A good restaurant website does three things quickly, on a phone: it shows the menu with prices, lets people book or call with one tap, and shows where you are and when you’re open. All in the visitor’s language, and connected to your Google Maps profile.

A couple from France are walking around Rethymno at 7 in the evening. They search “fish taverna” on Maps, open three results and look at two things: the photos and the menu. The first place has a PDF menu that won’t open. The second only has Instagram. The third has a menu in French with prices and a “Book a table” button. You know where they’ll eat.

1. The menu: a page, not a PDF

The menu is the page most people open. Make it a normal page on your site:

  • Readable on a phone without zooming and without downloading a file.
  • Google can read the dishes. If someone searches “snails Heraklion” or “vegan Crete”, your menu can show up. A PDF or a photo of the menu rarely does.
  • With prices. A menu without prices looks expensive or neglected.
  • With allergens. EU rules require you to tell customers about 14 allergens. A small symbol next to each dish helps guests and covers you.
  • Easy to change. If changing a price means calling your designer, the menu will go out of date. Ask for a site where you update it yourself.

The PDF can stay as an optional download for anyone who wants to print it.

2. Book or call with one tap

On a phone, three buttons should always be visible, even as the visitor scrolls: Book, Menu, Directions. A small bar at the bottom of the screen does the job.

  • Online booking: a form or a reservation system that shows available times. Many tourists don’t want to phone in a foreign language.
  • Call and WhatsApp: for people who prefer to talk. The phone number should start a call with one tap, not be an image.
  • Groups and events: if you host weddings, christenings or company dinners, a separate page with a form brings in the large bookings.

3. In the visitor’s language

For most restaurants in Crete, Greek and English are the minimum. If many of your guests are German, French or Polish, their language brings more bookings than any ad. Write dish names in Greek with Latin letters plus a short description (“Dakos: barley rusk with tomato, mizithra cheese and olive oil”). See how to build a proper multilingual website for tourism.

4. Hours, season and location

  • Opening hours on your site and on Google, identical. If you close in winter, say so clearly: “Open from 1 April to 31 October”. A guest who finds you closed when Google said open writes a bad review.
  • A map and directions, with parking if there is any. In villages and old-town lanes, a line like “parking 100 metres before, next to the church” helps a lot.
  • What makes you different: a view, a courtyard, live music, your own vegetables, a play corner for children. That is what visitors search for.

5. Photos that sell without slowing the site

Real photos of your dishes, your space and your view, not stock images. One strong photo at the top of the page beats a slider with ten. And the photos must be properly compressed, or the site will be slow on a phone. See why a slow website costs you bookings.

6. Connect to Google Maps

Most visitors find you on Maps first, not on your site. So:

What you don’t need

  • Music or video that plays by itself. It annoys people and slows the page.
  • An intro animation before the page appears.
  • A menu that only exists as a photo or only on Instagram.
  • Unchecked automatic translation. “Horta” (wild greens) turning into “grass” convinces nobody.

What it costs

A simple restaurant website with a menu, booking and two languages costs less than an e-shop or a hotel booking system. The price rises with more languages, online ordering and connections to other systems. For realistic prices, see our guide to website costs in Greece, or try the website cost calculator.

Want a website that fills tables?

We build websites and booking systems for restaurants, tavernas and beach bars in Crete, with a menu you update yourself and one-tap booking. Winter is the best time to get it ready for next season. Send us a message.