Just ran in to this place to grab a coffee on my way home from Durham. Inside was light bright and had plenty of seating. I'm excited to go and try a menu item. Was wiped on immediately by a friendly barista. My coffee was amazing and I wish I had time to sit inside and really enjoy being there. I would definitely recommend to someone in the area. read more

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Oh my wow!!! I'm visiting chapel hill for the time being and this was the perfect cafe I needed after a hike. The server was so kind and funny, I loved his charm and recommendations. I got the crispy potato brekkie and wowowoow I need that again!!!! So freaking delicious and my friend got the Nutella French toast without the Nutella and she said it was amazing!!! Blueberry matcha was decent. Vibes were good for a casual hangout, or even to study if I please. Would def come back! read more

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Food is highkey really good but it genuinely takes an hour to get it (I'm not even lying) I got an açaí bowl and tell me why I was waiting that long... riddle me that. Anyways can't hate on the food or the aesthetic tbh. But genuinely who is working back there? I'm abt to clock in at this point. read more

The service is terrible and it takes 3-5 business days for my food to come out. The food is good, but waiting legit an hour to eat is a little crazy especially when theres like two other people in the place. read more

The breakfast burrito is EXCELLENT! Good portion size, we have been splitting the burrito and potato plate and it is more than enough for two people. The pulled pork is seasoned well and the mix of flavors is perfect. Coffee is great too. We've had great service every time without a wait for seating. One of our favorite places in the area. read more

This review is just for a coffee-to-go-order, not a dine-in experience. I had recently been to their sister location in Raleigh for lunch but was shopping at the nearby Whole Foods and decided to stop in and grab a coffee. The staff were discussing some order or payment that went wrong to it took a while for them to take my order. I just got a flat white, which is pretty simple. However, it took a while to get to my to-go order since it looks like the barista was preparing some orders ahead of mine. Coffee was fine and I'd consider dining in sometime. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Interior - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Popped in for a coffee drink at 4:30 on a Wednesday while waiting for dinner. Kid didn't know what a coffee with a shot of Kahlua was. Not friendly at all. Won't be back. If I was in Wilmington or Wrightsville no problem. May be a training issue. read more

Amazing coffee, Açaí bowls, yogurt parfaits, and pancakes, and a great environment inside and out. Wonderful service by Kate as well

5 star experience all around. The vibe, the atmosphere, the food, the people. I absolutely loved this place. When we pulled up, we noticed how new and clean everything seemed. Seeing as this place only had 11 reviews, I was a little scared to try it, but I love trying new places in new cities, so we dove in. Once inside, we waited by the front door to be seated. At first, the hostess went to seat us at a table for two in the middle of the room, but I asked to be seated near the window so that we could bask in the sunlight. Our server was Olivia. She was sweet, perky and full of recommendations. I finally decided on the iced mocha and the crispy potato brekkie with the aioli on the side. My husband had an iced chai and the breakfast burrito as a bowl. Holy moly, when I say 5 stars, I mean 5 stars. The flavors were phenomenal! My potatoes were topped with fresh oregano and this truly made the dish. Each bitr was crispy yet fluffy, the eggs were tender and light as air and the bacon wasn't salty and perfectly complemented the eggs. We had ketchup and hot sauce brought to the table, but it wasn't needed as everything was perfectly seasoned! I actually finished my entire bowl. I never eat all my food at a restaurant, so that's how you know that was good. If I come back to the area, this will be the first place I stop! read more

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Love Drift! Great food and vibes. Our server, Kate, was so kind and helpful. Highly recommend!

