East Lothian clifftop coffee shop with unbeatable views opens for first time since March

A popular East Lothian coffeehouse with unbeatable views has reopened its indoor area for the first time since March.
The cafe reopened for outdoor seating and takeaway in JulyThe cafe reopened for outdoor seating and takeaway in July
The cafe reopened for outdoor seating and takeaway in July

Unique eatery Drift Café, is set upon the clifftops of Quarrel Sands and made of upcycled containers with ceiling to floor panoramic windows.

It initially opened with outdoor seating and a takeaway service in July however after a refresh, the café is looking forward to returning to its normal service.

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Guests can now choose from eating inside, or whilst the weather is nice, continue to make use of the new outdoor facilities which include lunch benches to fit the whole family or potato boxes which look out onto Quarrel Sands beach and beyond.

The cafe is set on the clifftops offering spectacular views of Quarrel SandsThe cafe is set on the clifftops offering spectacular views of Quarrel Sands
The cafe is set on the clifftops offering spectacular views of Quarrel Sands

Last year, the café welcomed over 80,000 visitors from all across the country and despite only offering outdoor seating, and its reopening has been just as successful.

Jo McNicol, co-owner of Drift said: “Since we reopened in July, it has been a whirlwind, we can’t believe how busy it has been.

“Despite only having outdoor seating over the summer, we have had an influx of visitors who have been busy exploring the East coast looking for open spaces and the great outdoors – and Drift ticks all of the boxes.

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“We hope that this will continue now that we can accommodate visitors inside which is perfect timing as we come into autumn and as it starts to get colder.

“It has been an incredibly difficult time for small businesses, especially those in the agritourism industry like ourselves, however this time has allowed us to reflect on our business performance and improve our offering.

“We are lucky that we can now operate fully (albeit with reduced capacity due to government guidelines) and in the last few weeks we have been recruiting new team members, conducting staff training and we have had two promotions within our senior management team. It’s all very positive.

“If you fancy breakfast, brunch or just coffee and a cake, you will be made to feel very welcome by our friendly team whilst you enjoy unrivalled views that you just wouldn’t get anywhere else.”

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The cafe offer a selection of homemade cakes, scones, brunch and soup. Staff bake everything fresh each day, make soup each morning and cook all brunch items to order using where they can Scottish produce.

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