This Wilmington coffee restaurant is brewing up success with new talent and a new location

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·3 min read

The beachy Wilmington-based coffee brand, Drift Coffee & Kitchen, has growth in mind. The newest, sixth location is now open at Hanover Center at 3501 Oleander Drive and owners have more in the works.

Each Drift space has a breezy look, with details and accessories unique to that community and neighborhood. The consistency comes from a coffee menu and breakfast and brunch items that run the spectrum from yogurt and gluten-free breads to bowls and wraps. To that backdrop they’re also adding what they’re calling café-style locations.

“The coffee shops all have gourmet coffee, and a menu that you can order take-out or to eat in on ceramics,” said Michael Powell, who owns Drift with his brother Ben. “The cafes offer a little more. Sit down service, cocktails. We do want to grow both models."

To help with that, they’ve been growing their team, too. Thomas Mathers has been leading culinary efforts for Drift, while Sully Keele is heading the coffee department. Now, the brothers have recruited local chef and restaurateur Craig Love as their director of operations.

Drift Coffee & Kitchen at 3501 Oleander Dr. recently opened, as of September 2023 in Wilmington's Hanover Center shopping center.
Drift Coffee & Kitchen at 3501 Oleander Dr. recently opened, as of September 2023 in Wilmington's Hanover Center shopping center.

“I knew Drift when I was still at Surf House in Carolina Beach,” Love said. “And I think we are aligned philosophically. And I hope I’ve been able to add my skills.”

After closing Surf House, and selling The Southerly biscuit shop in Carolina Beach, Love opened The Getaway Café & Provisions in Wilmington’s Riverlights community with business partner Annalee Johnston. While he’s still a part of the restaurant, Johnston oversees the daily operations at Getaway.

“I've been with Drift since January and I hope I’ve been able to help standardize the quality of experience and the quality of the product as we grow,” Love said. “It’s mostly establishing the system of processes, so we’re all on the same page.”

And while many locals know about Love’s talent in the kitchen, he said that while he’s willing to support Mathers, that’s not his purpose with Drift.

“I haven’t sauteed anything and I haven’t flipped a pancake,” he said.

Instead, he’s interested in helping with the complex task of developing two versions of the Drift brand.

“The Wrightsville Beach location has been a monster for them. But you could probably put any sign out front and people will show up,” Love said. “This new café in Hanover Center will really be a chance to refine that cafe model."

At Hanover Center, in the space next to the former Stein Mart (and upcoming Homesense department store), a cafe was ideal. Look for the same menu as Wrightsville Beach, with more dishes and heartier selections. Pancakes have been popular at the cafes, for example, from the Biscoff Stack, with Lotus Biscoff spread, cookie crumbles, strawberries and mint, to the Savory Stack with bacon and eggs.

The Harissa Grain Bowl, Scrambled Egg Toast and Strawberries and Cream Stack at Drift Coffee & Kitchen.
The Harissa Grain Bowl, Scrambled Egg Toast and Strawberries and Cream Stack at Drift Coffee & Kitchen.

As Drift grows, both the community and the site will help dictate what model will open, Powell said. Typically, he said the restaurant-style cafes will be 2,200-3,200 square feet. The coffee shops are smaller, with the busy, 800-square-foot Ocean Isle Beach location being the smallest.

They’ve yet to determine what will be best for their first Raleigh location, set to open next year, Love said. The Carolina Beach Drift, tentatively opening in 2025, is a cafe planned for the Proximity mixed-use project.  Powell also said they’re putting other systems in place to help them succeed, including adding a sophisticated app and loyalty program that rivals bigger companies.

“Essentially, it tracks orders, to make re-ordering easy and to keep track of rewards. Basically, you get a $4 credit for every $50 you spend. And other perks if you spend more. Delivery is also available on the app, depending on the closest location.”

Powell said their intention is to build Drift into a unique coffee concept, inspired by the thoughtful shops he and his brother encountered on their global travels.

“But we want to do it the right way, and make sure the experience is what it should be along the way,” he said.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Drift Coffee & Kitchen adds new cafe at Hanover Center in Wilmington