Our Story:

Owner Christian is a Marylander who grew up taking summer and winter vacations in Bethany Beach with his huge Irish-Italian family.  An amateur restaurant critic and a server and manager in various food establishments for many years, the idea of owning his own place always appealed to him.  A strong passion for coffee and a perceived need for a specialty coffee shop in the area formed the dream of Drifting Grounds. The dream became a reality when a great location opened up, secured for both the coffee shop and his brother's toy shop, Yesterday’s Fun.

Christian loves good coffee, good food, and good people. He plans to feature all of them at his shop.  An avid Scrabble player, poker player, and Ultimate Frisbee veteran, Christian plans to draw from elements of each to help ensure that every guest will enjoy their visit. If you want to know more, just ask him...  he loves to talk!

The rock star woman who manages Christian Heneghan is from Spokane, Washington, and hasn’t written her bio yet. It has taken her 8 years ( edit: and counting…)

Our Passion:

Encouraging coffee enthusiasts…

We are a coffee-centric establishment.  Whether you crave a black coffee with lots of sugar for your morning commute, want to relax while sipping an afternoon espresso in our cozy shop, or would prefer to enjoy an iced vanilla latte while lying on the beach, we are confident you will be happy with your selection.  

In our effort to satisfy every palate, we feature a daily light single-origin roast as well as a dark, which can vary from the robust and reliable Upper Black Eddy’s Darkness to blends as extreme as the Dead Man's Brew, guaranteed to banish the three o’clock blues. We use the organic Arise Espresso bean to make great Americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more. Beyond drip coffee and espresso-based drinks, we also feature a rotating cold brew on tap and can provide a daily pour-over.

This is not to say that coffee is all we do. Our menu also includes chai, matcha, and an ample selection of loose-leaf teas.

To snack on, we have a great selection of fresh-baked goods and desserts, both made in-house and sourced locally, as well as a small breakfast and lunch menu that will gradually expand as we figure out what to offer next. 

…not coffee snobs.

Sure, we want to expand your coffee choices to better cater to your preferences. But you won’t find snobs at Drifting Grounds. We don’t sneer at flavored syrups (who doesn’t like a shot of vanilla once in a while?). We don’t raise our eyebrows if you’ve never heard of some rare bean that comes from a place only Indiana Jones could find. We’re here to help you learn, and at times, learn alongside you!

It’s a big world of coffee out there, and we’re learning all the time. We want to share our time-honored favorites and new finds with you.