Driftwood kava & roastery — Restaurant in Seminole

I was recommended to Driftwood kava and Roastery by some fellow coworkers as a work at the neighboring pizzeria called Brooklyn Pizza. Upon entering I was greeted by one of the most warmest faces I saw all day named GIgi. Later to find that Gigi was the manager and the baker of the Driftwood. We exchanged pleasantries and she introduced me to her staff one of the time. First was Antonio a young gentleman with knowledge of the Kava in Kratom. There was Savannah who was the master roster that was well educated on all of the organic coffee beans that she would roast in 5 pound increments. She gave me a small tour of the process of how driftwood roast their coffee to perfection. Forgive me for not remembering the other barista but she had decent knowledge of the tees. I can best describe her by her having a Harley Quinn tattoo on her arm. For the 15 minutes I was there I ordered a strawberry shortcake cheesecake, Kratom to go for a family member, well I enjoyed one of the best double espresso’s that I’ve had since my father had his coffee company in Atlantic City. They shared with me the camaraderie amongst the guests and on Sunday and Monday were the nights to come as there was game night and karaoke I believe on Sunday which I’m looking forward to going to! As much as I hate talking about it, Driftwood Roastery is extremely Covid careful. The restaurant and bar area are super clean and sanitary. All employees had masks. All of the uniforms were impeccable and each of their individual personalities was contagious as I was brought into each conversation. Gigi thank you for the Death By Chocolate! I need it 32 ounces of milk to wash it...

Nice place but needs a bit of focus and attention to the basics. Their website says a lot about the art of coffee roasting and their in-house processing but when you walk up to the counter as a new customer you don’t receive a greeting that encourages you to ask questions or understand who they are as a business.

Their instagram account makes you think there may be food available but when I asked if they had any bagels I was simply told no. I was then tempted to ask what coffee beans they were using for their French Press but I already felt like an unwelcome outsider at a locals only establishment. The owners clearly hang out here consistently with their friends who are regulars and have permission to walk behind the counter from time to time. But again, I kinda just felt like I was crashing a party I wasn’t invited to while I was sitting on the sofa with my coffee and catching a few awkward looks from the regulars.

Don’t get me wrong, the place has a lot of potential and appears to be a sustainable business fueled by their local clientele. However they could benefit greatly from focusing more on the new customer experience and finding a reliable source of food or snacks to offer their patrons. I’ll come back in a few months to see if this review...

I have been hanging out at driftwood for a very long time. I quit coming in because certain employees believed politically different than I do. They were so mean and overtly hateful to anyone who did not believe in exactly what they did, including a three year old little boy. I recently started going back and it's been amazing. The new kava tender gianna is great. I am so glad the politics have been left at the door my daughter loves coming here and now I love coming back.There is a bunch of amazing new art on the walls that it really brightens the place up. Everyone is happy and smiling and friendly. I am so happy that one of my favorite Kava bars it's back to the way it used to be. I can't recommend it enough. Come in, say hi, no matter what political affiliation you are, everyone is friendly now. Then enjoy the new, beautiful art. Plus the prices are almost impossible to beat. Thank you for allowing me need to enjoy myself and feel comfortable there again. Mike, you're an amazing owner and manager. Anyone saying otherwise is just a bitter person miserable with...