Turkuaz Cafe

Designing and building Turkuaz Café’s first website to bring their culture and dining experience online

Role

Web Designer

Industry

Restaurant

See Live Website ->

Overview

Turkuaz Café is a Turkish restaurant in Bloomington, IN, known for its rich cultural dining experience including traditional floor seating and authentic Turkish cuisine.

Before this project, Turkuaz Café had no official website, which meant potential customers could only find them on DoorDash or by visiting in person. This limited their visibility, story, and ability to grow their customer base.

I designed and built their first website from scratch. I focused on creating a strong online presence that communicates their identity while making it easier for people to order, reserve, and connect with the restaurant.

The Problem

Without a website, Turkuaz Café struggled to:

Showcase their unique atmosphere and story
Provide quick access to their menu, reservation options, or provide catering services
Accept online orders directly

The goal was to create a platform that highlights their authentic Turkish culture, simplify the ordering process, and help drive more in-person visits.

See Live Website ->

Overview

Turkuaz Café is a Turkish restaurant in Bloomington, IN, known for its rich cultural dining experience including traditional floor seating and authentic Turkish cuisine.

The Problem

Without a website, Turkuaz Café struggled to:

Showcase their unique atmosphere and story
Provide quick access to their menu, reservation options, or provide catering services
Accept online orders directly

The goal was to create a platform that highlights their authentic Turkish culture, simplify the ordering process, and help drive more in-person visits.

What I did

Once I noticed they didn't have a website, I used this opportunity to first code the website in HTML and CSS for a web design class project. That way I could visualize how the content, navigation, and images should flow for the restaurant as well as completing a school project. This helped me quickly test design ideas and refine the structure before moving to a CMS platform.

The Solution

Once I had a clear layout, I decided to transition the project to Square, since the restaurant already used Square POS in-store. This allowed for seamless integration between their payment system, menu management, and online orders.

My focus areas:

Building a clean, minimal design that reflects their culture-rich identity
Improving usability with a simple and intuitive navigation
Adding dedicated sections for Menu, Reservations, Catering, and Online Ordering

The Impact

The new website gives Turkuaz Café a professional online home that brings their story to life. Customers can now:

View the full menu anytime
Book reservations online
Sign up for catering services
Order directly through the café’s Square system (no third-party apps that cost more)

The result is a clean, mobile-friendly design that enhances accessibility and better represents their brand identity.

This project taught me how to combine technical skills with platform adaptability which started from code to full implementation in a CMS platform. It also reinforced how impactful a well-designed online presence can be for small, locally owned businesses.

By building from the ground up, I helped Turkuaz Café expand their reach, strengthen their brand identity, and make their customer experience more convenient. All from the devices in their customers’ hands.