Tree Story Bakery & Cafe

This was my first bakery experience in the Duluth area and it will always be my favorite! Love their selection of baked goods, especially the donuts made with rice flour. The texture is so chewy and delicious!
I’ve not had their cakes, but always enjoy admiring how beautiful they are each time I stop in.
I love the feel of this place and always feel welcome when I visit alone or with a large group of friends.

I live far off from Duluth, but I work in and around Gwinnett County– normally Duluth and Norcross. Every time I get the chance, I stop off at Tree Story Café.
The café itself is very cute. As soon as you walk inside, it feels a bit like you’re in a café from a movie. The workers are always smiling and polite, and greet you with cheery voices. The sweets are displayed in a way that makes them all look irresistibly appetizing. The general ambiance of the place is very cheery, with just the right amount of noise level too– music and the sound of people working in a café, sometimes you hear people conversing, but it’s never overwhelming. It has very simple decorations, but the café still seems inviting and comfortable. It has a pretty good amount of tables as well as some booths if my memory serves me. They have a small bookshelf near the front of the store, filled with mostly books in Korean. It’s a great place to catch up with friends, grab a quick snack, or even sit down with your laptop for work or study. Every time I’ve been here it’s not too crowded, which is really nice and adds to the comfort of the place, since crowded cafes tend to stress me out.
Onto the food: Every time I come here, I get a red bean bun. It’s my favorite item in the store and probably one of my favorite red bean pastries ever, just short of the fresh made taiyaki at H-​Mart next door. They bake all of their items in-​house and will put out new batches of fresh baked sweets throughout the day. They usually make sure not to run out of things, so if there’s a specific item that you enjoy getting regularly, chances are they’ll have it no matter what time of day you show up. Their bakery items such as breads, buns, and cookies (which are set out in baskets on counters in the front of the café, which you pick out and bring to the register in typical manner of a Korean bakery) are relatively cheap. When you get to buying the items behind the counter such as cakes, the prices are a bit higher, but for a good reason– everything you get from behind the counter will knock your socks off. I recently bought a chocolate roll cake to take to my office holiday party, and it was AMAZING. $ 16 but the dessert was more than enough to feed everyone, and everyone enjoyed it. The cake was extremely light and flavorful, and the cream inside was smooth, sweet, and delicious. Friends have gotten macarons and other cakes here and all agree they’re tasty. I’ve never had any of their savory items since all of them contain meat, but they look delicious, almost enough to make me quit vegetarianism… I imagine they would be really good as light lunch items.
Their coffees and teas are also a bit more on the expensive side, but they’re pretty good. I almost always get my caffeine fix with a plain latte, as I’m not really a fan of indulgent or super sweet coffees. In my opinion, their lattes are better than the average Starbucks drink, and the baristas are always very nice and do a good job on the drink presentation (I’m a sucker for foam designs, Tree Story does theirs simple but it’s enough for me to shell out the extra cash for.) Tree Story has sort of fallen into that trend where korean cafes want to compete with boba shops, but they aren’t really sure how to do it. They don’t have many boba flavors, and the one time I had their boba tea, it was pretty average. In fact, I’m not totally certain they still have boba tea… but don’t take my word for it, as it’s not something I seek out on the drink menu.
All in all, Tree Story is a cute café with a great atmosphere and amazing food. If you happen to be in the area, shopping at H-​Mart or the small shops or grabbing a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in Park Village, I suggest dropping into Tree Story for something sweet. It’s easily my favorite café in the Duluth area.

very nice clean bakery, coffee place.
I love this place — very delicious snacks and breads. see photos taken. soooo… pretty!
Decorated breads are literally ARTS !
Coffee is so good, and they know how to make macaroons also !

One of my favorite bakeries and even more so now that I’ve tasted their black forest cake albeit minus the traditional kirschwasser spirit. The team is always friendly and welcoming. I like sitting in the café especially during the Fall/​Winter season when there’s a chill outside and the holiday decorations are up.
I recently tried their fig bread (?) and it was quite delicious. Despite the uncomfortable chairs and limited wifi, this place can get addictive.

