You can’t be eating the same boring white Hovis toast or Cheerios cereal for breakfast every day, sometimes you’ve got to bake it up and try something with a little… sophistication. Be it pain au chocolat, a sourdough loaf, or even a fusion favourite like the internet-famous cruffin, you won’t be leaving these Birmingham bakeries empty-handed or on an empty stomach. Cakes, croissants, brioche buns, brownies, baguettes, doughnuts, just take your pick!
1. Medicine
In the centre of Birmingham is one of the only bakeries in the city with a gallery. Do you fancy enjoying an exhibition as you eat some exquisite cakes? The building that Medicine Bakery is situated in was previously home to the Royal Society of Birmingham Artists and has a dazzling interior.
You won’t miss Medicine as you pass the thick, ornate wooden double doors at the entrance. As well as an array of beautifully decorated and delicious cronuts, cruffins and croissants, Medicine also serves brunch so you can enjoy their own baked bread and pastries as part of the meal. Oh, and there’s also a Medicine located in The Mailbox and in Selfridges too!
Medicine Bakery, 69a New St, Birmingham B2 4DU
The Mailbox, 53 Wharfside St, Birmingham B1 1RE
Floor 1, Selfridges, Birmingham B5 4BU
2. The Early Bird Bakery
South of Birmingham in Kings Heath, The Early Bird Bakery have got their pastries down to a fine art. And the flavours are incredible! The bakery serves delightful pastries including Snickers twice-baked pain au chocolat, apricot and matcha brioche, BBQ pineapple and coconut crème pât Danish and peanut butter and raspberry éclair.
And this bakery just keeps on giving. You can order one (or more if you like) of their tasty tarts from their online shop. Tart options include chocolate, peanut and caramel or pear frangipane. The bakery also serves brunch-serving dishes like ‘Nduja scrambled eggs, toasted croissant, morcilla iberica, slow roast peppers, goat’s cheese, almonds and chives. The bakery is also used as a pop-up restaurant on weekends, serving different cuisines such as tacos and ramen.
The Early Bird Bakery, 28 High Street, Kings Heath, B14 7JT
3. Loaf
The co-operative-run bakery is at the forefront of Stirchley’s independent spirit. Serving freshly baked bread and pastries every day at low prices, Loaf also runs a cookery school next door where it teaches bread-making and other skills – from classes on sourdough to viennoiserie, charcuterie to seafood, there are masterclasses for every level of home cook. It’s also behind the monthly food and crafts market, Stirchley Community Market, which is entirely run by locals.
Loaf, 1421 Pershore Rd, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 2JL
4. Silver Tree Bakery
Silver Tree Bakery really is in Birmingham, we promise! Only a 20-minute drive away from the City Centre, this fairytale-like bakery feels more like Scandinavia than Sutton Coldfield. An incredibly cute ‘hidden gem’, Instagram loves its seasonal wooden chalet. But we love it more for its baked goods – think of everything from bread to cakes and tarts, brownies, cookies, tarts, pies, sausage rolls, croissants, and toasties. Unique creations also include a Bakewell croissant or an ever-changing variety of cruffins.
Silver Tree Bakery, Mill House, Water Orton Ln, The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield B76 9BG
5. On The Breadline
This cute little hut may be small, but it can easily compete with all other Birmingham bakeries. Run by baker Sebastian Clough, it offers an array of baked goods and you’ll be surprised by how much bread and cakes they’ve managed to squeeze in! On The Breadline regularly posts on social media what their fresh bakery menu is for the day, which in the past has included phenomenal focaccia flavours – such as green olive, smoked bacon, mushroom, white truffle and Italian herb crust sourdough focaccia. The bakery also stocks plenty of sweet treats including rock cakes with the M&M flavour being a big hit.
On The Breadline, HillCrest Farm, Worcester Lane Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5QS
6. Levain and Cherry
French-inspired bakery Levain and Cherry offer classic French bakes, even using French ingredients such as Moulins Viron flour. You can enjoy authentic baguettes that you will want to enthusiastically cut just to hear their crustiness (have I been watching too much GBBO?) and spread generously with butter and/or jam. Their sweet selection includes brioche loaves with crystal sugar drops and chocolate, as well as perfectly laminated croissants and pain au raisins.
Levain and Cherry, High Street, King’s Heath, B14 7JZ
7. Pause Coffee Shop & Bakery
What started as a lockdown pop-up coffee shop has now become a permanent bakery in Kings Heath. After residencies in the likes of Verbena Kitchen, Artefact and Isherwood & Co, Pause became legendary for its creative bakes like Kinder Bueno blondies and glazed cinnabuffins. You’ll also be happy to hear it does custom cakes, which you can order here.
Pause, Unit 2 King’s Court, Rear Of 90 High Street, King’s Heath, B14 7JZ
8. Bread Collection
This Solihull-based bakery has over 25 years of experience producing some of the finest baked goods – which you can pick up from at the Great Western Arcade. Open six days a week at both Birmingham bakeries, it’s making over 40 types of bread, alongside a wide range of English and French-inspired cakes, pastries and desserts. If you fancy driving out to Bread Collection’s café in Knowle, you’ll also find a light lunch of salads, soups, sandwiches and toasted melts.
Bread Collection, 1701 High St, Knowle, Solihull, England B93 0LN
1 Great Western Arcade, Colmore Row, Birmingham, England B2 5HU
9. The Bakery at Hampton Manor
You just know anything at Hampton Manor is going to be pretty special without needing to hear more. Is it in Birmingham though? Technically, no, but when the bakes taste this good, we don’t care! All baked goods and pastries are baked dark adding a distinct, caramelised taste to bread and a savoury flavour to sweets. The Bakery is only open Thursday to Sunday, from 9am until 12pm, so you’ll have to plan ahead to not be disappointed! Fancy getting your hands on the recipes for these divine treats? Check out its Cookery School here.
10. China Court Bakery
This might not be many people’s first thought when looking for Birmingham bakeries, but China Court Bakery shouldn’t be overlooked. Serving up colourful Chinese-inspired treats, you can tuck into anything from an Oreo galaxy bun to a BBQ pork puff pastry. You won’t find another bakery in Birmingham like this!
China Court Bakery, 24 Ladywell Walk, Birmingham B5 4ST