Imagine this: You walk into a bar, and a friendly face greets you. Someone familiar, but not family or a coworker. You’re hungry but not starving. You’re hankering for a light bite and a glass of wine, and the place you walked into has just that.
You just want to hang out and have a good conversation.
That is the experience patrons can expect from the Village of West Greenville‘s newest addition, Driftwood.
It’s a familiar idea – the pub – where you have a simple bite to eat and genuinely converse. That is the experience Driftwood hopes to provide.
The concept comes from Deanna Snow and Rui Silva, who hail from Massachusetts. Silva is originally from Brazil, but moved to Massachusetts when he was about 9.
What to expect from Driftwood
The two attended the same high school but didn’t meet until years later at a work party for a restaurant where Snow worked and Silva had previously worked. After some time that involved road trips and the Appalachian Trail, the two found themselves within hours of each other in California, completely independently.
During their adventures, they both furthered their experience in restaurants and business. Their first ownership experience was with a wood-fired pizza restaurant called Woodhaus in Yucaipa, California.
After a few years, the two decided to move back to the East Coast to be near family. After some deliberation, they settled on Greenville and moved in late 2023.
Driftwood is in the process of moving into the old Growler Haus location, which closed in December.
The menu will be uncomplicated, with fresh bites and tasty drinks. Think fresh tomatoes with olive oil, flaky sea salt and vinegar. For drinks, maybe a negroni sbagliato, and old-fashioned or just a good glass of wine.
“We’re not here to be like a restaurant. Although you can come and make a full meal out of it. Like, that’s not the idea,” Silva said. “The idea is social gathering, where we have food and drinks.”
Driftwood is slated to open April 1. It will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
