Drifter's

If you’re in your Smith Mountain Lake vacation rental and wondering where to go for a meal, why not go to an award-winning restaurant right on the water? Drifter's is the recipient of multiple gold and silver awards, including Best New Business, Best Cocktail, Best Outdoor Dining, Best Place to Come by Boat, and Best of Smith Mountain Lake Awards in 2021.

Drifter’s is a family-owned business, owned by Ryan Walters and Jaclyn Westfall, who were both employees of the former iteration of Drifter’s, called Waller’s. While the name has changed, Ryan and Jaclyn insist that the restaurant and bar remain the same. And by all accounts, the locals of Smith Mountain Lake seem to agree, judging by the number of awards this popular eatery has earned!

Vibe

Drifter’s is located on Crystal Shores Drive, on the northeast side of Smith Mountain Lake at Mariner’s Landing. Because it’s right on the dock, a lot of people just pull right up in their boat and come in to eat and have a good time. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, so you don’t have to make a reservation.

The environment is completely casual and fun. Everyone is here to have a good time. You are even welcome to bring your well-behaved dog as long as you stay outside with him. In fact, the owners are so dog-friendly that they have some special dog-friendly menu items. Just ask your waiter. If you have kids with you, there’s popcorn you can feed to the fish that hang out by the dock.

Now, this is a super popular spot, so it’s not exactly quiet here. It can get crowded and noisy inside and boisterous outside, especially when they have a live band playing.

Drifter's: Menu & Drinks

A popular item to share is the Peel-n-Eat Shrimp. From there, my personal favorite in the Munchy department is the Bavarian Pretzel Braid, which comes with stone-ground mustard.

For your main course, I highly recommend the Primeburger, which is made with ribeye. It’s like your dad grilled a steak and you told him you preferred a hamburger, so he ground it up for you and served it on a brioche bun because he loves you so much.

If being within feet of the lake water is putting you in the mood for seafood, then I suggest the Pirate Panini. It’s grilled ahi tuna (sashimi-grade), with bacon, cheese, and wasabi-garlic mayo, all pressed neatly into a panini. It is sooooo tasty.

At this point, I should mention that Drifter’s also offers catering services. You would have to contact them directly, but I think they cater to weddings, retirement parties, and similar events. They also provide delivery, including boat-side drop off. Just call your order in and pick it up while you wait in your boat at the dock!

For drinks, the sky’s the limit. They have a full bar, offering beer on draft and in bottles. I’d be surprised if you were able to come up with something they don’t have in stock. They make a mean margarita, I can promise you that, plus they have a selection of fun drinks like rum punches and Long Island Iced Tea.