I knew about Boutique Baking from the various wedding people who had oooed and ahhhed over their…read morecreations.. but it wasn't until I asked her to create a cake and a set of personalised cupcakes for a hen do that I properly fell in love. Firstly - the personalised cupcakes. Each individually boxed, these light airy cupcakes were topped with delicate glittery heavenly buttercream, and with each girl's name piped across the top. Fab. SECONDLY (and more importantly) the cake. THE CAKE. It was a solid gigantic cupcake. Boxed up, it was reasonably unassuming (aside from height and weight which should have given away the awesomeness that was contained within..) but upon opening the seal on the box, a deep whiff of chocolate escaped and the girls all started doing little happy dances. We peeled the box away, and all gawped at what sat before us. Something that should have it's own category - just enough flour to make it constitute a cake, but really it was much more like eating spongey chocolate. Eating this cake made my insides do happy flips. Chocolate, chocolate, more chocolate. Delicious luxuriously deep buttercream on the top and the middle, and the rest was incredible dense crumbly beautiful sponge. I realise this review makes it sound a bit like it was a religious experience, but I can't begin to find the words that will do this cake justice. So yeah. You need a cake? You need Boutique Baking. (YUM!)

My only surviving Grandparent turned 95 recently and we used this company's service to create a…read more95th birthday present she would remember. The cake was supposed to represent her strength and resolve to the powers of the grim reaper. We decided on a three tier fruitcake with 95 written in icing all over the front of it. Creativity has always been at the heart of our philosophy at Boutique Baking, the director, Vickie, told me. Vickie's ethos is to create distinctive and delicious delights for her customers whilst keeping to their personal budget. She works closely with clients to develop bespoke creations, specialising in events where only the unique will do. The cake studio which provided the opportunity to see examples of their work, try samples, discuss individual requirements and see their interesting range of products available to hire was an interesting edge to the business. I was pleased with the end result and will use this company again.

As a coeliac you may question why I'm writing a review for a bakery, and sadly it's not because…read morethey are making amazing Gluten Free alternatives of their delicious looking cakes. I have a major sweet tooth, and whilst I can't eat their delicious cakes I can buy them for other people. So whilst I'm buying Danishes and tarts for the other half, I'm buying myself the freshly made monster meringues. Worth treating yourself to some freshly baked classics and great bread as opposed to a cupcake every now and again. It's always nice to find a good local supplier that means you can bypass the supermarket and grab something freshly and locally made with good quality ingredients. They are superbly located for the commuters from Snow Hill Station, you just need to remember its there on the corner of Great Western Arcade.

The Bread Collection located on the corner of Birmingham's Great Western Arcade has a very unique…read morefeel and a sense of it's own character! They offer fresh bread, cakes, pasties, sandwiches and a great alternative for a nice lunch. Although the interior is quite small and there are only a few seats I'd recommend the food here to anyone. You can also buy their items for home use. I bought a whole bread loaf!! Although you pay a little more, the better tastier food, an alternative to the big supermarkets, and you know that your supporting a local grocer's using local sourced ingredients, its a win win all round. Pay them a visit!

Dream Cakes are a lovely little independent business that makes everything themselves, from the…read morecakes to the icing, the staff are highly talented and creative. They make amazing little characters and people look-a-likes out of icing to suit every occasion. The shop is full of photographs of previous creations, revealing exactly how the store owners can capture people's imaginations. I've been in there to get a cake made from my Grandad's 90th Birthday, and they developed an amazing little figure of my Grandad doing his gardening. Additionally, you can choose exactly what type of cake you want, so you don't have to stick to the typical sponge. I bought fruitcake for my Grandad, which was then decorated accordingly. By the time it's decorated, you really feel bad eating this piece of artwork, but obviously, the freshness and flavour tastes as good as it looks. By far the greatest cake makers in Birmingham, Dream Cakes are well worth a visit, especially if you want to make someone's birthday that little bit more special.

