Medicine Bakery, a once-vibrant hub in Birmingham’s underground music and arts scene, has changed dramatically over the years, moving from rave culture to sophisticated cruffins and brunches infused with art. Located in a restored Victorian gallery on New Street, its main location exudes character. Originally the home of the Royal Society of Birmingham Artists, it has been carefully transformed into a haven of texture and fragrance. It’s more than just a café thanks to its exposed brick, tall sash windows, and strong sourdough aroma. It’s a carefully planned experience.
The bakery has successfully avoided becoming just another high-end brunch destination by maintaining its artistic essence. Instead, Medicine has ingeniously combined form and function, serving soft-yolked eggs on wild sourdough and displaying local exhibits on aging walls. This model has been especially creative in drawing in Birmingham’s own creative professionals, who congregate for discreet meetings over flat whites, in addition to tourists and influencers.
Medicine Bakery Birmingham — Overview Table
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Medicine Bakery Birmingham |
| Founded By | Simon Jones (originally of Medicine Bar, Digbeth) |
| Known For | Artisan sourdough bread, cruffins, brunch, cakes, and pastries |
| Locations | New Street, Mailbox, Botanical Gardens, Selfridges, Codsall, Wolverhampton |
| Menu Highlights | Eggs Florentine, cinnamon buns, vegan sausage rolls, seasonal salads |
| Opening Hours | Typically 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (varies slightly by branch) |
| Services | Dine-in, Takeaway, Delivery, Private Hire, Click & Collect |
| Website | www.medicinebakery.co.uk |
| Notable Praise | Featured in Condé Nast Traveller, The Guardian, Alex Claridge’s picks |
| @medicinebakery (40.7K+ followers) |
Medicine has expanded its reach by opening several locations throughout the city, such as the Mailbox, Botanical Gardens, and a counter at Selfridges. Each location skillfully adjusts to its audience while preserving its visual identity. The atmosphere at Mailbox is sleek and modern. Retail-driven pit stops are served by Selfridges. Additionally, the quiet of the Botanical Gardens’ greenery softens brunch, which is enhanced by the aroma of coffee and cinnamon permeating the glasshouse air.
Birmingham has been gradually reinventing itself as a culinary capital over the last ten years, driven by ambitious independent food hubs like Medicine as well as Michelin-starred projects. Such establishments are cultural case studies for medium-sized cities looking to shed shabby reputations. Birmingham’s identity is being written on cappuccino foam and cardamom buns, much like East London’s rebirth through cafés and creatives.
Birmingham’s culinary reputation has benefited greatly from Medicine’s dedication to authenticity. In their Wolverhampton headquarters, they use organic salt and stone-ground flour to bake their sourdough, which ferments naturally. No preservatives. No tricks. Just thoughtful, craft-driven production — a strategy that has been incredibly successful in fostering loyalty despite the rapidly evolving café culture influenced by brunch aesthetics and TikTok trends.
At New Street, tables are crowded with a mix of academics talking quietly, young families with buggies parked next to pastel-hued plates, and freelancers with MacBooks during peak hours. Dogs—yes, they are welcome too—sit calmly beneath tables while their owners drink homemade kombucha and tear flaky kouign-amann. Because of its inclusivity and remarkably consistent warmth throughout all of its locations, Medicine has become a popular choice for a wide range of customers looking for comfort and cultural flair.
The bakery has also expanded its digital and environmental footprint by working with services like Too Good To Go and Deliveroo. Medicine’s involvement in the Too Good To Go app reflects its values, especially when it comes to food waste and sustainable practices. It preserves not only baked goods but also moral standards. These integrations are very effective; they guarantee that excess food finds willing consumers and uphold the integrity of the brand.
Medicine is a compelling model for entrepreneurs in the early stages of the café or artisan bakery industry. It has anchored itself in local heritage by repurposing architectural spaces with cultural gravity instead of aggressively franchising. In a time of rapid, generic growth, its choice to establish a bakery empire without compromising its creative DNA is refreshingly unique.
The creator of Medicine, Simon Jones, first gained notoriety by planning Digbeth’s avant-garde nightlife. His shift from beats to brioche is a cultural realignment as much as a career change. Several of his early locations promoted creativity and community, which are still strongly ingrained in the bakery’s culture today. Jones has managed to keep the business human at scale by maintaining control over every aspect of the design and forming strategic alliances with regional artists.
Medicine’s unique charm has attracted both food critics and celebrities over the years. The Wilderness is a place “that will make even the coldest of souls weak at the knees,” according to head chef Alex Claridge. This isn’t a compliment; rather, it serves as a reminder that return business is fueled by emotional connections rather than just skillful cooking. And that connection is what distinguishes Medicine from even its most photogenic rivals, fostered by careful curation and sensory indulgence.
The growing popularity of the venue in recent months has also prompted helpful critique. Customers have left mixed reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor, complimenting the menu but criticizing the design and slow service. Despite operational difficulties, medicine has consistently pursued evolution driven by feedback. As a result of listening, it has expanded to The Crown in Codsall and added private dining at Mailbox. Retaining devoted customers and attracting new ones has been made much easier with this type of responsive management as opposed to defensive scaling.
