Bakery culture in London is moving booze off the menu as 23% of Londoners say they prefer to enjoy a sweet treat and a coffee at a bakery over a pint at the pub when spending time with friends on weekends, according to new research conducted by Lime, the world’s leading provider of shared electric scooters and bikes.

In fact, the research has revealed that 30% of Londoners now make a trip to a bakery every single weekend, with one in ten of those (10%) saying they are willing to travel up to an hour to visit a bakery they have seen on social media.

Lime conducted the research after observing Londoners’ mutual love of cycling and bakeries, as both cultures have boomed in 2024. The growing presence of e-bikes like Lime in the city makes journeys across town easier and quicker than ever before, with everyone from Harry Styles, Leo Woodall and Olivia Rodrigo spotted on Lime e-bikes in recent months.

The popularity of the artisan bakery scene in the capital is also undeniable, with 39% saying they think London has the best bakeries in the UK, and a quarter (25%) agreeing that bakeries are ‘having a moment’ this summer.

It is no surprise then that when it comes to getting to the hottest bakeries, cycling was crowned one of the most popular modes of transport, with a quarter (25%) of Londoners hopping on two wheels to visit their favourite bakeries by bike.

Indeed, this growing club is part of the appeal. The data reveals that 15% of e-bike riders say they feel part of a community when they see other customers arriving at bakeries on rental e-bikes, knowing they share a mutual love of both.

The Lime-thru Bakery

London’s top bakeries know that social media success brings the crowds, and while crowds mean queues, it doesn’t appear to deter weekend bakery enthusiasts. Over half (52%) said they spend up to 20 minutes waiting in line to try a viral bakery, and 30% are willing to wait up to 40 minutes in a queue.

To help people skip the queues and bring together the capital’s love for biking and baking this weekend, Lime is opening the Lime-Thru Bakery, London’s first-ever ride-thru bakery experience.

With doors opening on 6th September, customers will be able to cycle up to a custom service hatch where they’ll be able to collect a complimentary coffee ‘to-go’ along with a limited-edition Lime flavoured pastry, designed, baked and supplied by one of London’s hottest bakeries, Pophams.

Crafted especially for the experience, the limited-edition pastry features a delicious flaky exterior, filled with tongue-tingling lime curd, sweet white chocolate cremeux, and moist coconut sponge, topped with a swirl of Italian meringue and a sprinkle of matcha.

All visitors will also receive a free 15-minute Lime ride to help them travel home, or onto their next weekend activity. For those that want a full ‘eat-in’ experience, they can park up in the bakery, take a seat at the custom-built Lime bike coffee bar, or recline on one of the many sofas or armchairs inside.

Hal Stevenson, Director of Policy for UKI at Lime, commented:

“Lime has quickly become a staple mode of transport in our capital, with Londoners finding our e-bikes to be an easy, convenient and affordable way to get from A to B, including when it comes to biking to bakeries on a weekend morning. With the launch of our Lime-Thru Bakery, we hope to bring together the city’s mutual love of cycling and bakeries to give customers an exciting new way to beat queues, and experience London’s growing bakery scene.”

The Lime-thru Bakery will be open from 6th – 8th September between 9am and 1pm, at Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EY. To claim a complimentary pastry, coffee and 15-minute Lime ride, customers must download and create an account on the Lime app.