The Drift Cafe in Northumberland

Good starting point for a walk on the beach. Really good cafe. Lots of tables. Can be busy. Large range of food. Still a great place.

We stopped by for a bite to eat following a long leisurely walk on the beach. We had lovely food and ended up staying for an extra drink and some cake following some lunch. Our little one was well catered for and the staff were all very welcoming for an October half term drop in. The cafe is a little expensive as they have a monopoly on the area (only other eatery is a ice cream shop up the road) but the quality, staff and quantity made up for it in my opinion. We'll be back.

Good honest food. Great selection. Wonderful location.

As good as always, every time we come back

This is an updated review for the Drift cafe at Cresswell. This cafe used to be amazing with really nice fresh food & lovely staff. However on recent visits this establishment has greatly declined in both food quality & service. Recently we visited & ordered various breakfast sandwiches, slices of cake & toasted teacakes with hot drinks. On ordering we were asked if we wanted sauce on the sandwiches. When our order arrived the sandwiches & the tea cake had sauce on. When asking the staff why their was brown sauce on a fruit teacake we were very rudely told, that's what you ordered. No offer to change or refund so my 74 year old father who has terminal cancer had nothing to eat. The cakes were dry & not fresh & the quality of the breakfast sandwiches poor. This was meant to be a nice family trip out for one of my father's final memories but was ruined by the rude & callous staff. A lovely local cafe spoiled by greed & incompetence.

This is our favourite cafe since we moved up to Northumberland in the summer Friendly and accommodating - the food is wonderful (particularly the cakes) and the staff are so friendly Would recommend for lunch or tea & cake. Walking distance to the beach as well

Nice place, it was quite busy when we were there and it was out of season, there's more seating outside in season. Very dog friendly. Good food options, good service, reasonable prices, good parking.

Freshly prepared food in a pleasant setting.

Stopped here for coffee and cake on a bike ride down the Northumberland coast. Excellent range of food and drinks and good indoor and outdoor seating areas.

Friendly staff, excellent cakes and a view to die for. We went towards the end of the day and there was still so much choice available.

Nice food and eating experience.

Went here the other week.4 a meal with a friend I ordered a breakfast after my meal.i was certainly stuffed 2 the brim couldn't anything else I wanted a desert but did not have any room 4,2 put it I.felt a bit sick had 2 much 2 each loved every minute staff were fantastic place was out of this world atmosphere excellent place was very happy place I was certainly welcomed I would 100%;come again

So disappointed!!! Been here many times, but today was not good, and folk were walking away. Waited well over an hour for ……. toasted sandwich!!! Dogs used to be REALLY welcome, even though ours were well behaved, poor attitude towards them!! Must be a new owner ! Doubt we will be back sadly.

Having been here many times previously, it was one of the first places we visited whilst staying in this area. Coffees, cakes and lunch were all fabulous. Lovely staff, tables cleared quickly, always busy. We were meeting friends here for lunch and were able to reserve a table. Pork & stuffing Stottie was delicious, as was the Cherry & Almond Victoria Sponge. Plenty of outside seating. Definitely will be back.

Great service, "cafe food" but well cooked

Very good coffee, excellent scones, beautiful location, all spoilt by smelly dogs and some smelly people coming straight into the cafe from the beach. There ought to be a designated area for them. This place is worth 5 stars otherwise. Just an update, (some years later!) Things haven't changed much, the coffee and bacon sandwiches are still very good but the place is extremely busy (always!) with dogs everywhere in the cafe, you have to wonder about hiygene, or the lack of it! A waitress at a table near us accidentally dropped a tray full of tea pots, cups etc. The tea and milk was spilt everywhere. The people moved to a new table while 2 members of staff wiped up the mess.... They used the same cloth to clean the table, the chairs and the floor! Shocking. Why on earth not have a separate area for dogs?

Lovely place, great staff, excellent food and excellent hot chocolates, eat in or take away and just over the road from the beach.

Food was very nice the location was lovely and the staff were very good,bit pricey if I'm honest,but the gammon broth was lovely and the aero mint cheese cake was delicious.

Really a very good Cafe, next to one of the best sandy beaches in the country. Its always busy but we found a suitable table. A good choice of food was available, and my wife and I ordered two coffees and "The Stack, which was a breakfast sandwich in a Stottie bun containing flat sausage, bacon, bacon, cheese, gherkin, and tomato ketchup, really delicious. Although I don't welcome dogs in food places it now seems the norm. But when I saw a woman taking a dog with her into the toilet I thought that was awful.

Great place walk your dog on beach then great food nice.😋

Very dog friendly and great food.

