Ultimate Guide to: Burns Night Festivities in LondonBy Angelica Malin
Looking for the best Burns Night menus in London? We’ve got you covered. In haggis, and malt whisky. Don your finest kilt, here’s where to enjoy London’s best burns night menus in 2018:
Burns Night 2018: Menus
1. For a Six Course Meal: Bistro de Luxe
What: Michelin-starred chef brothers, Chris and Jeff Galvin, will be celebrating the life and works of Scottish poet Robert Burns with a special Burns Night Supper on Thursday (25th January). The Burns Night Supper menu is priced at £49 per person, with additional Glenmorangie whisky and sommelier selected wine pairing packages available to complement each course.
Eat and Drink: The six-course meal showcases the best Scottish ingredients and traditional dishes. Highlights from the menu include: Highland canapés; cullen skink; haggis neeps and tatties; Isle of Mull cheddar and oatcakes; and Ecclefechan tart with clotted cream.
Where: 66 Baker Street London W1U 7DJ
2. For Burns Night Cocktails: Hixter Bankside
What: Visit Mark’s Bar at HIX Soho and Hixter Bankside for a la carte dishes featuring seasonal Scottish ingredients, and a specially created cocktail for the occasion.
Eat and Drink: Sip on a Brose – their Scottish cocktail, created for Burn’s Night, made with Monkey Shoulder whisky, Temperley’s ice cider, oatmeal brose, cream and heather honey water, topped with cinnamon. The special Burns Night dishes have been given the HIX twist by Mark and include: cullen skink; Blackface haggis with bashed neeps;
Rack of Speyside roe deer with potato stovies and barberries; and Cranachan with poached rhubarb.
Where: 16 Great Guildford St, London SE1 0HS
3. For Dinner and Entertainment: Devonshire Club
What: Devonshire Club, in the heart of the City, will be hosting a traditional Burns Night supper which draws inspiration from the Scottish larder. Diners will also enjoy performances from an internationally acclaimed piper Matthew Supranowicz, who won the world championship in 2015 with the pipe band Shotts and Dykehead.
Eat and Drink: The meal will commence with a bowl of Cock-a-leekie soup, followed by the classic show-stopping dish of haggis, neeps and tatties, or an Arbroath smokies fish pie. For dessert, guests will be treated to a rich and fruity Cranachan and whisky-laced coffee, accompanied by a deep-fried Mars Bar.
Where: 5 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YD
4. For a Scottish Supper: Town House at The Kensington
What: Celebrated Burns Night on Thursday (25th January), with a traditional Scottish supper available with whisky pairing at Town House at The Kensington. Feast on a three-course set menu featuring an array of Scottish dishes, priced at £45 per person.
Eat and Drink: Delicacies on offer include a choice between cullen skink and Celtic scallops to start, Highland venison, served with skirlie mash with roasted parsnips or Scotland’s famous haggis, served with bashed neeps and tatties for main course. For those with a sweet tooth, the classic Scottish dessert Cranchan trifle, as well as one of Scotland’s most famous baked goods, the rich and buttery Selkirk bannock bread and butter pudding will be served for pudding.
Where: 109-113 Queen’s Gate, Kensington, London SW7 5LR
What: temper City will be throwing the ultimate Scottish knees up to celebrate Burns Night this year, hosted by comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli. Everyone is invited to revel in a celebration of all things Scottish, pipers will be there to welcome you, and there will be a quiz on all things Scottish. Tickets cost £80 and include a welcome drink, 4 course whisky paired menu and entertainment.
Eat and Drink: The 4 course menu will include: Irn Bru Spritz or Thistle n Tonic for a pre-dinner tipple; aged beef and haggis Scotch egg; Malaysian spiced cullen skink with tattie scone paratha; Edinburgh chip shop whole mutton supper; and Bananaramadrama with Islay Malt butterscotch sauce and deep-fried Mars Bars.
