HandoSake Sushi

Asian Cuisine, eCommerce, Featured, Restaurant Sites, Sushi

Status:
Online
Client:
PopMenu
Established:
2024
URL:
handosake.com
Location:
UT, USA
Project Scope:
Website Dev & Design, SEO Strategy, OLO Integration, Brand Identity

Project Overview

Rolling Out SLC's First Hand-Roll Bar

HandoSake Sushi entered the Salt Lake City dining scene with a unique proposition: it is the city's first dedicated hand-roll bar. Moving away from conveyor belts to chef-crafted, made-to-order experiences, the brand needed a digital presence that differentiated them immediately from standard sushi joints. The challenge was to educate the market on this modern concept while capturing the high energy of their downtown location, which features daily flown-in fish and live DJs.

The mission was to build a sleek, high-octane digital platform. We needed to translate the bold Red, Black, and White brand palette into a responsive interface that not only looked sharp but aggressively drove two distinct behaviors: high-volume online orders and premium dine-in reservations.

Challenges & Goals

The Challenges

Differentiation: As a market pioneer, the site needed to visually explain the "Hand-Roll Bar" concept—distinct from traditional sit-down sushi—to avoid customer confusion.

Conversion Balancing: The business required a delicate balance between driving low-friction takeout orders and encouraging reservations for the full in-person experience.

Local SEO: To succeed in a competitive food city, the site needed to rank immediately for niche terms like "hand rolls Salt Lake City" and "best sushi SLC."

The Goals

Visual Impact: Translate the modern brand identity using Sofia Sans Extra Condensed typography and a high-contrast palette to mirror the restaurant's energetic vibe.

Search Dominance: Implement extensive Schema markup and keyword-rich copy to secure top rankings in local search results.

Actionable UX: Deploy persistent Calls-to-Action (CTAs) in the header, hero, and footer to ensure users are never searching for the "Order" or "Reserve" buttons.

Strategy & Approach

Phase 1: Modern Brand Architecture

We embraced the brand’s bold aesthetic by utilizing full-bleed hero imagery of hand rolls in action, overlaid with the signature Red and Black palette. We integrated Sofia Sans Extra Condensed for headings to give the site a sleek, vertical rhythm that feels urban and contemporary.

Phase 2: Interactive UX Design

We engineered the user journey for engagement. Features included hover-activated menu previews and a Sticky "Order Online" Bar that follows the user as they scroll. We adopted a mobile-first layout strategy, ensuring the multi-column grids stacked perfectly for users browsing on phones while walking downtown.

Phase 3: SEO & Performance

We built a technical foundation for growth. I crafted page titles and meta descriptions targeting specific "sushi delivery SLC" intent. Behind the scenes, we compressed images and refined CSS to maintain Lighthouse scores above 90, ensuring the site was as fast as the kitchen service.

Solutions Delivered

Area	Highlight
Visual Design	Implemented a custom "Modern Hand-Roll" theme using Bold Red/Black and Sofia Sans typography to match the edgy brand.
Conversion UX	Developed a sticky "Order Online" bar and persistent header CTAs to drive immediate action on every page view.
Local SEO	Integrated `LocalBusiness` and `Menu` Schema markup, optimizing image alt tags for "Toro hand roll" visibility.
Loyalty Engine	Built a "Become a VIP" section with integrated signup forms to capture customer data and boost retention.
Content Strategy	Crafted a narrative "About" page highlighting the daily fresh fish and live DJ atmosphere to build emotional connection.