Lovely cafe, dogs are allowed, will definitely go again

As ever just perfect. Wife had gammon broth and it was a perfect broth, thick and full of flavour. I had the corned beef pie, probably the best I’ve ever had.

Had to wait quite a while to get our food delivered. However, when it came, the quality of everything was superb, and the cakes are some of the best ever.

What a lovely place! Food excellent, fresh and hot. Imaginative menu. Love the little bits and pieces for sale also. It was buzzing when we arrived just before 2pm. After a good walk along the stunning beach. Most people settling for a good lunch. Staff very friendly. Easy parking over the road in the Cresswell beach car park.

After a great walk along the coast came across this cafe. What a gem. Good food from cakes, snacks and full meals and drinks. Does get busy. But runs very smoothly. Hard working staff a credit to u all. Dog friendly. Seating inside and out.

We’ve just had another fortnight at Druridge Bay and so visiting The Drift Cafe was a regular activity. As usual it was fantastic, the food is excellent, the staff so warm and friendly we can’t fault it. To the people giving bad reviews based on the price, you really need to get out more as their prices are normal and reasonable. To the people giving bad reviews based on surly and unfriendly staff, I’m afraid that says more about you than it does about them. You get what you project perhaps if you go in there a little less demanding and entitled people would be friendlier to you, think about it.

Super cafe. V dog friendly. Really handy for the beach

Lovely cafe not far from Cresswell Beach. Organised and friendly, good selection of food and drink and dog friendly.

Excellent place at the beach. Parking can be limited but plenty seats and tables inside. Food was way above what I was expecting and service from the lady was above and beyond what you normally get at most places. Food was perfectly cooked and quality of ingredients was high. They also have a toilet here as well. Would definitely come back again. Well run and clean place.

Always friendly, plus great food. Sometimes too busy though - need to pick times carefully

Busy but didn't have to wait long

Not a very pleasant experience the table next to us had 6 dogs and another 2 on next table Would suggest you cordon off a section of your cafe for people with dogs.

Very good certainly recommend for food & drink. Staff very helpful and friendly.

A really nice cafe not far from the beach. They have decent food, hearty portions and a very nice vibe!

Great full English, but could not change anything on the plate, not a big fan of black pudding.

Quite Expensive for what it is but very friendly staff, great location. Right on the beach and popular with campers/caravans and them nuisance cycle rider types in lycra

Great place to visit and the key lime pie is second to none

A lovely dog friendly cafe close to Cresswell beach.

Excellent full Northumbrian breakfast. Other choices available also cakes and snacks. I would thoroughly recomend a visit but it is very popular and extremely busy due to good food and service so dont let that put you off. I will definitley be going back.

A great beach front cafe. Dog friendly with treats for both humans and canines! Lovely selection for morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea. Great place to warm up after a braving walk on the beach.

This was a great cafe to visit after a walk along the beach with the dog. Quiet beach. The food was very good and great coffee. There is a Greek restaurant too that is open Friday Saturday and Sunday. Dog friendly.

Lovely little spot for food that seems to have grown in size over the years. Ideal location for cyclists and walkers!

Really enjoyable brunch splitting a 10k walk.

Getting very expensive Had a disappointingly dry sausage roll told staff member who didn’t really see too bothered Won’t hurry back

Planning on spending the day at the beach we thought we'd pop in for some breakfast as we parked up. We were astonished at how expensive some items were: £2.50 for a can of Fanta, £10.50 for a toastie. In total it cost us £37 for 3 sausage sandwiches, a toastie and 2 cans of pop. Such a shame.

Had a full English, think it was around £13 with a slice of toast and a pot of tea. Was ok. Nothing special but had worse. Sat outside, had to ask for salt/ sauce as was fetched breakfast without but nothing bad. Location nice to walk the dog afterwards on the beach

Had a first date here on Friday 23 August. Eating was last thing on my mind. I had a cheese and onion toastie. Then an espresso and a slice of cherry and almond cake. The only disappointment was I couldn't taste any almond in the cake. The cafe is in a fabulous location and very popular. Lots of seating either indoors or outside. Good toilets (apart from only two of them) & as my date paid for everything I've no idea if it was good value for money.

Quick service, pleasant staff, kids loved the carrot cake.

Great outdoor seating area. Plenty bike parking. Good well priced food.

We visited previously at Easter 23 and were looking forward to returning but were very disappointed. The meat and potato pie was served with potatoes and tinned peas instead of fresh veg. We requested sausages instead of chicken nuggets for the kids meal, but they refused, despite serving all day breakfasts. The wrap was acceptable but that’s about all, and the whole experience cost £39 for 2 adults and 1 child for lunch. Last time we had some great fish and chips, which they don’t even serve now. We won’t be back.