Where: 30 Throgmorton St,, 2 Angel Court, London EC2R 7HJ
What: Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack in Fitzrovia have put together a special four course menu featuring some of Scotland’s finest produce from land and sea accompanied by bagpipes and plenty of whisky.
Eat and Drink: The four course menu features haggis croquette with whisky dipping sauce or cullen skink, topped with queen scallops and braised leeks for starter. Choose between wild Scottish halibut with neeps and tatties and seaweed beurre blanc or roast Highland Estate venison loin served with cep puree, pickled chanterelles, watercress and whisky jus for main. And there’s Bonnie Gull cranachan with raspberry jam and white chocolate for dessert.
Where: 21A Foley St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 6DS
7. For Meat Mania: Smith and Wollensky
What: To celebrate Burn’s Night this year, Smith & Wollensky have created a special menu that celebrates all things Scottish with an American twist. Executive Chef, Tom Cook has created a three course menu in collaboration with Naked Grouse Whisky that will be served between 24th-26th January.
Eat and Drink: Guests will start the meal the traditional way with a noggin of Naked Grouse whisky followed by Macsween Haggis with neeps and tatties and a red wine jus. For main: 225g Scottish fillet of beef and accompanied by pan roasted wild mushrooms, creamed spinach and french fries. And the meal will be rounded off by the traditional Scottish dessert of Cranachan.
Where: The Adelphi Building, Covent Garden Riverside, 1-11 John Adam St, London WC2N 6HT
8. For Irn Bru and Bagpipers: Butler’s Wharf Chophouse
What: Butler’s Wharf Chophouse is throwing a Balvenie Burns Night supper for one night only (25th January). Kicking off at 6pm, each guest will receive a Highlands Bru cocktail made with Balvenie Double Wood on arrival to tickle the taste buds before sitting down to the sound of bagpipes.
Eat and Drink: Enjoy a real Burns Night feast; a slap-up 5 course menu that features the very best of Scottish ingredients and flavours. Expect a delicious take on traditional Scottish dishes including salt baked langoustines; Balvenie Whisky smoked salmon; grilled highland haunch of venison (bashed neaps ‘n’ tatties, black face haggis croquets); and finishing with cranachan and a Scottish cheese board.
Where: 36e Shad Thames, London SE1 2YE
9. For Wine and Whisky: The Jugged Hare
What: On Tuesday (23rd January), The Jugged Hare, will be celebrating the works and spirit of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, with a special traditional Burns Night Dinner, featuring five courses with carefully selected wines to match.
Eat and Drink: Priced at £75 per person, expect Scottish-inspired dishes including; haggis croquettes with whisky HP sauce; roast loin and braised belly of Herdwick mutton; and deep-fried Mars Bar with Glenfiddich ice cream. Diners will also be joined by Scottish bagpiper, Alan Henderson who will pipe in and address the haggis, before leading a whisky toast to the great man himself.
Where: 49 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4SA
10. For Burns Night Tacos: Tienda Roosteria
What: Tienda Roosteria – the taqueria at The Curtain hotel – will be twisting tradition with an alternative take on Burns Night feasting. On Thursday (25th January), the team will be serving special haggis tacos and Scottish Pina Colada slushies.
Eat and Drink: Meat eaters and non-meat eaters alike can join in the fun; as well as a haggis and neeps tacos with pico de gall relish and tomatillo salsa, there will be a vegan haggis and neeps taco with guacamole, tomato salsa and pickled radish. To really get in the Burns Night mood, attendees can sip Scottish Pina Colada slushies made with Dewar’s Scotch Whisky.
Where: The Curtain, 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT
11. For a Slap Up Dinner: Plum + Spilt Milk
What: On Thursday (25th January) from 7pm, Plum + Spilt Milk, one of London’s finest destination restaurants, will host a celebratory Burns Night dinner, marking the birth of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. The annual event is a nod to the heritage of the restaurant’s name, taken from the dining livery of the famous Flying Scotsman train.