This place is absolutely wonderful! The cake tasted as amazing as it looked!! Definitely recommend!…read moreX

The cakes look too good to eat...but somehow I manage!…read more My experiences with Character Cakes has been nothing but outstanding and delicious. My very first cake was a cleverly crafted cartoon cake of me collecting my GCSE results. My mom had popped down a couple of weeks before my results were due and had ordered it. For my 18th birthday party I knew we were going to be using Character Cakes again except this time I could have whatever I wanted. I took a picture of my new devil tattoo and took it down to see whether they could do an enlarged version of it. She admitted it could be tricky but she would give it a go. It was amazing! I didn't want to cut it up! Every time we order a new cake our requests get more detailed, yet they always manage to deliver an amazing piece which not only looks incredible but tastes good too. I cannot give them a higher recommendation. I've got a whole year to decide what to have for my 30th birthday cake, any suggestions?

So, I was wandering around on the Pershore Road, a little peckish (as you do) and lo and behold a…read morebakery appeared! Obviously this bakery has been here for a lot longer than my time wandering, it's just that clearly I've never seen it before. I was a little disappointed after I went in as there didn't seem to be much on the shelves. That said, this may be an extremely good sign if they've almost sold all their wares by 12 midday... I opted for a square scone-like thing, which caused much hilarity with the lady behind the counter as neither she nor I could remember what they were called! Whatever the heck it was, it was really, really good. Lovely and doughy on the inside, with a thin sugar-sprinkled crust. So good was it, I had to go back almost immediately for a chocolate cookie - which was also good, though not quite the same standard as the square-shaped, scone-like... thing. I spent all of £1 for the two of them, which pleased me greatly. So, I've only given this 3 stars as, although the goods were delicious, quite frankly, there wasn't enough of them! What it is to be popular, eh?

This business has changed hands a couple of times over the years and has also been called a few…read moredifferent names, however under the moniker Raven's the owners seem to have found a recipe for success. Found on St. Stephens road opposite the Dogpool Hotel, Raven's provides the people of Selly Oak with everything from freshly made bread and buns to all the sweet treats you can imagine. My family have been regular customers for many years and my grandmother would always insist on a freshly made loaf as opposed to supermarket bought bread. There is something very quaint about this small independent baker and with its yellow shop front it brings a bit of brightness to what can otherwise be a fairly drab road. The owners are good people and you will often see them in the early hours preparing to make bread and take deliveries, they seem very committed and the results are there for all to see in the excellent goods they produce.

Simply amazing pizza. The best Neapolitan style pizza I've had in this country. Wood burning brick…read moreoven, imported mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes and a passionate owner/maitre de and pizzaiola. Even the waiter was well informed and very hospitable. I was with my little brothers and didn't have the room to eat anything else off the simple but outstanding menu; but will definitely be going back to try one of everything else. The pizza was the best i can remember having in The UK. A very unassuming front deli and bakery eventually breaks into a lovely restaurant and bar area with the oven on display for all who know it's tasty glory to bask and revel. Can't wait to update the review the next time I go back, which may very well be tomorrow ;-)

Shades of red and pink swirl through the crispy meringues in the shop window of this bakery. They…read moreare as big as medicine balls and they are all piled atop each other in a slightly chaotic way like they have fallen freely from a kind of Charlie's Chocolate Factory in the sky. There is a surreal touch as the table they are sat on looks like it is close to buckling with the weight of these light and airy fancies. Some two dozen traditional English, Mediterranean and artisan breads are baked at the simply named Bread Collection. There is also a delicatessen counter with pickles, chutneys, and a good selection of continental cheeses, including Comte, a kissing cousin of Gruyere. I eat this strong and slightly sweet cheese on its own, a cracker seemingly superfluous, and unnecessary. The foodies dream is made complete with a sit-down coffee shop selling sandwiches, hot drinks, light lunches, and those psychedelic meringues from earlier. In addition to monging fine foods to eat in and eat at home, Bread Collection is a delightful place in which to spend time.

