We visit the beautiful Birmingham bakery with Florentine Bodega & wine

It has built up a phenomenal reputation across Birmingham for artisan treats in diverse venues with recommendations from some of the city’s top chefs.

But does the Medicine Bakery really live up to the exceptional praise it has garnered over the years?

It’s got an impressively admirable outlook with a focus on sustainability and has successfully transformed abandoned spaces with a fabulous Victorian artists venue on Birmingham New Street full of light and potted plants.

The Birmingham brand has recently opened in Selfridges, which appears to be a step removed from its desire to rediscover abandoned spaces. So I took a trip out of the office on a Friday afternoon to find out how the Medicine Bakery - which is from the same team who ran the old Medicine Bar in Digbeth back in the day (it closed in 2011).

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Well, dear reader, I’m not going to lie. My visit really was just the tonic to escape the hustle and bustle of Birmingham life. The shining signage gleaned with welcome as I made my way across the first ground of the department store (a level up from where most of the food spots are).

Situated in the back corner of the floor, out of sight of the iconic yellow Selfridges bull, I was met by an oasis of calm and eye-catching treats. This is a bakery that goes way beyond baked goods.

There was a host of pretty cakes - including pistachio & white chocolate scrolls, maple and pecan buns. Not to mention some heavenly breaded delights such as Beef Brioche, Feta & Spinach Pain Suisse and gorgeously tempting Florentine Bodgea - I can’t believe I resisted. But I actually chose to indulge in a deliciously wholesome Chilli & Garlic Broccoli Salad for lunch.

And as I gazed up at the menu board with a stack of lovely sounding wines, I opted for an accompanying pot of Lemon & Ginger tea. Looking back I can’t believe how healthy I was being!

The cafe was pleasantly busy, but not overrun and service was swift. I placed my order and was invited to take a seat while it was put together and a waiter promptly brought it to my ideally situated table, right next to the window, adorned with plants and looking out towards Digbeth High Street where so many clubbers had travelled down to the Medince Bar in days gone by. 

My broccoli was packed full of flavour, crunchy and moist, gently covered with flavoursome oils. I loved the bright colours and the invigorating zing it created in my mouth. My pot of piping hot tea was the perfect accompaniment - so refreshing and warming. There was plenty of it too.

Mission accomplished, it was time for me to return to the grime stone. But I’m looking forward to a future visit to this branch of Medicine Bakery and can fully recommend that you do too!