Very cute cafe with amazing food! I was around the area picking up some groceries, and I heard from a couple friends about this new cafe that opened up. We came around 12:30 which was peak brunch time, and we had to wait about 20-30 minutes for a seat to open up. Make sure to hop on a waitlist beforehand on Google or on Yelp to minimize your wait time. After waiting and getting seated, we were greeted by such a kind waitress named Olivia (give her a raise)! She was delightful, so kind, and really pretty! All of the items on the menu looked delicious, so we had a difficult time choosing. I opted for the breakfast burrito with the dressed greens. After waiting a decent amount of time for our food (maybe we were just hangry), the food finally came. It was so so good! The breakfast burrito was filled with scrambled eggs, pulled pork, onions, and a lot of avocado! The tortilla itself was not too thick, which I enjoyed. It was very flavorful inside. The only complaint I have was that some bites were a little bit salty, and the contents inside the burrito weren't distributed well enough. But nonetheless, it was a delicious meal. I would definitely come back for another brunch excursion to try some of their other dishes! read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The menu online doesn't include prices or specify sizes. This teeny tiny latte was $6.50, which is pretty wild in Chapel Hill, NC (no special milk or anything). No great space to wait for to-go orders. Interior is cute though and decent amount of outdoor seating read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - $6.50 latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Brand new breakfast/coffee spot in Chapel Hill. The place has an open concept feel with big windows and an outside patio. The place is new so everything looks great. Service was fast and I got seated right away. I did go early in the morning so there was hardly anyone there. The menu has a variety of options for everyone. From breakfast to brunch and lunch. Also, it has a few kid friendly breakfast options (eggs, french toast, pancakes) which is very nice. I ordered the Avo Toast and added an egg to it (scrambled). It was a fairly big portion. Loved the presentation of the plate when it came to the table and most importantly, it was delicious. I also ordered a latte. It's definitely worth checking out. read more

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First visit. Mid morning. Bright and warm. Service was stellar. A seriously rich pistachio latte combined with a hearty stack of pancakes w/ strawberries --happy customer. read more

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Today was my first day visiting Drift after months of wanting to go and I'm glad I made the decision to stop by! I tried the seasonal Spiced Shortbread Latte with oatmilk which was so good I ended up getting 2 ‍...For lunch I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich which in my opinion fell a little flat of expectations and tasted somewhat bland despite everything that came on it. I loved the inside ambiance from the cozy atmosphere, decor, lighting & overall chill vibe. The wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. The food did take a bit long to come out despite the Cafe not being too busy but I'll chalk that up to the growing pains of a new establishment. I will for sure be back and look forward to trying out other meals and seasonal lattes! read more

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The food is so yummy and super aesthetic. The restaurant is also very cute. I love the avocado toast. I think it is the best I've had in chapel hill so far! read more

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We felt humiliated twice during our visit. First, I ordered a blue matcha, which was described as tasting like regular matcha. Instead, it tasted like oat milk. I waited for someone to check on our table so I could ask about exchanging it, but no one came until I was halfway through my meal. When I raised the issue, I was told I'd have to buy another drink if I didn't want the now-tepid blue matcha. I repeated back what the server said so she could hear how it sounded. Reluctantly, I was allowed to switch to a drink I knew, but by then, a scene had been made, and I felt embarrassed for even asking. On top of that, the avocado in my meal wasn't ripe, my side of potatoes was smaller than expected, and water refills were slow--we had to ask for them. At the end of our visit, the server told us we'd need to leave because there was a wait. However, we had been there for less than an hour, there was no visible line, and there was an empty table across from us (photo attached). We had brought friends who trusted us to pick a great spot, which made the experience even more disappointing. This was the second visit in a row where I've noticed a decline in both service and food quality. I'm not sure we'll be back. The good things: the pancakes and potatoes were yummy, we were welcomed, and the atmosphere was pleasant minus our feeling mistreated read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - An empty table across from us as we were asked to leave to accommodate an invisible wait - and we were there for less than an hour - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

We had already joined the waitlist about 12 minutes before getting there, and had to wait about 30 more minutes for our table after we checked in. It's so hard to have a conversation in here, the place it's really loud to the point that I left with a headache. Service can improve. I ordered a coffee and didn't have a spoon to add sugar, I had to use my knife. Never checked on us. My husband had to go to the counter to ask for other things we wanted. Food was ok, but not worth the wait or the price. Definitely not going back. read more

I love popping into drift! ​Haya makes the purrrfect latte and their baked goods are the cats meow. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Maple Honey Latte w/ Oat Milk - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Delicious food and amazing coffee! Staff were so nice - Shout out to fab barista Haya for the latte art!! read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Latte art! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

In the area and so glad I found this little gem! As a California girl I loved the ambiance and vibe. I loved their avocado toast, so yummy and light. I enjoyed their outside patio seating. Can't wait to try other options. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The area is calm and presentable. The place is aesthetic for photos but that's it. The food was good but not for a 40 minute wait. My waitress was juggling 4 tables at a time and took a very long time to ask for my food at all. read more

Tried to give Drift Cafe another chance last Saturday. We had been to Chapel Hill location in the early opening weeks, when their food and service were not up to our experiences at the Drift Cafe in Wrightsville Beach. While we wanted to love our experience, we probably won't be back - too many other reliable places in the area. Server was upbeat, but frazzled at 9:30 on a Saturday; restaurant was full and very noisy. Luckily we got a corner table for four! Food came out as ordered but was luke warm, slow to appear, espresso machine was broken/but plumber had been called??? and checks for the table weren't accurate: they contained items ordered by people at the table, but not on the right bill. For example coffee got put on a bill for someone who didn't order coffee. Too much chaos. Not enough reason to return. This place really needs to pay attention to management. It's giving other Drift Cafes a bad rep. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Biscoff pancake stack and cappuccino - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Kate was absolutely wonderful with our group for breakfast this morning. Food was phenomenal - all plates were clean.