We were having a great day and this cafe let us down , what happened here as we had great fish and chips on our last visit and now there is an over priced Greek restaurant that was empty and With no children's menu we then tried the cafe with what could only be described as bland food at unrealistic prices we left feeling truly ripped off ! This place was once great and someone needs to get Thier act together pretty quick ! Sorry to the owner for the harsh message !

Right on the beach, with the drift theme throughout, the food was fabulous enjoyed by all, we can understand why it was given a gold award this year.

Visited for breakfast, had 2 large cappuccino’s, Bacon Sandwich and Toasted Teacake, £17.50 which is about right compared to other places around the country that we have visited. Staff were helpful and friendly and order arrived very quickly indeed. Bacon was from a butchers and perfectly cooked. The place was busy and although there were a few dogs (including ours) all were very well behaved. I think some entitled people with the poor reviews need to have a reality check. If you’re nice to others, they’ll be nice to you. We will definitely come back here again, fantastic place to eat.

Always seems busy but a first class venue and location

Absolute gem friendly staff spot on grub 👍👍

Gorgeous cakes and a lovely bug pot of tea just for me!!

Good food and drink, pricey but after a day at the beach it's welcome, staff are a bit !!!! Like they don't want to be there but they are young, plenty of seating in and outside.

Went on a weekday lunchtime in August. It was busy! Consequently, it took about ten minutes to order and then about 20 minutes wait until the food arrived. However, they were doing their best under the circumstances. There was a good choice of food and the bacon rolls we had were very good. They serve good quality coffee. The cafe is just beyond Cresswell and at the start of the lovely druridge bay. As such, this is the only d3cent cafe available. Prices were average for the area.

We drive from West Yorkshire for a beach walk followed by coffee and cakes here. It's that good!

A favourite place to eat. Great menu choices prices very reasonable. Always busy so sometimes a wait for food.

2 x English breakfast with coffee = £30 Warmed cheap tinned beans, tinned cheap tomatoes & cheap sausage. Not what I expected for £30. Happily paid more for grilled fresh tomatoes, a proper farm sausage & properly cooked beans. Made to feel unwelcome by 1 female member of staff when ordering. Rest of staff were lovely.

Lovely beach side cafe lovely food dog friendly nice clean toilets the staff worked hard and were all good at their jobs can get busy on sunny days

Food looks lovely but quite expensive for café

Love this place, staff super friendly. Beach is beautiful. I had cheese scones and they were delicious 😋

I had the scone and broth deal with a cappuccino. Very goo service and amazing food.

Prices are shocking!! £6.50 for beans on toast and £12.50 for a below average full English with tinned tomatoes! Had to wait for the member of staff behind the counter to finish their conversation before they came to serve us!

Lovely food, friendly staff, and good service. Why 4 stars, though ? It was an English summers day of horizontal rain and temperature struggling to make 13 degrees C. Everyone was getting in there to get out of the rain. There were 6 dogs in there, including ours, and a young child who was tired and hungry. Every time someone came in, it was a surprise for the dogs. One would give a bark which another dog would respond to. That's what dogs do. Owners would then settle the dogs back down. The young child would start screaming loudly. Yeah, that's what kids do. Mum did what we did with our kids. You reassure them and settle them down. Other customers, without children or dogs, would watch with a smile and nod sagely. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. The manager came out of the kitchen and got staff to tell us that if our dog barked again, we'd be asked to leave. Nobody else was approached with this request, the member of staff seemed embarrassed to have to make the request. I guess it was a tetchy, pi55 pour day for everyone.

Wow!!! 😳😣🤑 Just been assured the cake is good - haven’t tried it yet - but £4.50 for one slice to take out!!!!! Where I’m from - not far, just Whitley Bay - you can get a meal for that! No matter how good it is my bank account won’t sustain it and it just seems wrong 😑

Five of us popped in for light lunch. Really impressed with the quality of the food -- particularly the scones. We will be back.

Four of us out for lunch. First visit for me. I ordered quiche (leek, cheese, mushroom ham) with new potatoes, bulghur wheat salad, coleslaw and salad. Food was delicious, quite possibly the nicest quiche I've ever had. Staff friendly and helpful. Will definitely be back

Visited for the first time recently. We ordered 2 breakfasts which included tea or coffee for £12.50. Tea was a teapot and the Americano was decent . Had asked for hot milk for the coffee but came with cold. Drinks arrived quite a bit before the food . Main gripe was too many dogs. My partner doesn't like dogs. We were surrounded by them and the tables were quite close together. It would be nicer if there was a dog free zone.

