Chhay By The Lake Case Study: Lakeside Cafe Website
A family-run cafe at Summerland Point that plenty of people drove straight past. We gave Chhay and Lan a website that leads with their story and keeps the menu a tap away, and today it ranks near the top of page one when locals search for a cafe on the lake.
The business problem and the opportunity.
Chhay and Lan cook Asian home food next to pizza, Banh Mi and proper breakfasts, but a lakeside cafe only works if people find it first. They needed to show up when someone nearby searches for breakfast on Lake Macquarie, and to make the menu, hours and location obvious to a weekend visitor deciding in seconds.
- Cafe website design
- Story-led content structure
- Local visit information flow
The site was built as both a brand experience and a local decision-making tool, with a clearer flow around the story of owners Chhay and Lan, the menu, the lakeside atmosphere, reviews, and the practical details people need before a visit.
The strategy focused on balancing hospitality feel with everyday utility. The owners' story, menu cues, opening hours, and location details were structured to help local visitors decide faster without losing the cafe's personality.
The site now ranks around position three on Google for local cafe searches, near the top of the first page, so more of the people looking for somewhere to eat by the lake find Chhay before they find somewhere else.
“Rod did an amazing job designing our website for Chhay by the Lake. He was highly professional, understood our concept perfectly, and delivered a beautiful, high-quality website. His expertise and skills are top-notch, and we are extremely happy with the final result. We highly recommend his services!”
A closer look at the experience.
The visual direction here was built to support clearer communication, stronger first impressions, and a more deliberate path into the most important content.
This second screenshot gives a better sense of how the project holds together beyond the hero. It helps show the supporting sections, content rhythm, and the way the layout keeps guiding attention through the page.
This case study links to the live website so you can see how the direction translates beyond the portfolio view.
Open live sitePages connected to this project.
These links connect the project to the relevant service pages, location pages, industry pages, and next-step actions across the site.
Lake Macquarie website hub
See the local hub for Lake Macquarie website and search pages.
Lake Macquarie web design
See the main local web design page for businesses in the region.
Small business websites
See the supporting page for broader local business website work.
Portfolio hub
Go back to the portfolio and compare other local business projects.
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If your venue website feels thin on useful information or local personality, start with the structure first.
A review can help show where the site needs clearer visit information, stronger trust, and a better first impression for local customers.