First time but definitely not the last time. Very clean, modern and comfortable. Just the right size without too many people. The food, (took my two daughters) was fantastic! Organic, many varied selections and breakfast were awesome! Service was fast and efficient. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Poached eggs, roasted potatoes, bacon, roasted tomatoes, smokey roasted mushrooms with smoked salmon. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Kate is my GOAT, she was so kind and welcoming. Would come again just to keke with her.

Positives: ambience, service Negatives: food and coffee Lovely looking place and a pleasant, efficient waiter had me looking forward to a nice cappuccino and avocado toast. But the coffee had a strange, sour taste and the $15 avocado toast was almost inedible. Bread not toasted, avocado overly acidic, huge garnish of pickled onion and feta that completely overwhelmed everything else. Not willing to give it another go at those prices. read more

This place is full service and has sooo many touches of class. Zero single-use items, and amazing service. We had the crispy potato breakfast bowl and it was delicious. Presentation beautiful. Great place for romantic brunch or to meet up with a friend or colleague. read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Sunday mid-day brunch! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The breakfast burrito was delicious with the crunch of the fried onion rings. Can easily be shared . Not a fan of latte being served in a glass instead of cup. Not much of a selection of pastries. The bathroom was not very clean at 11 am. Nice ambiance and attentive staff. read more

Everytime I'm visiting NC, I have to stop by Drift, not just for the incredible coffee and food but also to see Haya!! She is the definition of what food service should be, so kind and always brings the best energy and her recommendations never fail! read more

Great food and service. Friendly staff and beautiful place! Loved the smash burger & açaí bowl. The fries were so crunchy & delicious! read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Smash burger & fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The food is great the service not. Waited 30 minutes for a drink, 60 minutes for food. Other parties that got seated after us got their drinks and food before us. Overall not a great experience will not be going back. read more

Drift is seriously so delicious and it's fast with great service! You feel like you're at the beach with the blue and wood decor. The coffee and food are both top notch! read more

We were served quickly by very attentive (but not TOO attentive) staff. My breakfast burrito was incredible--very ample serving, in fact I am eating the other half of it now--the next day. The potatoes, which had been highly recommended by a friend, were perfectly seasoned and browned on the outside (chunks) while tender on the inside. The serving that came with my burrito was plenty for my husband and myself. read more

I always get amazing service and the food is fantastic! The breakfast burrito is so so good

I love dining here. The food is good, however the wait time today was very long. There was only 1 server during lunch time. Too bad I had to leave. I hope the service will be better next time. read more

Tried it out on Sunday. The service was not great, the food was so so, our eggs were cold when served. Took forever for our food to come out. The place is too damn loud, can't have a conversation. Regular coffee was bad, Americano was decent. The breakfast potatoes were also good. Definitely not worth the price. read more

Beautiful place, a new cafe in the neighborhood. Great ambience and nice coffee but the best part was the barista, Zak! What a fun and knowledgeable guy, enjoyed talking to him, knows what he's doing. Will definitely come back for the food as well as the kitchen closes at 3 pm. read more

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Delicious coffee. I love the outdoor seating area! It is a great place to get some work done read more

Drift Cafe Village Plaza - Iced vanilla latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Went to Drift on a Saturday around 8:30-- I can't say enough good things about this cute little place!!! Immediately seated and greeted by our waitress who made some recommendations from their seasonal drink menu. We tried their cookie butter latte--so good! We also got chamomile tea--they brought a whole pot of it for us which was so nice for only $4!!! We decided to both get the Crispy Potato Brekkie bowl and split the Nutella French Toast. The bowls were super well balanced and the tomato aioli?!! SO GOOD!!! The french toast was AMAZING--the caramalized bananas on top were such a nice touch, and the thick brioche toast was so good. Reasonably priced for the quality of the food, amazing service, and in a great location--Drift really can't be beat!! Can't wait to be back very soon, thank you!!! read more

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