Thankfully, there are some F&B outlets that refuse to cave in to this hype, and instead, focus on quality food and drinks – much like Drift Coffee, a café co-founded by coffee aficionados Ng Pei Ying, 35 and her brother Ng Jia Jun, 36 in May last year.

Given its Japanese- and Scandinavian-inspired minimalist design, which combines beauty with functionality, the green-grey walled café exudes peace, calm and good vibes.

And although situated along a rather busy road, all sounds of traffic vanish upon stepping into the café, thanks to its thick glass panels. The café is also a mere five-minute walk from the Taman Bahagia LRT station.

“We specifically choose a location that is near the train station as we wanted it to be more accessible,” said Jia Jun, adding that those who drive can park at the station’s open car park.

The café got its name from the car “drifting” sessions that used to take place in the area over 10 years ago.

“It’s also a play on the phrase ‘Can you catch my drift?’ as we wanted people to appreciate our concept,” said Pei Ying.

As baristas themselves, the siblings use a range of sustainably produced single-origin beans sourced from a particular coffee estate, as opposed to coffee blends, which are a mix of two or more coffee beans of different origins.

The beans are ground daily to ensure optimal taste and freshness.

Besides lattes and flat whites, the dirty latte, which consists of an espresso shot over cold milk served in a chilled glass, is quite popular.

There’s also the Van Gogh coffee, made from a combination of espresso, soda and lemon yuzu. This concoction tastes fresh, fizzy and is absolutely addictive. The black OJ is made with a combination of orange juice and espresso.

“Some people say coffee is coffee, but we’re trying to make them more interesting,” said Jia Jun, adding that they also serve nitro coffee.

There’s also the sibling’s hand brew filter coffee, which can be customised to one’s preference.

“Every bean has its unique flavour profile or tasting notes. Whether you like your coffee acidic, mellow or fruity, we’ll recommend the right beans for you,” he said.

Not satisfied with serving really good coffee, the café also serves amazing food.

For those who want a light meal, try the delicious grilled cheese sourdough sandwich. Soup lovers on the other hand should dig into their roasted tomato soup cooked with a chock-full of flavourful herbs.

Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and oozing with black peppery goodness, the grilled chicken chop is a must-try.

The fish and chips on the other hand comes with huge juicy and tender fish “steaks”, served with a lemon aioli on the side.

For those who like a protein boost first thing in the morning, the café’s big breakfast of eggs on sourdough bread, hash browns, a salad and handmade gourmet sausages will do the trick.

For something Italian, the creamy and mouth-watering basil pesto pasta is a must.

For a coffee-infused dessert, the tiramisu – which easily satisfies two or more – is a crowd favourite and is made by Pei Ying herself.

“I use mascarpone cream, alongside our single-origin coffee,” she said, adding that it’s the only non-halal item in the café as it contains alcohol.

According to the siblings, one of the challenges is that not many Malaysians appreciate the subtle tastes of specialty coffee.

“You can get flat whites, lattes and cappuccinos everywhere, but not many have tried a good hand-brewed coffee. We have a range of beans just for that, so do give it a try,” said Jia Jun.

Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or not, if you’re looking for a delicious meal in a comfortable setting, then drop by Drift Coffee for a delightful all-round experience.

Check out Drift Coffee on Facebook and Instagram.

Drift Coffee
6, Jalan SS2/3,
47300 Petaling Jaya

Business Hours: 9am-6pm daily except Monday.