The Treehouse

This review is unfortunately very delayed but I wanted to take the time to leave one! I studied abroad in Edinburgh during the Fall of 2023. During my first week, I didn't have a UK cell phone plan so I could only look up things when I had internet or see things with my own eyes whilst walking!

I was dying for some food a couple of days after arriving and looked up cafes with lunch that were near where I was staying -- that's how I discovered The Treehouse (little did I know I would end up passing it many times while walking!). Despite having an idea of what I would order, I read the menu upon arriving. My American myself was unsure of the names of some ingredients, since they differ from the names used in the US, but the cashier was kind enough to help me figure everything out!

I ended up opting for a mozzarella panini with rocket (arugula) and tomato. It came with a little salad on the side and I ordered an Irn-Bru to drink. I took it to-go and really enjoyed everything that I got! I ended up coming back a couple of more times for food for myself and with friends since it was so conveniently located.

Overall, I enjoyed my experiences at The Treehouse and it will hold a little place in my heart for being one of the first places I went to after arriving to study abroad :) definitely recommend!

Friendly staff and PHENOMINAL food (ordered pancakes, scrambled eggs and coffee - all delicious)

Such an adorable cafe. I've been twice, and loved everything I've ordered. The staff is nice and attentive, even when they're very busy!

Small cafe around the corner with nice staff. Heard the table next to us that their pancakes were good but we did not try it! Their latte is just average though.
Also, note that they don't have wifi :/

I am not used to this part of Edinburgh.

Late afternoon, we were buying bikes from Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op (one of the few things that can bring back to the East Side) and the Vegan was getting dangerously hungry. She gets mean when the hunger strikes.

Henderson's was a bloody long way and I was not up for the trip back to Glasgow without food.

Nicked in here and could see some possibilities but nothing that was completely animal free. So what did these folks do? Made up a really nice hummus and salad club sandwich that was completely Vegan. Off the menu and made to order.

That kicks up to five Stars right there. My Treehouse Club was brilliant and the price was really good.

Personal service, great people, brilliant food.

I would walk a pretty long way to get back here. Yes it is that good.

Great and wonderful place for breakfast. Cosy atmosphere and nice staff. Most delicious breakfast had for a very long time.
Would recommend to go there once in Edinburgh.

I know a lot of people who rave about this place, so I am guessing I was just unlucky on my visit to this establishment. The cake I had was really dry and tasted a few days old whilst my coffee was lukewarm.

Having said the staff seemed tired although still friendly. I am willing to give this place another try and hope to have a better experience.

I've come here a few times, mainly for coffee, but sometime I've stopped for brunch as well. The Treehouse is in a pretty good location, right in the heart of Tollcross and across from Scot's Deli, which I find is a better cafe, but that's mainly because they make coffee that makes you jittery (in a good way) for hours. For years, there's been a huge turnover right in that spot, with no cafe staying for longer than a few months, though this one looks like it's here for the long haul.

Last time I went there for brunch I had an orange and spice cake with orange icing that actually tasted exactly like oranges, not like some icing tastes of candied fruit and sugar and then more sugar and then more. I definitely recommend going in and having a bite of that. The food there is plentiful and really well-priced as well as being tasty.

It's pretty cozy inside, and the cafe's huge windows make it a great spot for sitting and reading, or as I have in the past, sitting and studying.

The Treehouse has several things I love - lots of natural light, friendly staff and home-made treats.

It looks like the kind of place that would become a "local" if I lived a bit closer. It looks like the kind of place that would bring a wonderfully fresh breakfast and great coffee.

But...it also looks like something was a bit off when I went for breakfast here. The coffee wasn't the best I'd ever had, although it was by no means the worst. The breakfast sounded good - scrambled eggs with tomato and fresh basil. And this was where I really felt a little let down.

From the description, I just assumed - wrongly, it turns out - that the basil and tomatoes were incorporated into the dish. What came to my table, however, was some delicious wholemeal toast with pale, watery tomatoes (one of my least favourite things) and eggs on top, then three large pieces of basil placed carefully on top of that. The eggs tasted and looked watery, like reconstituted egg as opposed to freshly prepared but I'm not 100% sure so I don't want to do them a disservice in my description.

I was so ready to love this place - and they'd certainly made the effort with presentation and good service - which made the almost bland breakfast seem even more tragic than it probably was. It was okay...but I wanted so much to have better things to say than "it was okay"!

I'd be willing to give it another try but, with so many places on my "must try" list, I'm not going to be in a big hurry, I'm afraid.

We popped in to the Treehouse on an overcast Tuesday afternoon and it was an absolute treat. The decor, music and large windows make this an airy, pleasant place to while away some time - the perfect venue for reading a book or paper.


The food and drinks are well above standard, with the soup and a sarnie deal being particularly good value. I had an absolute doorstop of a club sandwich with a big steaming bowl of tomato and basil soup for £5.50, which was a bargain.


We'll be back to sample the brekky menu and see what the live folk on a Sunday afternoon is like - recommended.