London's best Burns Night celebrations

In honour of Robbie Burns, the famous Scottish poet, restaurants and bars around London will be offering festivities full of bagpipes, haggis, and of course whisky. The Resident has found 24 of the best places to celebrate Burns Night on 25 January 2017

1 James Cochran Restaurant, Liverpool Street
Renowned chef James Cochran is getting in on the fun with a seven course tasting menu, specially designed for Burns night. It includes all of the Scottish favourites and will be finished off with a Deep Fried Mars Bar and a whisky nightcap. Come to the Liverpool restaurant ready to eat, drink and enjoy a night dedicated to the Scottish bard.
19 Bevis Marks, Liverpool Street EC3A 7JB; jcochran.restaurant

2 HIX at Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair

To celebrate Brown’s Hotel is offering a night of traditional Scottish delights. The evening will start with a wee dram in the Glenmorangie Library, a special ‘pop up’ created to celebrate this famous Scottish tipple. The Burns Night menu will feature Scottish classics such as Black Face haggis with bashed neeps alongside a Laphproig single malt, followed by Kingairloch red deer Wellington with braised red cabbage and stovies. For dessert, a dropped scone with poached rhubarb and whisky cream will be served. The set menu is £75 per person and is available on Wednesday 25 January starting at 7.30pm.
34 Albemarle St, London, W1S 4BP; hixrestaurants.co.uk

3 Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly
At Fortnum & Mason the evening will begin with the traditional Selkirk Grace – the procession of the centrepiece haggis, and its surrender. Following the ceremony, an exceptional four-course menu will be paired with complimentary wines and whiskies. Throughout the evening traditional entertainment including a classic piper will add to the Scottish ambience. Their set menu is £75 per person and begins at 7pm.
The Gallery, 181 Piccadilly W1A 1ER; fortnumandmason.com

4 Island Grill at Lancaster, Hyde Park
Lancaster London is offering an exclusive Burns Night set menu at the Island Grill restaurant. In honour of the famous bard himself, guests will be able to enjoy canny culinary delights such as Cullen skink, black pudding croquettes, pan-fried fillet of Scottish salmon with Glenmorangie fish cream, mussels and peas, and, of course, Haggis, neeps and tatties. For diners with a sweet tooth, there will be a ‘braw’ whisky toffee almond tart with Drambuie custard. The set menu is £15.50 for two courses and £18.50 for three courses (available 12noon-10.30pm on 25 January).
Lancaster Terrace, Hyde Park W2 2TY; islandrestaurant.co.uk

5 Rabbit & The Shed (Chelsea & Notting Hill)
To honor the Bard, both Chelsea restaurant Rabbit and their sister restaurant The Shed will be cooking up an array of Scottish delicacies such as homemade mouthfuls of Duck Livers on girddle cakes, smoked salmon, and rye and rose geranium. So for an authentic Burns night ‘baw’ don your kilts and head down to Rabbit or The Shed to celebrate Scotland’s most famous poet.
rabbit-restaurant.com
theshed-restaurant.com

James Cochran will be cooking up traditional Scottish favorites

Mark Hix hosts Burns Night at Brown’s Hotel

Toast in Burns Night with a Hot Toddy at Rabbit

Get into the spirit of Burns Night at Fortnum & Mason

6 The Lillie Langtry, West Brompton
The Lillie Langtry, a homey-style pub in West Brompton, has called in their Scottish friends Ballentine’s for an evening of whiskey pairing and a special menu to celebrate Burns Night. On their set Scottish inspired menu you can find cock-a-leekie, Haggis neeps and tatties, Scottish mash and turnips, and Cranachan for dessert. With each course you will get a whiskey paired with the dish by Ballentine’s who have carefully selected the right whiskey to complement the food.
19 Lillie Road, West brompton SW6 1UE; thelillielangtry.co.uk

7 Gordon Ramsey’s Restaurants, various locations
Famous Scottish chef Gordon Ramsey’s London restaurants will all be celebrating. Bread Street Kitchen is going to be serving a five-course Dalmore menu with whisky pairings, priced at £65pp. There will be bagpipers and haggis stuffed wellington to enjoy at Maze Grill and cullen Skink at The Savoy. So choose a location and book a spot now.
gordonramsayrestaurants.com

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8 Plum + Split Milk, King’s Cross
Plum + Split Milk will present a quintessentially Scottish Burns Supper complemented by Dalmore Whiskies. The four course menu is priced at £70 per person with accompanying drinks. In true Burns Night fashion, the Haggis will be ceremonially piped in by a bagpiper, to be cut and served as the traditional dish of haggis, neeps and tatties, with Dalmore Cigar Malt. This will of course be followed by a traditionally Scottish main dish and dessert.
Great Northern Hotel, Pancras Road N1C 4TB; plumandspiltmilk.com

9 The Turks Head, Suffolk

If Wednesday night makes you want to snack Burns style all weekend long, The Turks Head has what you’re looking for. They will be adding specialty Scottish delicacies such as Haggis, Neeps and Cranachan to their menu from Wednesday the 25 until Saturday the 28. Their cosy bar, elegant dining room and expansive garden also offers a drinking experience to suit all occasions with rotating local cask beers, a large gin collection and diverse wine list offering everything from English sparkling to New World wines.

