Chhaya Café
Project Overview
The goal of this project was to design a clean, easy-to-manage website for Chhaya Café, a casual neighborhood restaurant in the East Passyunk area of Philadelphia that specialized in high-quality coffee and brunch. The client needed a site that highlighted both their menu offerings and their community-focused events — all while remaining simple to update without technical skills.
Challenges
- Showcase unique offerings: The café featured a rare siphon coffee process, which deserved visual emphasis.
- Easy content updates: The client needed a system that allowed them to update menus and events without needing to code.
- Event visibility: The café hosted frequent events, so a dynamic calendar and event sync was essential.
Solution
To meet these needs, the website design incorporated several key features:
- Dynamic homepage: A video background showcases the café’s signature siphon coffee preparation—giving visitors an immediate sense of the brand.
- Content management: The menu was built using the Accura Food Menu plugin, enabling the client to manage their menus easily without developer support.
- Event integration: Events posted on Facebook automatically sync to the website, so the café only needs to update one platform.
Design & Prototyping
Before visual design, a clear information structure was established through:
- Sitemap – defining the site’s architecture
- Wireframes – low-fidelity layouts of key pages (home, menus, community pages, event calendar, etc.)
These wireframes guided the placement of content, prioritized user needs, and ensured that navigation was intuitive.
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- Wireframe of home page
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- Wireframe of menus page
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- Wireframe of community page
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- Wireframe of blog archive
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- Wireframe of about page
Visual Design
With an approved structure in place, the focus shifted to the look and feel:
- Style tiles: Multiple visual style directions were created, showcasing typography, iconography, color palettes, and textures inspired by the café’s interior and brand.
- Photography integration: Authentic photos, including the café space and coffee shots, were used to convey atmosphere and build emotional connection.
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- Winning Style Tile
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- Style Tile Option #1
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- Style Tile Option #2
Outcome
The final website balanced visual appeal with practical usability:
- It highlighted the café’s unique offerings with engaging visuals.
- It empowered the client to update menus and events independently.
The site’s structure and content flow made it easy for visitors to find what they were looking for — whether that was the brunch menu or upcoming community events.
