About Drift
Drift is a farm-diversification café on the cliff edge a few miles east of North Berwick, half a mile from Tantallon Castle, with a wide view over the Firth of Forth to the Bass Rock. Farmer Stuart McNicol and his wife Jo, who came from hospitality, opened it in 2018 serving coffee and cake. They took the idea from an upcycled shipping container used as a tea stop in Bristol and built their own unusual structure on the farm.
It has since grown into a sit-in eatery with a breakfast, brunch and lunch menu cooked to order: cheese scones, maple bacon waffles, a full cooked breakfast, toasties, and lobster or crayfish rolls, with soup, cakes and scones made in house. Menus change with the seasons, and some cakes are dairy-free, gluten-free or nut-free. A takeaway trailer outside serves rolls, burgers, chips, ice cream and hot drinks for walkers.
Drift is open every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm, with food until 3pm and coffee and cake until 4pm. You can book a table on their website. Dogs aren't allowed inside, but they are welcome at the outdoor picnic tables, which have hooks under the seats. Seek Dog Park across the road takes bookings for off-lead exercise, and the 120 bus stops at a stop named Drift. The team also runs half-term family menus and Halloween baking, and whole cakes can be ordered with 48 hours' notice.
Lothian Lavender is based at Gifford, about 25 minutes south by country roads, so Drift makes a good coastal lunch stop on a day that takes in Tantallon, the beaches and the lavender.
What to do
- Watch the Bass Rock over brunch from the clifftop
- Order a lobster or crayfish roll at lunch
- Grab a takeaway roll or ice cream from the trailer before walking to Tantallon Castle
- Sit at the outdoor picnic tables with your dog
- Order a whole cake with 48 hours' notice
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open every day, with seasonal menus
- Hours
- 2026: daily 9:30am–4:30pm; food until 3pm, coffee and cake until 4pm
Good to know
- Dogs
- Outdoor tables only (not allowed inside)
- Reservations
- Recommended (tables can be booked online)
Tips for your visit
- Order food before 3pm; after that it's coffee and cake only
- Coming by bus, ask for the stop called Drift on the 120
- Book a table on their website for weekend brunch
Pair it with a lavender farm
Lothian Lavender · about 25 minutes away
Lothian Lavender at Gifford is about 25 minutes south, an easy pairing with a coastal lunch at Drift.
Getting there
Questions
Are dogs allowed?
Not inside, but they're welcome at the outdoor picnic tables, which have hooks for leads.
When is food served?
Food is served until 3pm and coffee and cake until 4pm; Drift is open 9:30am to 4:30pm daily.
Can I book a table?
Yes, tables can be booked through their website.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Gifford & East Lothian, Scotland
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
