An American Bakery Finds Its Sweet Spot in London

When David Muniz left New York for London, he didn’t set out to start a business. He just wanted a decent biscuit. But after a cooking class sparked a deep love of baking, the path forward became deliciously clear.

Today David and his partner run Outsider Tart, a beloved bakery in London’s artsy Hammersmith neighborhood known for unapologetically American treats and a cheeky personality. What started out as a passion project has evolved into a brand with a fiercely loyal following and a mission rooted in generosity, joy, and seriously good sweet treats.

A taste of home

The inspiration for Outsider Tart was born out of scarcity. The American comfort foods David craved simply didn’t exist in London. “I missed a good pancake. I missed biscuits,” David recalls. “There were no American baked goods available at the time, except at hotels.”

At the time, David was running a different business — one that was financially successful but creatively draining. “It was very lucrative, but I didn’t enjoy it,” he says. “I worked constantly. I needed a hobby.”

That hobby turned out to be baking. A weekend class at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York had ignited something unexpected. As David honed his skills in the kitchen, he and his partner, an architect, began dreaming of opening a bakery.

Originally, they pictured it in New York. But life had other plans. “We were only supposed to be here a couple of years,” David says of their move to London. “That turned into decades.”

Outsider tarts

The opportunity to bring American-style baked goods to a new audience was too good to pass up. They opened their first bakeshop in Chiswick, serving up American-style pies, brownies, and biscuits to curious locals. An early writeup in the Observer Food Monthly referred to them as “a couple of tarts” who were outsiders. The phrase stuck.

Known for cheeky treats like the “XXX Rated” cookie loaded with chocolate chips, marshmallows, pecans, and walnuts, and riffs on classic American flavors like an indulgent S’mores layer cake, Outsider Tart quickly became a neighborhood fixture. It later grew into a larger space in Hammersmith, where it continues to thrive today.

“If I love it, it’s not work — it’s pleasure,” says David. “You really have to love what you do, and then everything else comes easy.”

That love has translated into a space filled with warmth and a strong sense of community. “We think of this as our living room, and we’re inviting everyone in to have a good time,” David says.

The learning curve

Running a small business always comes with surprises. For David, the steepest learning curve wasn’t in the kitchen.

“In the beginning, the hardest thing that nobody tells you about was preparing for customers,” he says. “Customers are not only your source of income. They’re your hardest aspect, day in and day out, to deal with. How much to make? How little? How much waste will there be?”

Finding that balance became even more crucial as Outsider Tart grew. The brand quickly built a loyal following — not just among fellow American expats, but enthusiastic food lovers from all over the city. Keeping up with demand while staying true to the brand’s voice and values was a constant challenge, especially for a lean team with no formal marketing background.

Navigating the pandemic

And then came the pandemic. At the time, Outsider Tart was in the process of expanding into a second location at a beloved neighborhood theater. Practically overnight, both locations were left without income. “The pandemic was easily our greatest challenge,” David says. “And our greatest success was surviving it.”

In the wake of that upheaval, David saw an opportunity to double down — not just on the bakery itself, but on how they engaged with their community. “I’ve always been 100% behind supporting small businesses,” he says. “During the pandemic, I would travel around to all the independent businesses that were still open and still trying to figure out a way to bring in some cash through the door and use my email and social media platforms to focus on them. Like, when you have your 15-minute walk, why don’t you try these places out as well?”

As the business bounced back, David recognized a growing need to reach customers more consistently and build stronger relationships through digital channels — without sacrificing the time he needed to bake.

That’s where Constant Contact came in.

“You don’t want to bore people with messages that don’t interest them, but you also don’t want to drop off anyone’s radar by not keeping them updated. Segmentation really helps us strike that balance.”

A Thanksgiving hit

For hands-on small business owners, marketing can’t be another full-time job. That’s why Constant Contact became a vital ingredient in Outsider Tart’s success, especially when it came to one of their most beloved (and busiest) traditions: Thanksgiving.

As American expats, David and his partner wanted to bring one of their favorite holidays with them and share it with their new community in London. What began as a modest dinner around a single table quickly became a sought-after annual event and a huge operational lift.

“When we first started using Constant Contact in 2007, we had a goal of maxing out our available seats for Thanksgiving evening,” he says. “We nailed it.”

As word spread and demand grew, David leaned into Constant Contact’s event management tool to keep Thanksgiving at Outsider Tart running smoothly and successfully. The tool allows him to build landing pages to promote the event, share it on social media and via email, sell tickets online, and manage the attendee list. “For the next 14 years, we only had to send one email to sell out 80% of the seats within the first few hours,” he says. “These days, we exclusively promote the event using Constant Contact, and we sell out completely before the first reminder email is even scheduled.”

Marketing without overwhelm

And it’s not just Thanksgiving: David uses Constant Contact to power communications across the board, whether it’s sharing a new pie flavor, spotlighting a charity event, or nudging longtime customers to come back for another visit with a personalized email.

It’s all part of a steady, scalable approach that keeps customers engaged without overwhelming a small team — and Constant Contact’s design tools make it possible.

“I wasn’t very equipped with design skills or marketing skills when we first started out, because you wear many hats when you have your own business,” David says. “I like the ability to build your own library of images, the access to stock images, the templates for inspiration as well as to use. The brand kit feature was easy and saved a lot of time. It makes it easy for new staff to create communications without having to worry about a consistent look.”

Segmented for success

Outsider Tart has also built segmented email lists that evolve along with its customer base. “Our list has grown up with us — from dating to coupled, from singles to families,” David says. “You don’t want to bore people with messages that don’t interest them, but you also don’t want to drop off anyone’s radar by not keeping them updated. Segmentation really helps us strike that balance.”

And the proof is in the pudding: In the last year, Outsider Tart has grown their email list by nearly 4%, utilizing tools like signup forms and landing pages to expand their audience. Their open rate is a sweet 53% — 18% higher than the industry average — while they’re seeing a 5% click-through rate (4% above industry average).

With the right tools in place and a loyal community behind them, David and his team have built something that goes beyond biscuits and brownies.

Outsiders no more

After more than two decades, Outsider Tart has become more than a bakery. It’s a cornerstone of the Hammersmith community, a space that feels like home to regulars and newcomers alike — and a brand that reflects the passion, persistence, and personality of its founders.

“The brand is the third person in the room now — instead of two partners, it’s three,” David says. “It’s like a child, and we’re really giving it room and seeing what it needs to grow.”

That mindset shapes everything from menu decisions to marketing strategy.With Constant Contact as their digital partner, the Outsider Tart team can focus on what they do best: creating joyful experiences for their customers through the art of sweet treats.

For David, it’s never been about just building a business. It’s about building something meaningful and enjoying it along the way.

“For me, winning looks like having your business be something you’re proud of,” David says. “Being proud of what you’re putting out there, and living each day with a little bit of joy.”