Think of board game clubs and you’ll likely think of Dungeons and Dragons, 20-sided dice, lustily collected trading cards and (perhaps unfairly) the hard-won scent of "enthusiasm". Leave your preconceptions at the door to Treehouse, though; this board game cafe is a welcoming, airy environment – all white walls (adorned with Florence Blanchard paintings) and natural light, with perfectly considered furniture from Chop Shop and ample space to create your own little world.
Squirrelled away between Bramall Lane and London Road, Treehouse offers guests full access to over 800 tabletop games, at £2 per person per hour (half price for under 16s, free for under fives). The library of games is like a hall of fame for play, featuring everything from fast, easy-to-pick-up card games and family classics through to intense team strategy games and many a Spiele des Jahres award-winner (the Oscars for board games). If you can’t decide what to play, a handy taster menu will guide you, and Treehouse staff are always on hand to teach you the rules to those particularly peculiar games.
With so many games to play, it would be easy to lose track of time, forgetting to stay hydrated and fed. Thankfully, Treehouse has a full kitchen serving up locally-sourced food, including Waterall’s pies, Seven Hills bread, and Tower of Bagel’s, uh, bagels piled high with cheese, meat and vegetables. The craft beer bar is joined by Birdhouse Tea and coffee from Sheffield roasters Frazer’s, while sugary pick-me-ups of Haribo and brownies are readily available for when things start to get a bit emotional. And if you can't bear to stop playing when your session comes to an end, you can buy a game to take home with you from the Treehouse shop.
Grab some pals and book a table – I'll see you there with a beer and a Carcassonne expansion pack.
