A Food Guide for Your Treehouse Escape
One of the quiet joys of staying among the trees is how little you need to plan. Slow mornings on the veranda, breakfasts that drift into lunch, the freedom to stay in when you want to and to wander out when the countryside calls.
When we imagined TreeHouse Retreats, we wanted your time here to feel generous and unhurried, especially when it comes to food. Whether you fill your fridge with good things ahead of time, pick up a few Sussex staples or find a favourite corner table nearby, this is your guide to eating well during your stay.
Stay In: FieldGoods Suppers and the Treets Bar
Sometimes the best table is the one in your treehouse. We have partnered with FieldGoods, a small-batch British producer making frozen ready meals you would happily serve at home. Free range, no preservatives, no shortcuts. It's the kind of food you'd cook if you felt like cooking, and it’s incredibly delicious and satisfying.
Each dish serves two and arrives frozen, ready for you to pop in the oven whenever suits. Think slow-cooked lamb tagine, hand-layered beef lasagne, or proper fish pie. Stock up before you arrive and we won’t be surprised if you don’t leave your treehouse.
When you feel like a nightcap or a treat, there is the Treets Bar. A cabinet stocked with drinks and snacks from some of our favourite British makers. During your stay, you will find a QR code that you can scan to purchase items and enjoy immediately.
English sparkling wine from Gusbourne, craft cocktails by Lockdown Liquor, Pump Street chocolate, and savoury biscuits from Drinks Bakery are among the delicious items stocked in the Treets Bar. It’s a very tempting collection that will feel like your own secret stash. We look forward to hearing which you enjoy most.
A Stroll Away: Cowdray Café and Farm Shop
Cowdray Café
If you feel like stretching your legs, you don’t have to go far. The Cowdray Café is a short wander from your treehouse and worth a visit for a good coffee, pastries or a simple breakfast before a walk through the estate.
Next door, the Cowdray Farm Shop is an Aladdin’s cave for local produce. Fresh bread, Sussex cheeses, charcuterie, wine and pantry essentials. Fill a basket for breakfast on your deck or a picnic by the polo lawns.
Further Afield: Sussex Tables Worth Travelling For
Our treehouses are designed so you never really need to leave but if you want to, there is plenty worth discovering nearby.
A few local favourites:
The White Horse, Easebourne
A classic country pub in walking distance for a relaxed lunch or supper.
The Noah’s Ark Inn, Lurgashall
A thatched 16th-century pub serving seasonal British classics, well known for its local ale and welcoming atmosphere.
The Halfway Bridge, Lodsworth
A proper inn with an open fire, local game and a menu that feels both familiar and thoughtful. A favourite for Sunday lunch.
The Horse Guards Inn, Tillington
A cosy, beautifully kept pub near Petworth with an ever-changing menu championing local produce. The garden is lovely in summer.
The Hungry Guest, Petworth
An award-winning café and deli if you want to pick up pastries or a picnic after a wander through Petworth’s antique shops.
Gusbourne Estate, Appledore
A visit to Gusbourne’s West Sussex vineyard is worth the short drive. Book a tasting flight of their English sparkling and explore the grounds before heading back to your treehouse for a bottle from the Treets Bar.
Nutbourne Vineyards
Sit among the vines for an afternoon tasting or visit on a Friday evening for their summer Burger and Bubbly nights, all cooked over vinewood fires.
Ask your host for more ideas if you are keen to explore. They always know a tucked-away spot, whether you want oysters by the sea or a long lunch with Sussex wine.
Time on Your Side
However you choose to eat here, whether that is a slow breakfast with Cowdray pastries, a glass of wine under the trees or a FieldGoods supper by candlelight, you can take it at your own pace. Just good food, a woodland view and the kind of time you can never have enough of.
