Whether you’re looking for something sweet and cute, or a sleek and modern website for your bakeshop, here’s a list of high-quality examples you can learn from.
Not that long ago, it would have been pretty odd to see a well-designed bakery website, but times have changed. Every business needs a strong online presence these days, and this includes bakeries. And we’re not just talking about big bakery chains; local businesses have a real opportunity to use the power of SEO, and great website functionality to attract and get more customers buying their products.
If you’re a small business owner, remember that there are plenty of inexpensive website builders that can help you lift your bakery website off the ground. WordPress is definitely the most popular, but there are a few other great modern solutions like Wix and Shopify.
We’re looking at a few different bakery websites and explaining which specific features work particularly well.
Stunning website photos
From bakery menus to social media posts, few things are as effective in getting people to pause and notice your brand, as mouth-watering photos of your sweetest treats. For the same reason, it’s a great idea to use photography on your website, especially on your landing page. Just remember that all photos should be optimized for the web so that your website can load quickly.
1. Carlo’s Bakery
Let’s start the list with a name you’ve probably heard of. Buddy Valastro’s New York bakery is slowly becoming the city’s landmark, in great part thanks to the hit show Cake Boss. This bakery business certainly has ample resources to take its digital marketing to the next level. But instead of subscribing to every new design trend, the bakery does something much more powerful: it retains a strong sense of brand identity.
Even though Buddy is a baking superstar, his personal brand and that of his bakery are connected to family values and tradition. From the bakery logo that’s very nostalgic to the lengthy About Us page with the family history, as well as inviting images of their signature dessert (cannoli) celebrating their Italian heritage, this bakery website really helps to build a lasting brand image.
2. Milk Bar
Milk Bar makes indulgent desserts that will definitely spark the inner kid in anyone. The images you’ll see on their website are all layer cakes and colorful sprinkles, igniting a sense of excitement and joy. But here’s a twist: the images still have a strong sense of modern aesthetic (like a well-curated Instagram feed), and subtle motion design definitely helps catch website visitors’ attention.
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This website is also a great example of ecommerce done right. Their online shop page has some more stunning photos of the cakes and other desserts, with all the prices and a quick view option for a closer look at these gorgeous treats.
3. Butter Baker
A simple slider on your homepage with the best pictures of your baked goods is a great way to get people to explore your website further. This Toronto bakery has an extremely simplified version of this, with just a couple of images on the slider: cake and croissants.
The reason why this works so well is that you can immediately see what they specialize in, and as you keep scrolling down the page, you see more evidence of their expertise with these two types of treats. This website design is clearly geared towards ecommerce (which is a very smart thing to do in the covid-19 era), with a great online store and even a section called “Most Popular”, where indecisive shoppers can look through popular requests, like holiday cakes or the bakery’s signature matcha cake.
4. Lutz Bakery
If you’re a baked goods enthusiast like myself, then you know that choosing something you want the most, out of dozens of delicious treats, can be kind of nerve-wracking. Now, when many bakery businesses are staying open for delivery or takeaway only, it’s important to make sure that your website experience provides potential customers with the same range of options they would find in a physical store.
However, this is also an opportunity to group information in such a way that purchase decision making is easier. This Chicago bakery has one of the most extensive website galleries, that allows you to browse through pictures of mouth-watering desserts for ages. However, instead of grouping everything together, they’ve split the gallery into clear sections like “wedding cakes”, or “1st birthday smash cakes”, so that visitors can easily find what they’re looking for, or simply get inspired to make their order.
An impeccable sense of aesthetic
Using photography is important, but remember that with the Internet and social media platforms like Instagram, audiences are harder to impress with high-quality photos. It’s critical that the visual appeal of your website matches your brand, even if it’s not the most modern or trendy design out there. Here are a few website design examples that really nail a sense of aesthetic and brand image.
5. Emporium Pies
Pies are definitely not the easiest dessert to make, but when done right, they are by far one of the most photogenic. This gorgeous website looks like it would get the stamp of approval from Martha Stewart: from the elegant color palette to their tagline “Fine Pies for Fine Folk”.
Like their signature dessert, this bakery website is both decorative, yet elegant. There’s plenty of white space letting the designs and photos breathe, while even the little details like classy serif fonts and pretty floral illustrations add to the aesthetic appeal. Also, since they specialize in one type of baked goods, their menu is very simple yet effective. Pies flip around to reveal the ingredients and whimsical names such as “Lord of the Pies’’ and “Merry Berry”.
6. Magnolia Bakery
Remember when we said that in this industry you don’t have to be a slave to trends? Well, the Magnolia Bakery website is probably the best example to prove that point. This bakery started out as a small local bakery in New York in 1996 and now operates in several cities across the world including LA, Chicago, Boston, Abu Dhabi and Doha.
But even though they’ve grown a lot, the website still retains a sense of local charm. The textures and patterns found on this website belong to a different era of web design, but in this case, it works great to convey a sense of tradition and, well, sweetness. And it continues to be one of the best-ranked bakery websites thanks to its long tradition, but also because it’s very responsive. Along with a regular menu, you can also find weekly cupcakes, which are these bakers’ specialty.