So I've spend a lot of time (and too much £) at Sixteen's neighbour/sister Faculty and yet never…read moremanaged to make it here for a meal. I decided to remedy that after drinking a Faculty coffee here, using the cafe as overflow seating during a particularly busy time. I was entranced by the variety and looks of the food, and have eaten lunch there three times this week to ensure that their awesomeness is consistent. I'm happy to report that Sixteen Kitchen & Bakery is one of the most delicious and affordable sandwich shops in the city centre. Sixteen is the brainchild of the owners of Faculty, and supplies the coffee shop with their delectable desserts. The shop is joined with Faculty by an open wall, so you can easily order something from one or both and sit in either location. Whereas Faculty uses a bar and two seater table arrangement, Sixteen's seating is entirely on two long tables. This is perfect for large groups or office team lunches (I've seen a lot of work being done here) but can get cramped otherwise. In addition to making desserts for Faculty, the kitchen & bakery serves breakfast and lunch until the late afternoon. I haven't made it to Piccadilly Arcade early enough for breakfast (stops at 11AM), but lunch is good enough to make it a regular mid-day stop. I've ordered the kimchi and cheddar toastie, as well as the basil, pesto, tomato, and mozzarella ciabatta, and most recently the vegemite and avocado sandwich. The kimchi is homemade of course and has a nice balance between heat and actually enjoying the flavours of it. Good luck finding kimchi that tastes this good elsewhere in Birmingham! The ciabatta was done up right and while not blowing away my tastebuds, hit all the right notes. The vegemite and avocado with tomato and mature cheddar was pretty much what you would expect. Like marmite, you either love it or hate it! All of the sandwiches are made fresh daily and packaged on the counter for hygiene. Upon selection, they are placed in a press for finishing. The menu is not set, changing every few days depending on bread (from Peel & Stone) and produce (from the Bullring Open Market). Sandwiches hover around the £4 mark and are a great value especially for the larger ones. For an extra £1 you can add salad to your meal as a side. My only complaint at this point is the lack of beverages. Sixteen makes fresh pressed juices for £3.50 and that's it. If you want anything else, you'll have to head next door to Faculty (although tap water is free). They could do with adding some flavoured/sparkling waters or other canned/bottled drinks. Overall Sixteen is a wonderful addition to the independent businesses of Piccadilly Arcade and contender for best sandwich shop in Brum.

Sixteen kitchen is tucked away in the classy Piccadilly Arcade. It's less than a minute from grand…read morecentral and next to its sister store faculty coffee. The store does have limited seating due to its small confines. The menus changes every day and are put up on the wall behind the counter using a sharpie and ripped up sheets of paper. They generally specialise in sandwiches and soups but also sell cakes or pastry to compliment. If you wanted a coffee to match their is a door leading through to faculty from the store side. On this occasion is purchased a toasted sandwich which was halloumi, pesto and basil on sour dough. It tasted absolutely great, the sandwich was toasted perfectly. The correct portioning meant flavours were great and not overpowering. It cost £4 which I think is very reasonable considering quality. If your waiting for a train or just need a quick lunch sandwich I would recommend sixteen kitchen!

Mmm fresh bread! If you're heading out to Cadbury World, instead of springing for an overpriced…read morelunch just head to the Bread Basket instead! Bournville Bread Basket is a lovely independent bakery by Bournville Green. They have delicious baked goods, awesome cakes in the window display, and also serve as a cafe and a nice place to grab a cheap, homemade sandwich or pastry and a cup of coffee! Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. Just an all-around lovely little bakery and shop.

I love this place. It sits on Sycamore Road in the middle of Bourneville Green and it's really a…read moretime machine that takes you back to some sort of imagined past. This is a chocolate box version of the 1950s. You can sit outside the front of the bread basket and overlook the beautiful Bourneville Green as you tuck in to a pretty decent cup of coffee and a hot pie. Perfect. The shops is essentially a bakery and mainly sells bread and cakes, but the hot food and cafe section makes it special for me. We often take a walk down here on a Saturday morning, or in the afternoons of weekdays, and spend a happy, relaxing hour watching the world go by. They also do a nice selection of ice-creams, so even if you don't stop for a sit it's a good place to pick up a cone.