Eat and Drink: The four-course menu has been created by Chef Director Mark Sargeant, and features an Arbroath Smokie with leek and whiskey soup to start, followed by the traditional dish of haggis, neeps and tatties, which will be ceremonially piped in by a bagpiper. A main course of Fillet of Mey Selections Highland beef with roast celeriac and wild mushrooms will follow, before a dessert of Cranachan.
Where: Great Northern Hotel, Kings Cross St Pancras Station, Pancras Rd, Kings Cross, London N1C 4TB
Burns Night 2018: Events
12. For an Immersive Experience: LoneWolf
What: BrewDog backed craft distiller, LoneWolf, is hosting a Burns Night inspired immersive supper club, complete with a gin and vodka-infused menu. LoneWolf vodka and gin have both been carefully incorporated into the Scottish-themed menu, enhancing the county’s iconic flavours.
The Event: Each course of the menu, created in partnership with the Art of Dining, will be paired with a bespoke LoneWolf cocktail crafted for the event. The menu includes: Dusty Knuckle rye bread with smoked butter; cured Scottish Salmon and a beetroot and apple bloody mary; haggis pie with spring onion tatties, roasted parmesan neeps, caramelised cabbage and a LoneWolf barrel aged vodka sauce; and LoneWolf vodka poached rhubarb cranachan with ginger roasted oats and malt extract.
When: 25th January. Tickets are £20, buy them here.
Where: Unit 2 Old Street Station, London, EC1Y 1BE
13. For a Series of Events: Mac & Wild
What: Mac & Wild will mark the annual tradition of Burns Night with not just one night of shenanigans, but a whole week of Burns inspired menus and events (22nd – 28th January). From haggis-making masterclasses and beer and whisky pairing evenings, to live music and Burns cocktails galore, both Mac & Wild Fitzrovia and Mac & Wild Devonshire Square are on hand to celebrate the life and works of one of Scotland’s’ most renowned national treasures.
The Event: On Burns Night itself, Mac & Wild will be hosting two dedicated Burns Suppers at both Mac & Wild restaurants. Head to Mac & Wild Devonshire Square where they will be greeted in Mac & Wild’s heated and covered, outdoor Highland Hideaway with Highland pipers and drummers, Irn Bru Daiquiri cocktails and Mac & Wild’s Scottish specialty, Haggis Pops, a deep fried delight served alongside Red Jon sauce. There’s also masterclasses, tasting experiences and more more. See the full timetable here.
When: 22nd-28th January.
Where: 65 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PS and 9A Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YN
14. For Whisky Tasting: Artist Residence
What: Tucked away in a quiet Pimlico side street, Artist Residence London is hosting a special whiskey tasting evening to celebrate Burns Night.
The Event: Speciality Drinks will be hosting this unique Whiskey tasting where guests can enjoy a whiskey cocktail on arrival followed by four whiskeys to taste alongside a selection of Scottish small plates, including haggis croquette with red cabbage ketchup, and smoked Scotch egg with piccalilli.
When: 24th January. Tickets here
Where: 52 Cambridge St, Pimlico, London SW1V 4QQ
15. For a Party: The Bloomsbury Club Bar
What: Celebrate in Scottish style on 25th January, from 5pm until late at The Bloomsbury Club Bar with a special Burns Night party. Expect a night of entertainment with live music, a unique Talisker Whiskey cocktail menu and an indulgent selection of traditional Scottish small plates for a bonnie night of feasting.
The Event: This celebration, sponsored by Talisker Distillery, will see an array of Burn’s Night favourites including truffle sausage rolls, whisky cured smoked salmon with horseradish cream and deep-fried Mars Bars Bites alongside Scottish-inspired drinks with a Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky cocktail menu.
When: Thursday 25th January
Where: The Bloomsbury Club Bar, 16-22 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NN
