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    Drift Cafe - Hanover Center

    4.3 (38 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 4:30 pm

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    DRIFT CAFE - HANOVER CENTER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Ho T.

    "The first experience was very disappointing." This is my first time to the restaurant. When I walked in, I didn't see anyone coming to say hello or show me what to do. After a long time of waiting, I took the initiative to go to the counter to order. After calling, I went to the table to sit and waited when another staff came and told me not to sit there, and told me to "if you want to eat, go to the front of the restaurant" - a sentence that made me feel like I was being chased. While the food I had finished ordering and was on the table, she said that if I wanted to sit in this area, I had to contact first. But obviously from the beginning I was not instructed or reminded by anyone about that regulation. After that, she also called another woman to clean up all the glasses and eating utensils in front of me, making me feel seriously discriminated and disrespectful. I am really disappointed with the service and behavior of the staff here. Hopefully, the restaurant manager will reconsider how to train staff as well as the process of welcoming guests - especially for first- time visitors, so that no one else has to go through the same experience as me.

    Breakfast burrito bowl sub cheddar for goat cheese and fried chicken sandwich
    Anna B.

    Holy guacamole that food was so good! Every bite I wanted to do a little dance. I got the breakfast burrito on greens and got goat cheese instead of shredded cheese. My husband didn't like it, but I think he would have if it was on potatoes instead (which you can ask for)! He got the fried chicken sandwich which was pretty average, not special, but definitely yummy. The dill dressing it came with was super yummy! I am picky about coffee too and I got a latte and it was great. I saw in reviews people complaining about prices but I thought the prices were very good.... I had so much food on my plate, I was stuffed! And a $5 latte is very comparable to ANY coffee shop. The ambiance was great, the servers were kind and attentive. Wait time was a little long but isn't the point of a sit down restaurant to sit and talk anyway? Overall 9/10, a 10 for me (I will be dreaming about the bowl I had) but I'll say 9 since my husband didn't love it as much as me.

    Yogurt and granola bowl.
    Monica P.

    My husband wanted a cup of coffee and we were in the area, so we tried this place out. I ordered the Granola and Yogurt: Greek yogurt, walnut granola, strawberries, blue berries, raspberries, and drizzled with honey. It was the perfect portion for a quick breakfast. The interior is bright and welcoming; and the service friendly. Edit: I posted this and turned to post a comment on their FB. Their website link goes to the location in OIB. They charge $5.30 for what I paid at the Hanover location: $9. Why the big price difference??

    Brown butter cappuccino
    Charlene C.

    Nice inside, decor feels light, summery with fresh flowers adorning each table. Ordered a brown butter cappuccino which isn't listed on paper menu but is on their app menu. With your choice of milk, cinnamon, and housemade brown butter syrup. It is so good! Not very sweet. The brown butter as that extra oomph. Comes in a tiny cup. Breakfast ordered a crispy potato brekkie and subbed mushrooms for the bacon. So good! The roasted tomato aioli really makes the dish! Btw it's a little spicy. Potatoes were crispy, mushrooms so savory, and eggs were so fluffy. Ordered to-go and chef cooked it quickly. I also was the only one there. They didn't mind that I sat inside to wait for my order. Indoor and outdoor seating. They have an app you can order from. Didn't work last night for me to order ahead, but looked like it was working this morning. Drift is one of the best breakfast spots in town! Will be back!

    The breakfast sandwhich
    Eliana R.

    This cafe is beautiful from the moment you walked in. I love the decor and bright feel. I ordered the açaí bowl and blue cloud latte. The açaí bowl was very delicious, possibly one of the best I've ever had. The blue cloud latte is made from butterfly pea flower, vanilla, and ginger. It was very light. It's more of an acquired taste as you drink it. My husband got the breakfast sandwich with egg, bacon, and arugula on it. He said it was delicious. The waitress helping us was very cheerful and our food and drinks came out very fast. We were in and out within 30 minutes. If I lived closer this would be a spot I'd visit often!

    Mackenzie was the best server! We had such an amazing experience ! Food was great & service was very attentive!

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    1 month ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for visiting!

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    10 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    Michael P.

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    4 months ago

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    Michael P.

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    3 months ago

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    Michael P.

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    1 month ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for being a loyal, Robert. Always a pleasure serving you!

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    5 months ago

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    Michael P.

    Always a pleasure serving you. We appreciate your loyalty.

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    5 months ago

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    Michael P.

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    5 months ago

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    Michael P.

    Happy to hear that you had a great time.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious baked goods! The salted chocolate chip cookie was on point! Great ambience and enjoyed reading a book with my tea.

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    Michael P.

    Glad you enjoyed your time!

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    3 months ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks! We are gald to hear this, and we hope to see you some more :)

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    6 months ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for being a loyal, Vince! We appreciate your support

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    2 years ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for visiting!

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    5 months ago

    Favorite brunch spot! The crispy potatoes are unmatched!! I come here a couple times a month and always order the same thing!

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    Michael P.

    Hi Carter! Welcome back

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    10 months ago

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    Michael P.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for visiting. We'll pass the compliments to Mackenzie!

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Michael P.

    Welcome back!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great service! Food was delicious and no wait time, the brekkie potatoes were wonderful!

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    Michael P.

    Welcome back!

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    1 year ago

    Food was great! Server was delightful and attentive. Very cool vibe in the resturant. Upscale diner/ cool cafe. Would go again.

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    Michael P.

    Thanks Tracy! Welcome back

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    3 years ago

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    Michael P.

    Thank you Alex! We hope to see you soon.

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    2 years ago

    My new favorite spot. All the ladies are super sweet and the food and dirty chai lattes are on point!!

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    Michael P.

    Hey Jason! Glad you enjoyed the service.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Michael P.

    Thanks for visiting Jennifer!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was GREAT! Service 10/10 (shae)! Super clean restaurant, new favorite brunch spot

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    Michael P.

    Thank you! We are glad you loved the store1

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    3 years ago

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    Great restaurant with delicious food. Waitstaff was attentive and knowledgeable! Went for Mother's…read moreDay brunch- the shrimp salad was delicious!

    We made another visit here, this time for dinner, and with different friends who have not visited…read moreSouth Front Tavern before. It was great weather this night, so we opted for an outside table that was in total shade. Very comfortable. Our server came by for drink orders. We had no appetizers this visit and went right into entrees. We tried the Port City Burger, the Gnocchi with chicken, cilantro lime shrimp quesadillas and the salmon tacos. Everything was delicious. The only complaint I would have is that the Salmon Tacos was a bit small. The dish is two small tacos with a side of tortilla chips. There is no salsa, no pico de gallo, no slaw. I was actually sorry that I didn't get an appetizer. I was still a little hungry after I finished. We didn't want any of the dessert offered this time. Again, everything was great. Service, food, atmosphere, outside patio. Just my dish was a little less in size. I will keep that in mind next time we visit. I'm not sure something like this would be changed on the menu, but I still wanted to voice my opinion. Still a great place with a great menu and service. If the weather is good, opt for the patio. It is really nice sitting out there.

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    Dram Yard

    Dram Yard

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    What a fantastic evening at Dram Yard…read more We were a little concerned we might miss our 5:30 reservation after getting delayed by a seven-car accident on the bridge, but we arrived just a couple of minutes late and it wasn't an issue at all. From the moment we arrived, the experience was relaxed, welcoming, and exactly what we needed. We chose to sit in the beautiful courtyard, and with temperatures in the 70s, sunshine overhead, and a gentle breeze, it couldn't have been a more perfect setting. The outdoor gazebo bar creates a wonderful atmosphere for enjoying a cocktail before dinner, and if the weather isn't cooperating, the indoor dining space is equally inviting. A special thank you to Sarah, whose service was outstanding. She was cheerful, attentive, and genuinely seemed happy to be there. The restaurant wasn't crowded, which made for a peaceful and unhurried dining experience. For drinks, I ordered the Ghost Town, while my wife enjoyed the Venus Flytrap. Both were beautifully prepared and easy to see why they're among the restaurant's popular cocktails. The food was equally impressive. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara, and it was exceptional. The kitchen even accommodated my request for extra freshly cracked black pepper, which took an already excellent dish to another level. My wife ordered the Little Gem Salad with shrimp, and it was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. We also shared the Tuna Tartare Tostada, which was outstanding--beautiful presentation, fresh tuna, and a great balance of textures and flavors. Adding to the experience was a bottle of Albariño that paired wonderfully with the meal. What stands out most about Dram Yard is its atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you can settle in, slow down, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, and forget about the stresses of the day. Whether you're looking for a date night, an evening with friends, or simply a quiet place to relax, Dram Yard delivers. Excellent service, creative cocktails, outstanding food, and one of the most relaxing outdoor dining spaces in Wilmington. We'll definitely be back.

    This was the 3rd time we've been here. The first two times we did not make it to the table because…read moreof the service. They generally do not care about the customer at all. The star of the show is definitely the food. The chef is super proud of his food, and he should be. The only reason I'm giving this a 4 on food instead of a 5 is because there was no iced tea (in the summer in the carolinas - not really forgivable) the water was nasty and the biscuits on my Benedict were towards the burnt side on the bottom. Honestly, everything otherwise was amazing. What was really great: The restaurant itself is AMAZING! It's like being transported to a Parisian cafe. I love that when you walk in, you immediately see the fully in view kitchen. I'm assuming a chef owns the restaurant and designed the layout. The patio is quaint and delightful and surprisingly private for a downtown sidewalk restaurant. The eggs on my Eggs Benedict could not have been more perfect. I'm not a fried potato person; however, the pan fried potatoes here are mostly whole and they are out of this world. They were exceedingly crispy on the outside and completely soft on the inside. My son ordered the dutch baby. It was delicious. The accompanied fruit was perfect and truly ripe. I feel like they would have to toss a lot of fruit to get the ones that were truly that perfect. What did not work: The water - it was about 85 degrees out and humid. There is nothing here refreshing. Water is served European style meaning no ice and out of the tap. Warm tap water on a hot day in South Carolina is just nasty. It's ironic that while Europeans visiting the US for the World Cup are posting social media reels raving about ice in drinks in the United States, meanwhile The Dram Yard is insisting on pulling all of the worst parts of eating out in Europe into their restaurant. I truly dislike restaurants that serve canned and bottled beverages. It screams, "nickel and dime". If you bought your cans of soda at Costco and charged $4.00 for a can, I'd have to drink 9 cans before you're losing money. There is literally no reason to limit beverages other than driving higher profits. I hate price gouging. At the very least get a fountain and serve iced tea. SERVICE - the service staff simply makes you feel like they're doing you a favor by being open. Don't expect anything after that. When we arrived, the restaurant was at about 25% capacity with 2 food servers, who also double as the hostess. After waiting 10 minutes to be seated (yes...even at 25% capacity), service truly went downhill from there. It wasn't that the staff was rude. They were just not present and extremely slow. It honestly seemed like they were doing everything they could to not be seen. We needed salt, a refill of the water carafe and our check. That was it. The staff would come to our part of the dining room but then not even glance around or come by to see if we needed anything. I'm giving them a 2 because they were exceedingly slow and not present. When we did chase them down, I felt rude asking for help. The chef delivered our food. He was very proud and should be. However, here's the rub. The chef needs to learn that being in the restaurant business is not only about creating great food. It also requires front of house service and an overall dining experience that people are happy with. Right now, I'm walking away feeling: 1. great food and great atmosphere 2. terrible service 3. nickle and dimed me on drinks 4. doesn't have the sense to serve iced tea in the Caronlinas So - as much as I loved the food - there are too many restaurants in Wilmington that are good enough to overcome 2, 3 and 4 above. The Dram could be fixed so easily: 1. hire servers who want to be there and smile a little 2. put ice in your water 3. serve iced tea - at least in the summer months 4. get a soda fountain - it's 2026 Unfortunately, we won't be back because there are simply other options that, at the very least, hit 1, 2 and 3 with good food.

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    Seabird

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    4.6
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    Lives up to its review **…read more we were originally on our way to a place Perla for oysters, our friend suggested it. I was looking at near by restaurants and decided to try seabird instead - as we wanted to come to the boardwalk anyways. I am so glad we changed our route to seabird. Venue: quite quaint than I thought but it is elegantly and uniquely presented. Food: ordered tuna crudo, short rib burger, eggs Benedict and of course the oysters. We loved every plate ordered. First oyster, super fresh, clean and exactly the type of oysters we are looking for. The condiments were made fresh and complimented the oysters very well. Burger was good- tender meat and seasoned well; this plate was ordered for my teen son- he said it was good but not worth $25 for a burger. Sturgeon eggs Benedict was cooked to perfection - perhaps one salt sprinkle away from absolute perfection but that's why the table salt is for. The shaved dill pickle it came with complimented The richness of the Benedict. The star of the show today for us the tuna crudo - oh my! What a complex taste - sweet, salty, savory, tangy, creamy and fresh- the savory tuna meets the sweet watermelon, fresh cucumber- spicy pepper with amazing watermelon cream dressing. I wanted to lick the whole sauce off the plate. Also ordered strawberry brownie icecream and I was in love! Creamy- not too rich or sweet - refreshing and perfect all in all, we all loved every bite. Service: exceptional service from entering the door to exiting. Our server was amazing. We are definitely coming back and recommending it to the friend who recommended us Perla

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    Drift Cafe - Hanover Center - coffee - Updated June 2026

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