7. SusieCakes
Knowing your target audience is extremely important, and this website is a great piece of web design inspiration in that respect So many different people love baking: from professional chefs to college students, and we’re definitely past the point where the token image of a baking mom is the only way to connect with potential customers.
And yet, if these are indeed your target clients, then a modern take on this can be spot on. SusieCakes is a brand that values family and tradition (the founder was inspired by her mom’s and grandmother’s recipes). And the bakery web design really caters to its target audience; from the vibrant color palette to nostalgic childhood photos, and even a cute “mom” illustration. It’s all about simple, homecoming (Susie says “If you can’t spell it don’t bake with it”), and this lovely website really brings the story home.
8. LA Baking
As another critical branding asset, your website should be another way to increase brand awareness and tell your brand’s story. This bakery website design is a great example to learn from, as you’ll immediately see what the brand is all about, once you’re on their homepage.
The website celebrates a family-owned local business with a simple design (only 4 sections on the site), and beautiful, yet genuine photos of the bakery interior as well as products. Everything from the earthy color palette to the friendly tone (instead of “scroll down” they have “come on down, buddy!), shows a casual, friendly bakery you’d love to have in your neighborhood. And if not, don’t worry - they deliver!
Homepage videos
Videos are a great way to tell your brand’s story, but also engage website visitors and keep them interested. This is a tricky thing to do if you’re making your bakery website from scratch: there’s always a risk of videos being unresponsive or slowing down your page. However, if you use a website builder with ready-made templates and plugins, it’s usually fairly simple to include videos in your web design.
9. Billy’s Bakery
Billy’s Bakery in New York City has a website that will really amp your sugar craving. Icing cupcakes, cutting into a large slice of indulgent cake, these are just a couple of the scenes that pop up on their homepage video.
Beyond that the website does a great job at catering to a younger audience: you can see the two young business owners that are behind it and are quickly redirected to the bakery’s Instagram feed, where the visual magic really happens. It’s well-curated and pretty, but it still looks very genuine with different types of posts, including numerous photos of customers enjoying their sweetest treats.
10. LA Farm Bakery
The following bakery website presents a more upscale version, with an almost seductive video of the art of breadmaking. The slow kneading, the satisfying texture of bread dough, it really makes you crave a slice of freshly baked bread.
Since this is an “authentic French bakery” in North Carolina, it was important for the website design to retain a sense of French elegance, which it does with great success. You won’t see colorful layer cakes anywhere: earthy color palettes, a French patisserie interior, professional uniforms, as well as the coffee shop section of their website all serve to show a classy and elegant experience.
11. Porto’s Bakery
Speaking of coffee shops, here’s a bakery website that takes a bold approach in their homepage video by showing a cup of freshly brewed coffee first. It goes on to show a range of other goods including meals, sandwiches, and rich glazed cakes. If like them, your cafe and bakeshop has a range of different products on offer, a video can be a great way to showcase it all in a simple, digestible way.
Their elegant bakery logo (chef’s hat) and other design elements tell the story of a refined, yet modern brand, that has a lot to offer. They also have a unique offer called “Bake From Home”, where they deliver unbaked goods to your door so you can prepare them fresh at home. Talk about adapting well to the current circumstances!
Simple web design inspiration
Unlike coffee shops that seem to have been overwhelmed by modern, millennial aesthetics, when it comes to bakery branding, a simple honest approach still works surprisingly well. This is especially true if your bakery business is a small local shop, catering to a select group of clients. In that case, you don’t really need a whole lot of bells and whistles on your website. Instead, go with a simple design (a great way might be to use a ready-made WordPress theme) and include all the key information about your bakery (opening times, menu, covid-19 information if applicable).
12. Gayle’s Bakery
This cute website is a terrific example to look at, as it really conveys a sense of community: from the photo of their cute bakeshop to call-to-action to sign up for their newsletter, landing on this website makes you feel like it’s not a place you’re going to visit just once. They also have relevant and up-to-date information on how they’re keeping their visitors safe during covid.
Another way in which they enforce a sense of community is the invitation to purchase a Gayle’s gift card, which you can send by email or phone, making it a perfect gift for someone you may not be able to see in present times.
13. Alliance Bakery
Establishing a local presence is hugely important for your SEO, and ultimately your entire digital marketing strategy. This means using the right keywords, blogging regularly about topics your customers might be interested in, but also making sure that potential customers immediately identify your business as local, upon landing on your website.
Alliance Bakery in Chicago has a rather minimalist website design, but its location is a hugely important part of their branding (you can even see Chicago in their logo). Scrolling down you’ll see a short description of where exactly you can find this classy bakery. The bakery founder is a chef specializing in European pastries, but whose experience and education are closely tied to the city. His own biography perfectly fits the brand promise: “French-inspired with a modern twist”!
14. Bittersweet Pastry Shop
Being able to order online is important. And not just in times of the pandemic. People live increasingly fast and busy lives, so ease of access plays an important role in the success of any business. Bittersweet is a bakery and cafe, so they made sure to be able to cater to regular clientele with easy delivery options.
The website itself is crisp and easy to navigate, with a very professional aesthetic that won’t go out of style anytime soon. If you wanted to make a quick order for yourself or surprise a loved one with a sweet gift, this website would certainly be a treat to use!
