American excess finds its most perfect expression at Outsider Tart.
What better way to honour US Independence Day than by paying tribute to the American bakery with the sweetest treats in town? Outsider Tart pays homage to American excess in the most gloriously OTT way, with sinfully sugary creations as far as the eye can see – and there’s no way you’ll be leaving here without something to satisfy your cravings.
Founded by a couple of New York expats, Outsider Tart fills a gaping hole in the London baked goods scene: outrageously sugary treats that’ll wreck the waistline, whilst simultaneously being too delicious to worry about that. Staying true to the cake shops and bakeries of America means that restraint isn’t really something you’ll need here – however, a sweet tooth and empty stomach are strongly encouraged!
Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, whoopie pies, and layer cakes all find delicious expression here, with a frankly staggering number of varieties on offer. For instance, there are no fewer than sixteen types of brownie to be had, including the likes of Snickers brownie, oatmeal caramel crumble brownie, Nutella cheesecake brownie, fudge bar brownie, and chocolate meringue brownie. Plus, eleven others I don’t have time to mention.
Still, sixteen brownies pales in comparison to the twenty-one varieties of layer cakes Outsider Tart produces. The American influence is even more pronounced here, with slices of s’mores cake, fluffer nutter cake, pumpkin cake, peanut butter cake… and I’m going to have to stop there before I drool all over the keyboard.
So, we’ve established that sweet stuff is very much up Outsider Tart’s street. But they’ve also got a restaurant for pancake brunches, and from Thursday to Saturday, they pull a late shift to produce savoury American classics. Thursday nights are Chilli Nights, Fridays sees the classic hot dog appear in all its meaty incarnations, and Saturday is all about the meatloaf. Wash it down with American wines, craft beers, and patriotic cocktails like the Texas Tea or the Yankee Doodle, and you’ve got the most delicious US feast this side of the Atlantic.
If I may make a suggestion, it’d be to plan multiple trips to Outsider Tart, because if you try to scoff everything in the same visit, you’re going to slip into a sugar coma. Thankfully, you won’t need to hot foot it to Chiswick each time, because you can also find them in Kings Cross Station Wednesday to Friday. Somewhat dangerously, if you’re inside the M25, you can also order online for delivery, which is where you’ll find me for the next few days.
Oh, and one last thing to know: it’s not just you who’ll be indulging here. Outsider Tart also produce a range of fancy dog treats, for those very good doggos with a sweet tooth. With all these reasons to visit, there’s no need to be an outsider anymore…
Location: 83 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, W4 2EF. Nearest tube is Turnham Green. See it on Google Maps.
Opening hours: 8am-6pm (Sun to Wed), 8am-10pm (Thu to Sat). You can also find them at various markets across town – see the full list here.
Price: brownies start from £3.
More information: head to their website.
Featured image: @felicityspector, via @london