Low Road, Hasketon, Suffolk IP13 6JG; theturksheadhasketon.co.uk

10 Mr Foggs, Mayfair
If you want the all out Robbie Burns Scottish experience, Mr Foggs is planning a night that you won’t want to miss. You will be welcomed by a delightful little performance from an extremely talented bagpiper, before you’re invited to ‘toast the haggis’ and enjoy some delicious haggis canapés. The evening will continue with a poetry recital to showcase a selection of Burns’ best works and include a taste of Glenfiddich whisky.
15 Bruton Lane, Mayfair W1J 6JD; mr-foggs.com

Burns Night at Bread Street Kitchen

Plum + Spilt Milk, named after the dining livery of the Flying Scotsman, is fitting for Burns Night celebrations

Burns night at Mr Foggs will consist of lively Scottish entertainment

11 Outlaw’s at The Capital, Knightsbridge

For a unique twist on the usual Burns night, Outlaw’s at The Capital will be serving an exquisite five course menu with optional Whisky pairings using the finest ingredients, seafood and Scottish produce. Critically-acclaimed Scottish seafood restaurant Ondine and it’s Chef Patron Roy Brett are coming over for the event to cook up courses such as Oysters and Langoustines as well as classic dishes such as Haggis and Mutton Broth. This unusual fusion will surely match the creative spirit of Burns himself.
22-24 Basil St, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1AT; capitalhotel.co.uk

12 Milroy’s, Soho
London favourite Milroy’s will play host to a lively Burns Night shindig with haggis cocktails and free whisky drams. Burns Night may be all about tradition but Milroy’s expert bartenders have created a special cocktail for the night using a relative newcomer on the whisky block, R&B Distillers’ Raasay While We Wait. The cocktail will be a peppery play on the classic ‘Bobby Burns’ and has been inspired by the spicing used in haggis.
3 Greek Street, Soho W1D 4NX; milroys.co.uk

13 The Gallery, Hampstead
If the anticipation for Burns Night has you too excited to wait, you can celebrate early at The Gallery. They’ll be having a Whisky 101 event on Tuesday 24 January that will feature a menu full of barrel aged beer and shisky. Tickets are only £20 and include four flights of whisky, four samples of beer and four food pairing canapes curated by The Gallery Head Chef. So get a head start on the festivities and drink away!
190 Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead NW6 3AY; thegallery.com

14 The Well’s Highland Hunting Lodge, Clerkenwell
What better way to honour a beloved poet than with a poetry slam. The Well’s Highland Hunting Lodge will be hosting a Poetry Slam between poets Jan Noble and Tim Wells. Then from 7pm-9pm, guests will be invited to raise a dram or whisky cocktail to the bard, and feast on Scottish-inspired canapés including; Hebridean lamb sweetbreads with herb aioli, Scotch quail egg, haggis croquettes and mini Aberdeen angus beef Wellington. There will even be an intimate whisky masterclass for revellers to trace the heritage of the poet’s homeland. Tickets are available for just £15 and can be found online.
180 St. John Street, Clerkenwell EC1V 4JY; downthewell.co.uk

15 Mango Tree, Belgravia

Thai restaurant, Mango Tree has created two special cocktails for Burns night to help dinners get into the Scottish spirit. The Mango Tree old fashioned contains Bourbon whisky, brown sugar and angostura aromatic bitters and orange bitters and is garnished with cinnamon sticks and dried orange. While the Scotch Prune, Haig club whisky, vieille prune liqueur, strawberry syrup, fresh lime juice and cranberry juice is finished off with fresh mint and some dried lemon. Both cocktails look set to get any Burns night celebrations off to a bang and help diners pay tribute to the famed poet.
46 Grosvenor Place, Belgravia SW1X 7EQ; mangotree.org.uk

Indulge in a whisky-based exploration of the Lowlands at The Gallery

The Vault at Milroy’s

16 The Hyde Bar, Knightsbridge
Hyde Bar is celebrating Burns for the rest of January with their specially made ‘Burns burger’. This combines haggis, clapshot and highland whiskey slaw, wrapped inside an oat potato bun. Devised by executive chef Pascal Proyart, the burger combines all of the flavours from a traditional Burns Night spread. Adding to the deal is a glass of Glengoyne 21 year whisky. You can get this drink for free if you post picture of the burger on social media with the #burgerlove.
101 Knightsbridge SW1X 7RN; hydebar.com

17 Balls Brothers, various locations
Balls Brothers is keeping the whole week festive from Monday 23 January through to Friday 27 January, by giving you a glass of whisky on the rocks. And its for free! The only catch is that you need to wear something with tartan on it in order to claim it, such as a tartan scarf, tie, hat, shawl, or kilt. This is happening at Balls Brothers sites across the city including: Bury Court, Hay’s Galleria, Shoe Lane, Austin Friars, Minster Court, Victoria, Mark Lane, Mayfair Exchange, Gow’s. So dress up and head over for your free drink.
ballsbrothers.co.uk

You can get a free drum of whisky with your Burns Burger if you put it on social media with the caption #burgerlove

The Hyde Bar has an extensive selection of whisky perfect for Burns Night festivities

18 VICO, Covent Garden
If you’re craving pizza and ice cream but still want to pay tribute to Burns, VICO’s is offering Italian eats with a Scottish twist. The Buristo crumbled Haggis and half-moon slices of Italian Black Pudding with Cardoncelli Mushrooms, Parsley and Raddichio on a Mozzarella pizza marries the Highlands and the Mediterranean for a deliciously inventive dish. And VICO’s Whisky Sundae: three scoops of whisky gelato, crumbled shortbread, and whisky hot chocolate sauce will knock your tartan socks off.
1 Cambridge Circus, London WC2H 8PA; eatvico.com

19 The Queen of Hoxton, Shoreditch
The Queen of Hoxton is hosting a Burns Night in their cozy rooftop WigWam. The night will include traditional Scottish fare along with music to match and complimentary Whiskey tasting. So ready your tartans and prepare yourself for a night of Scottish Merriment filled with dancing, drinks and fun.
1-5 Curtain Road, Shoreditch EC2A 3JX; queen-of-hoxton.com

20 KERB at The Biscuit Factory, Southwark
If you haven’t had enough after all of your other celebrations KERB will be taking Burns Night into the weekend, celebrating on Friday and Saturday with Scottish food, drink and entertainment. Creative dishes such as Haggis Mac n Cheese, chicken schnitzel stuffed with haggis, whisky sundaes and other Scottish favourites will all be available along with a large selection of drinks. For your entertainment Teesside fiddler and accordion maestro meet dub-heavy electric bass group Monster Ceilidh Band will perform live and specially created Highland themed games will feature Corn-hole, ‘sheep shearing’ and Donald Trump’s crazy golf course.
100 Clements Road, Bermondsey SE16 4DG; kerbfood.com

VICO Burns night pizza, Buristo crumbled Haggis and half-moon slices of Italian Black Pudding with Cardoncelli Mushrooms, Parsley and Raddichio on a Mozzarella pizza

VICO’s Whisky Sundae: three scoops of whisky gelato, crumbled shortbread, and whisky hot chocolate sauce

21 Pollen Street Social, Mayfair
Jason Atherton’s Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social has long been a champion of the finest, seasonal Scottish produce, making the restaurant the perfect location for Burns Night celebrations. Delicacies such as Gairloch langoustine and Eyemouth crab salad grace the a la carte menu, while the traditional Burns Night fare of haggis, neeps and tatties can be enjoyed by guests opting for the eight-course tasting menu, offering a Michelin-starred taste of Scotland in the heart of London.
8-10 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NQ; pollenstreetsocial.com

22 Bonnie Gull, Fitzrovia & Soho
Burns Night is a proud tradition at Bonnie Gull because both the co founder and head chef are Scots themselves. So you can expect a specially tailored traditional meal at both London locations. This will be accompanied by bagpipes, traditional poetry reading and plenty of whisky. You can choose to book a table at their Fitzrovia Seafood Shack or hire out the back room of their new Soho sister restaurant for an unforgettable Burns extravaganza.
bonniegull.com

23 Bistrot de Luxe, Marylebone
To pay homage to Burns Bistrot de Luxe is offering a five-course menu including Cock-a-leekie, Pithivier of partridge, haggis, neeps and tatties, Scottish crumpets with Isle of Mull cheddar, and Clootie pudding. Priced at £49 per person, the evening will include a whisky cocktail on arrival as well as coffee and handmade chocolates to finish. A traditional Scottish piper will entertain you while you enjoy these Scottish dishes.
66 Baker Street, Marylebone W1U 7DJ; bistrotdeluxe.com

24 Mac & Wild, various locations
If you’re a real Burns enthusiast then why not celebrate all week with Mac& Wild. They begin with a special Haggis Making Masterclass on Monday 23 January, followed by Whisky and Beer Pairing Masterclass events throughout the week. And to celebrate the main event, both London restaurants will feature a special Burns Set Menu, including a suitably Scottish host to address the haggis and the option of washing down each course with a specially paired whisky. You can make a booking for any of these festivities on their website.
macandwild.com