To be honest their cup bingsoo, (shaved iced) is not worth the $ 4.99. I would rather get the big size because it comes with fruit. The cup one is really poorly designed. It wasn’t bad but because it’s served in a tall (think a narrower 16 oz cup for like iced coffee). I’m trying to enjoy it but once I get to the bottom my hands are getting all dirty trying to get the ice from the bottom. Also WAY too much red beans vs ice. That usually never a problem bc stores tend to add more ice (cheaper). But eating just red beans is not tasty. Cup bingsoo comes with ice, red bean, corn flakes, Choco syrup, and one mochi. (Which also had red beans in it)
The only reason they get 4 stars is because I also impulse bought a sausage bread. (Served on a chopstick). It looked rly good but I was not aware they literally just baked it. I asked it for here so they put it on plate and gave me a ketchup and mustard. (They should rly present that better like Hansel and gretel)
The bread was SO fresh and good. Very soft and warm. It was chewy and just rly good. The sausage was surprisingly really big and juicy. For $ 2.99? Or something like that, it was a rly good deal. Kind of like a hot dog, filling.
The place is rly pretty, they had a nice Christmas decoration theme going. Because it was morning, chefs with white chef hats were out and about displaying the cakes. That was nice, I can tell they make their own stuff on site.
Go in the morning and try it!

If Tree Story’s soft fresh custard buns and breads that made it all the way down to my local Korean Market in Miami are representative of the quality and flavors available in their Georgia bakery, then residents of Duluth are in for a treat! The buns are melt in your mouth creamy goodness that go perfect with my morning coffee, afternoon tea, or midnight snack. I can eat these anytime anywhere. Please come to Miami soon!

My favorite bakery in Atlanta. This place isn’t always on my itinerary, but we always end up stopping by every time we’re in town. Everything thing that I’ve had here is delicious and hits the spot. I also grab a few treats to take back home for one of my bosses, and he’s loved everything I’ve gotten him too. The drinks are good, although a bit overpriced; but the treats are definitely worth the splurge: D

Went here during the weekday with my lady, it’s a nice place to chill and had some coffee and some sweets. The coffee was really good, there pastries are quite pricey I must say. The cakes they sell there look amazing some of the most beautiful cakes.
We got the Black Forest cake and was yum, the cake was very moist and the frosting wasn’t heavy at all.
This is a nice quiet spot to stop by and chill if your trying to get your Mack on and get to know a girl.

I love Tree Story and their warm and inviting atmosphere, their bakery fresh goods, and delicious coffee!

I have stopped here twice so far and during both visits, the staff here has been very consistent and very friendly. I am very pleased with the customer service and quality. Last week I stopped here for a birthday cake, but was able to try a slice first as they sell slices of all of the cakes. The forest cake here is outstanding, nice and moist sponge cake, velvet whipped cream frosting and topped with fresh fruit and slivered in chocolate. Ooh la la… I actually thought this was a Korean cake, but it is actually a German dessert, though the Tree Story version does not have black cherries nor Kirschwasser.
The bubble tea here is good as well. The prices here are slightly high, but with good quality products and attentive staff who are friendly, the price is worth it. I’d definitely recommend this place to anyone who appreciates the finer things. The inside of this store is very cute and I like the presentation of how they serve their cake, the bamboo tray is adorable I must admit.
So far, five stars, which is based off their cake, bubble tea, presentation, customer service and atmosphere.
[Review #338] (Ninety Eighth Review of 2015)

Treestory is wonderful. I remember when ownership was franchise white windmill. The owners vision for treestory is an improvement.
An Internet consultant must have been brought in because WIFi bandwidth now suffers. When it was white windmill connection speeds were the fastest in the area. 50 to 75mbps as per
sadly now it’s in the 10 to 15mbps.
Selection of baked goods is amazing. I used to stop in regularly to pick up treats and pastries for the office or family.
The owner is a most gracious gentleman. Best bakery in the area in my opinion but the WiFi needs to return to the speeds it once was. Hands down it made it the ideal location to study or work remotely… sadly that is not the case anymore. I used to visit daily. Now maybe once a month. :-(

I’ve spent quite a lot of money here. Each time I go back, I feel like the service is worse than before. Their attitude is not a «customer first» attitude; they’re only about making as much money off you as possible. Even if you’re a regular, they do little to give you good service, reward points, or even a hint of a smile.

