices. No deposit: you see a free working preview within 48 hours and only pay if you want it to go live.
| Package | Price | What it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Page+ | €120 | A single page: menu with prices, hours, map, call and directions buttons, Instagram link. Enough for a coffee truck, a small takeaway or a café starting out. |
| Full Site | €299 | Multi-page, like Toastie: separate Menu, Orders and Visit pages, open-now badge, order-request form, café structured data. What most cafés choose. |
| Big Build | €630 | Larger builds: several locations, a full restaurant with events and private dining, or an online shop for gift cards or produce. |
Every package includes free hosting and SSL, mobile-first design, on-page SEO and structured data, Google Business Profile linking, call and WhatsApp buttons, changes until it’s right, and full ownership of the finished site. Nicell Care is an optional add-on at €30/month — hosting, monthly small edits and a Google-reviews push — for anyone who’d rather not think about it. It’s opt-in: without it there are no monthly fees at all. See the full price list.
How it works
- Send your details — a message on WhatsApp, Instagram or the contact form with what you do, your prices and a few photos.
- Get a free, working preview within 48 hours — a real website on a live link you can open on your phone, not a mock-up.
- Change anything, then go live — you only pay once you’re happy, and the site goes live on your own domain.
Common questions
How much does a café website cost in Ireland?
With Nicell it is €120 for a one-page Launch Page+, €299 for a multi-page Full Site and €630 for a Big Build, all one-time. Hosting and SSL are free and there are no monthly fees unless you opt into Nicell Care at €30 a month.
Can I update the menu and prices myself?
Small changes like a price or a new special can be sent over WhatsApp and are usually done the same day. If you want regular monthly edits handled for you, the optional Nicell Care plan covers them.
Can customers order or book through the website?
Yes. The site can include an order-request form for cakes and platters, link to your existing table booking or delivery pages, or open WhatsApp with the order message pre-written. It is built around how you already take orders.
Should my menu be a PDF?
No. A PDF or a photo of the board is hard to read on a phone and Google struggles with it. A menu written as text with prices loads fast, is easy to change and helps you appear in searches for the food you sell.
Do I still need Instagram if I have a website?
Yes, keep both. Instagram is for daily specials and regulars; the website is the permanent place for your menu, hours and ordering that people can find on Google. Each should link to the other.
How quickly can I see my café website?
You get a free working preview within 48 hours of sending your details, menu and a few photos. You only pay if you want to go live with it.
Websites for other businesses
By county
Last updated 31 October 2026 · Written by Oisín, founder of Nicell, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford