I finally checked out Drift Cafe and it's definitely one of those spots that feels like a mini escape in the middle of Raleigh. The space is super light, airy, and gives off that laid-back coastal vibe that makes you want to stay a while. The menu leans into that "wellness but still indulgent" balance. everything I tasted was fresh and thoughtfully made. The coffee was a standout too, smooth and not overly sweet, which I personally loved. A lot of people come here for the breakfast burritos, pancakes, and specialty lattes, so it's a solid brunch option if you want something a little elevated from the usual rotation. Service was friendly and pretty quick, even when it got busy, which I appreciated. It does get packed, especially on weekends, so just be ready for a bit of a wait. read more

Super cute place with plenty of parking options and gender neutral bathrooms. 10am on a Friday and it was packed. Conveniently with one table open. Drinks: I ordered a matcha latte, iced with oat milk. I knew it was a mistake as I watched them make it and the match came out of a squeeze bottle. My mom ordered hot black coffee, claiming it tasted burnt and was undrinkable. Mains: I ordered the strawberries & cream pancakes which came with three extremely tiny pancakes, that tasted like whole wheat. The "fresh jam" was overly sugared and had a smoothie like consistency. For $16 I was hungry and disappointed. My mom ordered the grain and egg bowl, wait it was underwhelming. Shocked there are so many positive reviews. read more

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I stopped by Drift after a long Saturday afternoon nearing the cafes end of day. As soon as I was greeted by the wonderful young lady behind the counter, she immediately notified me that they were only serving pastries & drinks as it was 4pm & they close at 5pm. It was fine because I was in dire need of caffeine!!! I ordered one of the seasonal specialties, a vanilla bean, and asked them to make it a hot latte. It was a 5/5 for me. I'm looking forward to going back to Drift. It's beautiful inside with lots of different seating options, as well as plenty of seating on the back patio. They have a variety of breakfast options, baked goods, smoothies, in addition to the variety of hot & cold drinks! They have online ordering as well! read more

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I've driven by this place and have been meaning to try it. I got the crispy potato breakfast and subbed the bacon for mushrooms. Overall really liked the dish. The mushrooms did have slightly too much oil for me but great flavor overall. The potato's are great too and liked the aioli with it. The "magic" is really just a cortado but it was a pretty good one! Plenty of parking outside. Prices definitely on the higher end but I would say it's pretty filling. Great staff and very helpful too. Overall I really liked this place. I think I would come back to try their coffee options and other things for sure if I'm in the area around breakfast. read more

Drift Cafe - Crispy potato breakfast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I ordered a chicken Caesar salad to go during lunch since this is close to my office. The ordering process online was quick and easy, and I didn't have to wait very long once I arrived. The quality of the ingredients were very good and everything tasted delicious. I think the croutons and dressing were made in-house. I will say the portion size was a bit small for a $17 salad. Overall, a great option for quality food when you're in the area. read more

Drift Cafe - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Had the Blue Cloud Iced Matcha and as someone who doesn't usually like matcha, the server convinced me to try it, and I'm so glad I did. The burrito bowl was delicious, and after the first bite I told myself, I'm coming back and ordering this same dish it's so good. read more

Drift Cafe - Blue Cloud Iced Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Came by for brunch during the week not expecting it to be busy, but since Christmas was last week, we should have known this place was going to be packed. The interior is super cute and airy, but they do need a better system for people waiting to be seated. Even so, we were seated within 10 minutes and got our food within 30. Our server was quick to our table and friendly. Our food was delicious, as always! And when we come back I already know what I want to try next :p 8/10 - if they had more space for a waiting area, or a better system, this place would be perfect! read more

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The initial issue was the length of wait time. Getting seated was a wait, and to be expected of a popular location. The issue compounded from there when it took a long time to get our order placed and then a 20 minute wait to receive the food. There was a sum total of 40-50min to receive our food after entering the establishment. We ordered pancakes and a burger for context. The primary issue was quantity of food and quality. $16.50 for three miniature pancakes (no sides) and $16.50 for a small burger with fries (admittedly a large amount of fries which were tasty). In summary, our food took a long time to reach us, was not fresh (warm burger and cooler pancakes) plus wayyyy to pricey for quantity and quality. read more

Best latte I have ever had in my entire life. No notes. I dropped in for a quick coffee and left with my life changed forever. I got an iced vanilla latte with oat milk. It was smooth, creamy, perfectly sweet, and oh so delicious! The service was fast - I was in and out in under five minutes. I would like to experience the sit-down aspect of this restaurant as the inside was so cute! The servers were kind and quick. If you're thinking about stopping in- do it!! Your life can be changed too! read more

Drift Cafe - Iced vanilla latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Cute cute cute! Loved this quaint and sweet cafe! It is a sit down place with great service! I ordered a cappuccino and scrambled toast! Service makes a world of a difference! See pics! read more

Drift Cafe - Scrambled toast (sourdough) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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We have been here a few times. Two out of three were takeaway, and the service, while kind and professional, was also rather slow and imperfect with items being out or forgetting part of our order that we had already paid for. It's best to go for breakfast during the work week if you have that flexibility. The menu is a unique version of brunchy comfort food and we are lucky to have scored this restaurant in Ridgewood. If you want to brave a weekend, or order takeaway, definitely download the app to 'get in line' or place your order online. read more

Drift Cafe is legit! First visit and I am impressed. Our waitress was friendly and offered menu suggestions, which led me to order a latte and a blueberry poppyseed muffin. The muffin was soft, moist and full of blueberries. It was by far one of the best muffins that I've had in a while. The latte was smooth and creamy. It was just the right amount of sweet when paired with the muffin. I can't wait to visit the new location in Chapel Hill. read more

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Went for brunch with a friend. We both got the crispy potato brekkie. It was so good and enough food. The sauce was amazing. There was plenty of parking in the lot and lots of seating. Very cute brunch spot. We got seated right away and our server was very kind and checked on us often. read more

Drift Cafe - Crispy potato brekkie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Stopped at this cute cafe before my hair appointment in the Ridgewood Shopping Center. There's optional indoor/outdoor seating or simply take your order to-go. I opted for a to-go Blue Cloud Latte but I sat for a bit. The Blue Cloud Latte is a butterfly pea flower tea with oat milk, steamed coconut foam and a sprinkle of ginger on top. The tea was both aesthetically beautiful and delicious. Sweet but not too sweet and the ginger at the nose really wakes you up! Service was quick, friendly and there's plenty of parking out front. Definitely check out the menu for food, I spotted some Biscoff pancakes that look amazing. read more

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Came for brunch with girlfriends and had a great time! I used the waitlist option on Yelp, which was so simple and easy to do. We were seated in less than 20 minutes. The cafe is very bright and airy. Erik was our server and he was excellent! He answered all of our questions thoughtfully and really added to our vibes every time he stopped by the table. I loved the blue cloud latte, so creamy and comforting. The aperol spritz was a little too bitter for me but my friend enjoyed it very much. The avocado toast was delicious, as well as the Caesar salad wrap. Their fries are golden and crunchy to perfection! A little pricey for the brunch we had but I enjoyed my time and the atmosphere. read more

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Came here to get some matcha and tea to go but ended up sitting down when we saw how calm and nice the ambiance was. We waited in a short line and the service was nice. There aren't a lot of things on the menu but the options were variant. I really wanted to have brunch here but had eaten prior so i'll be coming back just for that. (and the delicious matcha as well). As soon as we left, i marked it as a place to come back and bring my laptop or book with me. It's peaceful and the music is light and mellow. read more

Good place for breakfast. All our food was good and flavorful, no issues. There is a good selection of items. The place is nice and service was efficient. read more

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Had a lovely experience at Drift. The staff was incredibly sweet and welcoming. I ordered the salted coconut oat coldie, which was so good, highly recommend! I also got the chicken Caesar wrap and it was packed full, which I love, and came with crispy fries and a really tasty dill ranch (I think it was dill). Also tried the Blue Cloud Latte, which was really cute and aesthetic. It had a coconut ish flavor, it wasn't totally my thing, but still worth it for how fun it looked. My husband had the caramel latte and liked it, though he was hoping for a little more caramel flavor. I was planning to work while I was there and they were so sweet and told me to pull two tables together for more space. Super thoughtful. The space is modern and cozy with plants hanging from the ceiling, cute booths, and fun, light music. Overall, loved the vibe, the food, and the people. Highly recommend if you're looking for a spot that's both chill and yummy. read more

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It's a busy Saturday morning with tons of people here, but since there were only two of us, we didn't have to wait. Our waitress was sweet but not very attentive. She greeted us, took our drink orders, brought our food, and then we didn't see her again for about half an hour until it was time for the check. The food, though, was absolutely delicious. I got the breakfast burrito in a bowl instead of a tortilla, and for my drink, I tried the Salted Coconut Oat Coldie, which was really good. I enjoyed the food. read more

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The last few times we've come here the flavor is not stirred into our iced lattes and it's just not good :( it's not as sweet as it used to be! When you order a thick sauce like white chocolate or mocha, it's hard to stir it in cold after all the milk and ice. Going to have to take a break from making drift our go to place :( read more

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This place is so cute with coastal vibes! I got the crispy potato breakfast bowl and everything in it was great besides the fact that the potatoes were not in fact crispy. My friend got a coffee and said it was great! Our server gave us the vibe of hating us and just rubbed us the wrong way. It was like she was mad that we didn't know how their menu worked. I would still go back because I want to try their fluffy pancakes read more

Drift Cafe - Breakfast bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Good service here but the waiting area is awful, there's basically nowhere to stand while you wait. The orange juice was tiny for what they charge. The crispy potatoes weren't crispy at all but they actually had really good flavor. The burrito was incredible though, super big and filling. They do have both indoor and outdoor seating which is nice. I'd definitely go back just for that breakfast. read more

Drift Cafe - Breakfast bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Stopped here for a quick bite and coffee and just had time for coffee as they were busy. If we didn't have an appointment and had more time we would have ordered lunch. Our order took a bit but it was the worth the wait. My latte was seriously one of the best coffees I've ever tasted. Creamy, not too hot, flavorful! They served this is a glass which was different. My friend ordered the blueberry muffin made in house and she did it was scrumptious. Great little place. I will be back when in the area. read more

Drift Cafe - Vanilla sugar free latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Cutie spot for breakfast/brunch! Service was rly friendly. Drinks & food did take longer than expected to come out, but the place was packed so I get it. It's small and does get rly busy, so def recommend joining the waitlist before you get there. Especially since there isn't really a great spot/much space to wait for a table inside when the weather is cold. read more

Let me preface this review by saying I love coffee and any place that gives beach vibes! I was already pretty much sold when I walked through the door and saw the beach-inspired decor and the actual dining experience affirmed that this is a wonderful little café. This is an awesome place to have coffee/tea and brunch with friends, family, or colleagues! Also would be a great place for a casual date. I had an iced coffee and yogurt with honey, granola, and fresh blueberries and strawberries. Both were good. Servers were welcoming and attentive. I will definitely visit again and plan to try one of their beach locations too! read more

My second time coming here and had no wait for a thursday afternoon. I ordered the scrambled egg toast and my friend got a breakfast burrito with a side of potatoes. While absolutely delicious, i did think my toast was a little pricey for the portion. On the menu it was $14.30 but my bill came out to $15.30 (i did not order a drink) before taxes and tip. They should update the menu to reflect the most recent changes. otherwise, it was a good place for lunch and super cute inside read more

Drift Cafe - burrito & scrambled egg toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

This is the 3rd Drift location I've visited. I tried to order my go to, iced honey lavender latte and a veggie breakfast burrito. Unfortunately, they don't have lavender syrup at this location. I switched to an iced matcha, still very good. The veggie burrito was good as always, I would have liked a bit more goat cheese. I chose potatoes as my side and wish they had been cut smaller to allow for more crisp, but good and the sauce they came with was great! read more

Breakfast at Drift was such a good start to our morning before driving home! I had a breakfast bowl with sweet potatoes, egg, quinoa, and roasted tomato, and it was so good. I started with a coffee, but it was a little too strong for my taste, so I decided to switch things up with a chai latte--and wow, I'm glad I did! It was creamy, spicy, and absolutely perfect. The service was awesome, and my sister and I loved the cozy vibe of the café. I'd definitely return if I'm ever back in Raleigh! read more

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Been wanting to try this place after driving by and hearing so much about it. It is the only full service coffee shop I have encountered. In other words if you are staying you have to wait to be seated and wait for a server to come over and take your order. Even if you just want coffee. This was the -1 star for me. There was only one server and many people, so wait times were longer than I wanted. If you just want to pop in for an hour to get some work done and get some coffee, you have to wait for a server while the people at the counter are just standing around. So this is a for me. Now to the good part. I ordered the salted butterscotch latte and it was so divine, I got another one to go. . My friend had the chicken Caesar salad and I had a kid's strawberry pancake with eggs and bacon and a kale salad with goat cheese, black beans, warm sweet potatoes and some other treats. All the food was delicious and very flavorful. The pancakes were chef's kiss!!! Get them. I can't wait to try the biscoff ones. Although service was a bit slow, the server was friendly and accommodating. All the staff were great. The place is clean and comfortable and a great place to do work if you can get a seat. Overall I look forward to returning and trying some of the other menu items. Definitely on my return list. read more

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A friend suggested we meet here for lunch on a Friday. I arrived early and there was a group outside, making me think there was a wait. Luckily, when my friend arrived, we learned the group was more waiting around and we were able to be seated out back rather quickly. I was not extremely hungry so just got a breakfast sandwich and an iced chai. Our server was pleasant and the atmosphere was very relaxed. I believe this is a local chain with a few locations. It was a pleasant dining experience and I would come back. read more

Drift Cafe - Breakfast sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Great service food and ambiance. Best coffee and make sure you try their mushrooms. Ellie is great ... really recommend my favorite place in triangle read more

A business that does not answer their phone & does not include utensils in a take out order; this negates how good their food is. I am in Raleigh while my husband has surgery, we arrived to the orthopedic office early and I was not allowed to leave during surgery but was starving. I ordered delivery through Drift's website and had all the correct information. When that system transferred the information to DoorDash, the delivery address was wrong. The business doesn't answer their phone ! The recording says for urgent issues with orders to come to the cafe ?? And for other issues to text the number. Urgent issues are resolved by picking up the phone, a business who doesn't use one shouldn't do take out orders. I texted the business number, which was zero help. Thankfully the DoorDash driver was responsive to my text and corrected the delivery address. When the food arrived, it had no utensils for me to eat. What a waste of $50. read more

Came here after run club with a group of 8 and they were able to accommodate (one big table). All of the staff were polite and efficient, the space is beautiful (think Baja), and the food is good -- everyone enjoyed their coffee and breakfast. It's gonna be hard for me to get behind a $12 breakfast sandwich though. Otherwise, enjoyed the experience. read more

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So I tried to order two different things, but the waitress came back and told me that they were out of pulled pork. So we switched to bacon for the breakfast burrito instead. And then we tried to order another thing and then she came back and said they're out of mushrooms. So instead we ordered the big brekkie. The burrito would have been better with pulled pork. Definitely a let down with just the bacon. Would have been better off probably ordering the veggie burrito so super bummed they ran out of that. The potatoes were delicious though and the drinks were good. I don't know if it's worth going back though if they run out of food items like this since I'm not close by. The waitresses were very nice and the vibe of the place is super cute. I just feel like it was expensive for the quality of food that was served to us, for me to just go meh and it's a 15 dollar item isn't worth it. read more

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Drift is a small chain in NC with gourmet food that is reasonably priced and healthy options. I really enjoyed the food because they have choices of lighter options and heavier breakfast fare, it is a nice change from the normal diner style places in the area. The interior was clean and bright, it made for a pleasant start to the morning. Service was good with frequent coffee refills in my bottomless coffee. This is a great place to start your day, I will come back next time I'm in the area. read more

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Delish salad and chai latte. Gorgeous day so we sat on the patio. It was a little noisy from the busy road but still had a wonderful lunch! read more

Drift Cafe - Cobb salad no egg with creamy dill dressing - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I've always passed this place on Wade Ave and wanted to stop in. It did not disappoint! My caramel latte was delicious. The Nutella French toast and breakfast burrito were seriously so good. The pancakes were also so unique - yum! Service staff was super friendly. The inside restaurant is a little small (but cutely decorated!) so I would recommend putting your name on the virtual waitlist before heading in. Will definitely be coming back here! read more

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I've only come here for coffee which I ordered online and took to go. The restaurant was super busy when I went in to grab my drink. I liked that it felt really bright and beachy. I got the salted caramel coconut oat iced coffee drink. My drink was really good flavor wise but my cup was overflowing and had coffee all over it. Would've loved some more attention to detail there but overall I would come back for more. read more

10/10 love this place. As an Aussie trying to find a brekkie and flat white like home, I found my place. Shout out the girls who take care of me like an old friend when I dine in (I'm the worst for not remembering your names), and shout out to Erik our server today who was friendly, entertaining and thoughtful throughout service. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

I am ony receiving the food and not their beverage. The food takes a while to be ready for takeout. The price point on average is higher than restaurants serving similar menu items. The sides, unless you upgrade, is minimal. I could see the menu price being worth it if the sides were better in quantity and quality. The ambience is nice for a casual get together but too loud for a small group to hear each other indoors. I'll give this place another try, but it's not someplace I would recommend for those who are budget conscious. read more