The Drift

This is a neat little place with a relaxing atmosphere. It did take awhile to get a server, but we stopped in during covered bridge days, so I'm sure it was a bit busier then normal. They also had a smaller menu, but im guessing possibly due to the event also.Even with the minor hiccups, the drinks were so yummy & nachos hit the spot for a quick bite while shopping. I'll definitely be stopping by again for a full review

Nice stop in the super cute town of winterset, we happen to arrive on the John Wayne weekend. The John Wayne chili came with big chunks of beef like stew with mashed potatoes. The greek flatbread was nice and crispy. Centrally located in the town square with lots of street parking.

4.5* (out of 5)Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 5*10/05/2023A great stop for a lively atmosphere, friendly small-town service, great food and a good tap beer selection just outside the Des Moines metro area. We got our chance for a return visit - and this time we did get to try one of their desserts! Our last visit was almost 2 years ago during the Bridge Festival and we enjoyed it enough to recommend it for dinner while in town with our neighbors. Lori took excellent care of us and had great recommendations - when you go, be sure to say 'Hi' to Lori from The Food and Drink Guy!We started off with a flight of beers (see picture) and a Strawberry Basil Smash (see picture) - which were both very enjoyable. For our dinner, my wife ordered the Grown-Up Grilled Cheese (see picture) and I ordered the Reuben (see picture) based on Lori's recommendation. Our neighbor ordered the Italian Sausage Flatbread (see picture). As is our regular custom, we shared tastes of each others orders so we could all experience multiple offerings. We found all of them to be very good and would highly recommend them.If you follow my posts, you know I LOVE desserts, so possibly the highlight of the meal was the German Apple Cake (see picture) that we ordered to share. It was very good - you probably don't want to leave without trying a piece yourself!

What a nice upscale restaurant/bar on the peaceful Square. We went there for an early dinner. The staff was very pleasant, and the service was quick and attentive. The décor with its earth tones and colors, makes for a very homey and comforting vibe, see my pic. Our food order came out promptly. I provided pics of their current menu (which varied from their online menu), while limited, still offered something for everyone.We shared their Meatball Parm Hero. The meat balls are made in house: mildly seasoned, had more meat and less filler than most balls, and were light in texture. Thus making a filling, yet not overly stuffed sandwich. The meatball size was appropriate for the sandwich (I didn't have to battle a super-sized meat ball for each bite.). As you can see from my pic, there was ample marinara sauce (and more on the side) plus ample flavorful cheese. The hoagie style bun was very light, yet held up incredibly well with the sauce. My Cole Slaw side had the mayo based dressing, which was lightly tossed (ie not drowning in mayo sauce). We also shared the Greek Salad with added grilled chicken, see pic. All the greens and veggies were crisp and fresh. The chicken was mildly seasoned, cooked appropriately and, as you can see, was plentiful. The Mediterranean dressing was fairly mild, yet good.This was a very pleasant hangout spot and we were quite comfortable with great service.

We were camping nearby and wanted to try a local brewery. We decided on The Drift primarily because it was one of the only breweries open on a Wednesday and I'm so glad we did. The food, beer, and Amanda, our server, were all great. I had The Drift salad and it was one of the best salads I've had in quite sometime. My husband had the chicken tortilla wrap which he stated was also very good. My only criticism of the outside seating is that it should be dog friendly as we always travel with our Golden Retriever and prefer dog friendly places. I would definitely eat here again!

The food is always good and they also carry a great variety of craft beers on tap. Try the drift salad!

The Drift is a nice little sandwich place. It fills part of the gap that The North Side left. Great beer, wine and cocktail selection, and a small food menu. I had the Italian sausage sandwich. It was large, stuffed full of meet and had some jalapeños and marinara on the side. Marinara was a little on the plain side, but fresh and bright.The sausage had just a hint of spice to it, but just didn't have a great Italian flavor and seemed a little dry. Had a side salad and if I was nitpicking the ranch dressing was watery and had no flavor. Service was good, but not necessarily friendly, but I am here to eat and as long as the food comes and drinks are refilled I am happy. Hope this place stays around and would love to see them expand their menu to make it a place to have dinner and a drink with the family.

We love the addition of The Drift to the Winterset square! There are several booths for seating, as well as a few high-top tables and seating available at the bar. The staff is friendly, gave us some great drink recommendations, and was available when we needed refills. The food menu is smaller, but has just the right amount of options from appetizers to sandwiches. There are often daily specials available as well as an occasional Sunday Brunch. During warmer weather, there is a patio area outside in the alley area. This is overall a really nice place to hang out, watch a game, listen to some music, and enjoy a nice meal. The drink menu features many Iowa craft beers, and the menu rotates just often enough to keep a great variety. They will fill crowlers to go - this has been a favorite thing for me to grab a few crowlers of new beer to enjoy at home on a weekend when watching football.

Great beer and food. It's a very nice relaxing environment. Great place to meet friends or coworkers for a beer.

Limited menu but everything is delicious. Great atmosphere and wonderful staff. Highly recommend!