Nothing really stands out here for me. In fact I don’t think I will ever come back here again. I have been looking forward to come by here if I ever in the Duluth vicinity. Today is that day. After lunch at Haru Ichiban, decided to drop by and check out Tree Story. I really like the name Tree Story and that’s about it.
In my book, Tree Story
1) lacks a nice selection of pastries/​baked goods. It does not distinguish itself from the many bakeries.
2) is disorganized. I find the store arrangement odd with the cake display far away from the cash register. I was wondering if I was supposed to order the cake on the left, collected it and pay or should I order first and pay. I just followed the line, I have no idea.
3) has only one check out counter? Seriously? It was no fault of the staff for sure but some very inconsiderate customers who either talked on the phone or stood in line but disappeared to nearby and grabbed more baked items. The behavior of some customers here was just appalling!
4) is extremely noisy with people talking oh so loudly. Hi people, you need to chat using your indoor voice, other people were not interested in knowing what you were trying to say to the person sitting across from you.
Originally I meant to give this place a 3 stars review, but half way writing here, I went to try a couple of the bread I bought and came back here removing one of the stars. Both bread I bought were tough and chewy. Is donut supposed to be so tough? I almost worried my teeth could fall out! Paris Baguette definitely has the best red bean donut! The red bean filling in the donut at Tree Story is way too sweet, and not proportional to the dough. Not to mention, biting into that donut may cost me my teeth.
So yes, I am truly and utterly disappointed in this Story.
Sorry, will not return! :(

This review is based on their hand-​dripped coffee. Yes, I’m biased if their coffee is not good.
They did my drip coffee wrongly. No fresh-​grind coffee beans, no pre-​heat for Hario V60. I mean, come on, even I can make better coffee than you, yet you still charge me $ 3.79 + tax?! Better go to Orange coffee, and pay a little more.
Their pastries are okay. You can always check their discounted (30%) items near the counter. No credit card allowed for less than $ 5 purchase. Most Korean bakeries are a little overpriced, but they do have a good presentation.

I really like their design and service. The workers were friendly and greeted us upon entry. The place is quite large. They have plenty of seating that’s will spaced out and is well maintained. Their selection is very wide. They have all the bread, pastries, and cookies. The ones we had all were good. Not to dry or overly moist and sweet. It tastes just right. The cakes look really good although I haven’t tried one. They also sell King of Pops ice cream bars here.
They had a buy one get one free thing when we went (around 8pm on Sunday). They had around 5 different kinds to choose from but you can’t pick and mix. The free bread has to be the same as the purchased one.
Seems like a good bakery café option. I would recommend this place.

This is a cute little Asian bakery and café with plenty of sitting room to relax and chat. They have a wide variety of pastries, breads, and cookies. They also have bubble tea and coffee. It’s in the same plaza as the Super H Mart, so there is plenty of parking. However, if the main lot is filled or you don’t feel like walking from a super far spot, there are some grass spots through the «tunnel» to the right of Tree Story.
Prices are pretty moderate, and the service is good.

This place is located in the H Mart plaza, directly adjacent to it on the right side. I just came home from visiting with my 8 month old, so here’s what I think.
Start with cons:
–There wasn’t a place for me to sit anyway, as it was busy, but I didn’t see a place where you could safely put an infant car seat. Not a huge con, but it’s a smidge of an inconvenience. I ended up eating on one of the tables out front and set my daughters car seat on the pavement.
–Their drink menu wasn’t huge or diverse really. Just basic coffees, flavored teas, hot chocolate, etc
–My drink (plum iced tea) was good, but it was SO strong in reference to the flavoring.
–Value. I don’t feel like I got my money’s worth. This place is a bit more expensive than other bakery/​cafés I’ve been to.
Now for the pros:
–Interior is just wonderful. I love the theme! If you have children that would be old enough to appreciate the fun story time décor this would be a fun place to bring them! It also looked like they had a cart of books (I couldn’t make my way over there because it was crowded).
–My fruit and cream croissant was delicious. The fruit was juicy and fresh, the cream was perfect, and the croissant was flakey and cooked perfectly. I would order it again.
–Service was what I expected. Not outstanding, but not bad either!
–There’s a huge variety of breads/​pastries/​cakes to choose from. They have what looks like authentic Asian deserts, mixed in with some familiar classics. This would be a great place to expand your dessert palette.
–The sell King of Pops! No explanation needed here.
All in all, I may not like it as much as I do some other cafés, but will I be back? Most definitely.

