The first supper was held by Robert Burns’ friends in 1801 on the 5th anniversary of his death however the tradition has moved to his birthday (Jan 25th) and has become a regular feature on the calendar. So much more than a just supper today – Burns Night is celebrated all over – here’s what’s going on in London…
Burns Baby Burns
Burns Baby Burns features a giant haggis, sumptuous food and drink, the incredible Ceilidh Liberation Front, literary excursions, whiskey and much more, with lots of dancing, merriment, live music mayhem, fire performances, face painters and plenty of theatrical magic.
Now in its 4th year, Burns Baby Burns is once more taking over the sublimely stunning ecclesiastical colosseum of St John’s at Hackney Church for two nights of feasting merriment and dancing across Friday 27th and Saturday 28th January.
Enter our competition to win 2 free tickets – competition closes midday Friday (20th)
Burns Night at Lancaster London
Lancaster London is offering an exclusive Burns Night set menu at the award-winning bar and restaurant, Island Grill.
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, Glenmorangie fish cream, mussels and peas; and Haggis, neeps & tatties, watercress salad and red wine jus.
For diners with a sweet tooth, there will be a ‘braw’ Whisky Toffee Almond Tart with Drambuie Custard available, along with other desserts.
The Burns Night special set menu is priced at £15.50 for 2-courses, and £18.50 for 3-courses, making it the perfect way for guests to experience the Scottish tradition without leaving London. The menus can be enjoyed from Noon – 10.30pm.
KERB and Monkey Shoulder present ‘Burns Hootenanny’
For two magical nights on 27th and 28th January, KERB and Monkey Shoulder will be transforming The Biscuit Factory into a humdinger of a ‘Clubhoos’ to celebrate the great Rabbie Burns.
On the night there will be special one-off Scottish street food creations from five star KERB traders including The Wild Game Co’s Haggis Scotch eggs; Haggis Mac n Cheese, Deeney’s slow cooked venison tacos (with spicy salsa and whisky crème fraiche); the famed Macbeth Toastie (Haggis, cheddar, caramelised onion, rocket & mustard), Ghetto Grillz – chicken schnitzel stuffed with haggis served on celeriac & candied beets slaw, Oyster Boy’s Fresh Cumbrae Rock and Loch Ryan native oysters with Tabasco or whisky dressing and ‘build your own’ whisky sundae from Nonna’s Gelato.
At the bar, ticket holders can taste Old Fashioneds from Monkey Shoulder, the 100% malt whisky made for mixing, plus four Scottish KERB cocktail creations, great wine + local craft beers.
In true KERB fashion, the entertainment is set to take the roof off. The Teesside fiddler and accordion maestro meet dub-heavy electric bass group Monster Ceilidh Band will perform live as well as DJs before and after. Specially created Highland themed games will feature Corn-hole, “sheep shearing” and Donald Trump’s crazy golf course.
Mac & Wild
To celebrate the main event of Burns Night on Wednesday 25th January, both Mac & Wild restaurants (Fitzrovia & City) 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. Bottoms up Burns!
Set menu will include Haggis, Neeps & Tatties, Venison Wellington and Millionaire’s Shortbread with Whiskey Ice Cream priced at £35pp.
Milroy’s
London’s oldest whisky shop Milroy’s will play host to a lively Burns Night shindig on Wednesday 25th January 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. For the inquisitive reveller, there will also be a chance to preview a free sample of the second batch of this lightly peaty single malt to toast to the haggis!
Whisky 101: Siren of the Glen
In West Hampstead, The Gallery present’s Whisky 101: Siren of the Glen on Tuesday 24th January for an early Burns Night celebration. The Gallery have invited the seductively dangerous, Siren Craft Beer Co., and The Glenlivet, an iconic distillery from the Scottish Highlands, for a night of beer and whisky exploration. This ‘Whisky 101’ event will feature a menu showcasing the effect of barrel aging has on beer and whisky.
Tickets are £20 and include four flights of whisky, four samples of beer and four food pairing canapes curated by The Gallery Head Chef. The Gallery has also devised a selection of cocktails especially for the night based on the whiskies highlighted.
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Robbie Burn’s Night at Rabbit & The Shed
On Wednesday 25th January, Chelsea restaurant, Rabbit and sister venue The Shed, will be celebrating Burn’s night by offering diners Scottish specials fit for the bard himself. With an array of delicious delicacies Rabbit & The shed’s Burns Night menu will include very special homemade mouthfuls of Duck Livers on girddle cakes and smoked salmon, rye and rose geranium. Guests can also choose from a Scottish classic, Neeps and tatties rosti with whisky ketchup or Lamb faggots with pumpkin spaghetti and artichoke mud before finishing the meal with a traditional deep fried homemade Mars Bar.
So for an authentic Burns night ‘baw’ don your kilts and head down to Rabbit and The Shed to celebrate Scotland’s most famous poet.
rabbit-restaurant.com | theshed-restaurant.com
Burns Night Whiskey Pairing Supper at the Lillie Langtry
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 Wednesday 25th January, guests can enjoy a set Scottish inspired menu including cock-a-leekie, a Scottish soup of leeks and peppered chicken stock and often rice or barley; Haggis neeps and tatties, Scottish mash and turnips, and Cranachan, a traditional dessert of whipped cream, whisky, honey and fresh raspberries, with toasted oatmeal soaked overnight in a little bit of whisky to finish off. With each course guests will get a whiskey paired with the dish from Pernod/ Ballentine’s who have carefully selected the right whiskey to complement the food.
Burns Cocktails at Mango Tree
Mango Tree, the award-winning Thai restaurant, 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 feel a little Scottish for the evening.
When Mr Fogg’s Met Robbie Burns
On Wednesday 25th January, right before Mr Fogg shoots off on his 2017 world tour, he and his household staff will host Bruton Lane’s very own Burns Night celebration.
Guests on the evening will be welcomed by a delightful little performance from an extremely talented bagpiper, before they are all invited to ‘toast the haggis’ and enjoy some delicious haggis canapés. The evening will then continue with a poetry recital that shall, of course, showcase a selection of Robert Burns’ best works. In true Scottish spirit, all household staff shall also be temporarily swapping their traditional Gieves&Hawkes military uniforms for a range of rather fetching and suitably festive kilts.
Mr Fogg’s is a recreation of the Victorian home of Jules Verne’s most famous adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Modelled on the very Mayfair house in which Phileas would have lived after travelling Around the World in 80 Days, the bar is refined but at the same time truly off-the-wall, breathing liveliness and fun into the area.
Burns Night Supper at The Duke on the Green
Piper Roy Anderson will be leading celebrations on Burns Night with whiskey cocktails, a three course supper with whiskey pairing and ‘The Address to the Haggis’.
South Place Hotel
The South Place Hotel will be screening Braveheart in celebration of Burns Night, alongside gourmet popcorn, whiskey cocktails and tartan-clad furniture plus Michelin-starred ‘bites’ including Haggis and shortbread.
Burns Night Poetry Slam
Celebrate Burns Night in the ‘subterranean Highland Hunting Lodge’ with poets Jan Noble and Tim Wells and if yourself are following in Robbie Burns’ steps, you get the chance to step up and share your poetry with the audience during a mini whiskey masterclass.