Although this place was extremely busy. I thought the prices were a bit expensive. But there is no where near anything else.

Dog friendly inside and outside Delicious cakes and drinks. Haven't had the hot food from here yet but will be back. Ideal location. With free car park nearby then straight onto the beach

Stunning place, great food and amazing coffee. No, there's nothing else around but for good reason as it wouldn't be able to compete.

Service good, friendly and quick. However the food was not great. Partner had vegetarian wrap, large portion but stogie. Wraps are normally something you could pick up and eat but this would have been impossible, the filling more like a veg. stew. I had a pulled pork/stuffing stotie ok but the side (new) potatoes inedible. Obviously boiled and then microwaved. Hot, but with the consistency of a soft boiled egg. I rarely leave anything, so quite disappointed considering the consensus of reviews.

Food was disappointing today. Won't be hurrying back.

Delicious cakes, serves plant- based alternatives to milk, very dog friendly :)

This is a sad review to write. I always loved and recommended this place. However, food is now really expensive and excessive wait times. Quality of food has reduced. Very disappointed.

Always stop off here on the way up the coast for breakfast

The food and drink were excellent.

Overpriced food and drink. Very busy and slow service at peak times.

Absolutely a little gem having lunch on the old vintage double decker bus at Cresswell

Lovely cafe and a must visit in the area. The food is tremendous. There’s lots of choice on the menu and you will find something you fancy. There is also a big selection of cakes to eat in or take away. Plenty of seating too. We will be back!

Lovely cafe with gorgeous scones and coffee ! Pleasant atmosphere, lots of cyclists in and families.

Really nice food on the coast. Have a cafe/restaurantwith indoor seating for when it's abit windy or you can take away. Great place for food if you fancy good food. The service is fantastic, really polite and friendly. The chippy has now gone and it's become a Greek restaurant.

Helpful location for those walking on the beach. Very friendly staff. Soup was delicious but cakes are quite sweet. Overall a great place with lots of choice for a full lunch or just a snack.

We have visited Drift Cafe on a number of occasions and it is okay but the price has now become ridiculous - £20 for 2 coffees and 2 scones !

the gammon broth is sooo good, cakes are always fluffy and moist. lush place to stop after a long beach walk (although if you're paying for yourself and your three daughters I hear it can get a bit pricey 🤪)

Been here many times and never again after today, I was in the queue and next to be served (the people in front getting hot food and taking forever) the clock ticks 4pm and I'm told sorry we have just closed with no one behind me absolutely disgusting service.

Love it here. 1st time. 2 latte's and a fruit scone £11. Sitting outside and table service 😁

Great place for breakfast and lunch and it's sister Greek restaurant, Mikanos, next door is fab too.

Visited for 1st time today. Wonderful cafe with exceptional food. We went for soup & cheese scone, then cake with coffee. All 2nd to none. Emmy who served us at order stage was very welcoming, friendly & helpful. All staff were efficient and gave excellent service. Chrissy B cleared our table and gave us fantastic friendly advice on the coast and the Drift Cafe’s gorgeous menu. He even helped us look for our car key when we ‘thought’ we had lost it! We will definitely be back to try the toasties & omelettes. Would not hesitate to recommend to friends, family and anyone visiting the area. Thank you for our lovely experience today :)) David & Dawn 🥰

We have used the drift since it first opened but the prices are ridiculous now. £10.50 for a toasted sandwich a bit too pricey. I appreciate cost of living is increasing but that’s a bit over the top for a cheese and onion toastie. We won’t be rushing back

I'm sure this place doesn't need anymore publicity because everyone in a 30 mile radius knows its great. Busy from midday but the food came quickly and with a smile 😃. We sit outside because we bring our dog. There's a dog at almost every table. If your weird and don't like dogs there's plenty of seets inside. Yet to try the Greek but that also looks amazing!

Excellent friendly cafe, just behind Druridge Bay. Good for coffee and cake and light meals. Outdoor seating for nice days.

Beautiful food as always , staff super helpful and friendly. It's always a treat

Just called for morning coffee, place full ,food looked lovely,dog friendly

Overpriced ordered breakfast for 8.00 then had to pay extra for black pudding will stick to White House cafe in Newbiggin for half the price and larger portions

This is cafe is an absolute rip off. £6.50 for a sausage sarnie… that is 2 cheap sausages cut in half in a cheap roll…. for £6.50! Not to mention £10.50 for a baked potato!!!! I get it… cool location and no competition but howay! There’s a cost of living crisis and this place takes the biscuit. Bring a picnic and go sit on the beach - that’s what I’ll be doing next time.