Tree Story is a whimsical Korean bakery and café located in the Super H Mart shopping plaza on Pleasant Hill Road. If facing H Mart, Tree Story is on the right. According to Michelle K’s review, this business shares the same owners with White Windmill. It’s not hard to see why as the two bakeries have many similarities. Additionally, the White Windmill that used to be in this same shopping plaza has closed and in its place will be an eatery called Fork Story, presumably from the same folks.
Walking into Tree Story is like being whisked away into early 20^th century Paris. It’s like a setting out of the movie Hugo (
). Very fairy tale story-​esque. There are large colorful murals of trees, animals (e.g. bunnies, birds), coffee, tea, cakes, and hearts. The servers wear French berets. The different sections of the coffee and tea menus behind the counter read as follows: Coffee Story, Espresso Story, Tea Story, etc. Even the bakery’s Facebook page has photo albums titled «Chapter 1,» «Chapter 2,» and so forth. It’s a fun theme.
The café is open and spacious. The atmosphere is intimate and relaxing. It’s not as busy or energetic as a White Windmill or Sweet Hut.
Tree Story has a lot to offer. They stock many different types of breads, cakes, and pastries. Some examples include loaves of sweet potato bread ($ 5.49) and barley bread ($ 3.99), various cookies such as green almond cookies (green tea cookies with almonds, $ 4.99/box), fresh mochi (Japanese rice cake, $ 2.59 for 2.6 ounces), sandwiches, scones ($ 2.49 each), buns, cupcakes, birthday and special occasion decorated cakes (~$ 30 each), assorted pound cakes and rolls, cheesecake, and tiramisu. A lot of these items are baked in the store.
A couple cool, unique products I’ve encountered here include the «Baby Mdunju» (manju) buns ($ 5.19/box). These are cute miniature-​sized toasted buns filled with green bean paste and topped with sesame seeds. It’s like eating regular sweet green bean paste buns, except bite size. Another interesting concoction are the egg sandwiches at the ordering counter. These sandwiches consist of two slices of toast with a hole cut out of the center of one of the slices. A fried egg is placed in the middle with a bit of parsley sprinkled on top. Photo:
.
Beverage-​wise, one of Tree Story’s specialties is drip-​brewed (or «hand dripped» as they call it) coffee. The coffee selections are always changing. I’ve seen Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, organic «Rainforest» coffee, and house coffee. Cups are usually $ 2 – 3 each. They have all sorts of espresso and espresso-​based drinks at roughly $ 3 – 4 each. Strong stuff.
They also have a decent selection of teas including bubble tea (over a half dozen flavors). Bubble teas come in only one size and are $ 4.59 each. This is more expensive than Quickly, Lattea, and Sweet Hut and unfortunately, is not as good (it’s not bad either, though). Shaved ice ($ 8.59) is popular and they run a $ 4.99 sandwich + coffee «combo» special. Try one of the misutkaru ($ 3.59) drinks. They’re relatively healthy and tasty drinks made with roasted rice powder so it’s got a little bit of grittiness to it.
Service is good. Free Wi-​Fi, of course.
Overall, I like Tree Story and think it’s neat. If you like bakeries and cafes, you should definitely visit.

I’d heard things about this place, both good and bad, and knew I had to see for myself to believe. Located right next to H-​Mart off of Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, I’d always passed by it but never actually «saw» it… I had trouble locating it in the H-​Mart plaza. It’s tucked away on the right side (when facing H-​Mart from the parking lot) of the plaza.
The décor is adorable. You walk in and see the bread located everywhere, basically. There are specials posted on the back wall for every day of the week. I came on a Saturday, and we got two honey sponge cakes for a dollar each (the special, limit 5 per person).
I also got a sweet potato latte. The latte was really light on the top but way too sweet on the bottom. Also, $ 4+ seemed a little steep for what it was…
I enjoyed the quietness though, and the refreshing feel of the environment. And free Wi-​Fi yay! I hope I can make it here again next time I’m in the area.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. It is conveniently located to the right of H-​Mart if you’re facing the complex. This place seemed really popular as there were constant streams of people going in and out of this place. My party and I had a difficult time trying to find seating, but we managed to successfully secure a location.
This place has a fairly good selection of baked goods but not so much on the drink side. I really liked the specials they have going on for each day of the week. It’s a nice touch to get more people in. I was very disappointed in my taro smoothie I got as it seemed like it was highly popular (and fully recommended by the cashier). My drink was too icy, and the tapioca pearls were apparently frozen and reheated as it was very firm, even when I managed to get to the very bottom of the drink.
The mocha cake my party and I shared looked nicely decorated, and it tasted okay. I have mixed feelings about this place as it’s a good place to relax, but they are too pricey for the quality I experienced.