Tartan at the ready — the 264th birthday of Scotland's national poet is fast approaching and you can expect some pretty lively parties going on until the wee hours.
We've compiled our pick of places to raise a dram, tuck into haggis/neeps/tatties, and otherwise pay tribute to good old Rabbie Burns on Burns Night in London this year.
Burns night 2023 events in London
The Ghosting of Rabbie Burns at King's Head Theatre
Burns Night begins early at the King's Head Theatre, with comedy/musical/drama production, The Ghosting of Rabbie Burns. It tells the story of a heartbroken author celebrating Burns Night alone in a cottage in Ayshire, when the ghost of Robert Burns drops by to give her some (fairly spot on) dating advice...
The Ghosting of Rabbie Burns. Tickets £10-£17, 3-14 January 2023.
Burns Night with The Ceilidh Club
Eating, drinking, dancing, and piping are all promised at The Ceilidh Club's Burns Night celebrations.
Traditional Scottish fare is served up (vegan and veggie options available) at the start of the evening to fuel all that twirling you'll be doing later. As you'd expect from a ceilidh club, the dancefloor's pretty big, but don't be intimidated — there's a caller to help newbies through the steps. The party also includes the traditional Address to the Haggis — best brush up on your Selkirk Grace, then. A rendition of Auld Lang Syne rounds of the night.
Burns Night 2023 with the Ceilidh Club at St Mary's Marylebone. Tickets £39-£49 per person per person. Dates from 20 Jan 2023.
Burns Night at Boisdale, Canary Wharf and Belgravia
View this post on Instagram
Live music restaurant Boisdale celebrates Burns Night at both its Canary Wharf and Belgravia venues, with several events between 23-28 January. The piper and Address to the Haggis take place at all events, with an optional four-course meal, and entertainment courtesy of live musicians; choose between jazz singer Ali Affleck, Scottish songstress Sandi Thom, or a Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin tribute night.
Burns Night at Boisdale, 23-28 January 2023.
Burns Night at St James's Hotel & Club
Michelin-starred restaurant Seven Park Place by William Drabble, and the 1857 Bar — both located at St James's Hotel & Club — are celebrating Burns Night.
Head chef Drabble has created a new take on a Scottish culinary classic: Haggis raviolo with confit parsnips and Dalmore 12-year single malt and thyme jus. Try it as part of the restaurant's Menu Gourmand, or in the more informal setting of the 1857 Bar, where you can also take advantage of the hotel's selection of Dalmore single malts.
The venue is also serving a special Burns Night cocktail: the Dalmore Port Wood Mackenzie Highball, made from Dalmore Port Wood, tawny port, raspberry syrup and lemon juice, topped up with soda and finished with fresh raspberry.
Burns Night at St James's Hotel & Club. Available 24-28 January.
Burns Night at La Fromagerie, Marylebone
Marylebone cheese specialist La Fromagerie hosts a special Burns Night feast. Tuck into a special wine and whisky-paired five course menu, featuring classic Scottish dishes (full menu here).
Burns Night at La Fromagerie. £85 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at The Bishop at The Berkeley (try saying that after a couple of drams...)
Pop-up pub The Bishop, within The Berkeley hotel, hosts a one-off Burns Night supper club.
Begin your evening with whisky cocktails and pub snacks before heading into the dining room for a four-course menu of Scottish delicacies, all paired with drams from Aberfeldy.
The main event is the haggis — served with barrel-aged whisky sauce and the classic ‘neeps and tatties’ — and piped into the dining room by a traditional Scottish bagpiper, where the ‘Ode to the Haggis’ will be performed.
Burns Night at The Berkeley. £75 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night Ceilidh at OSO Arts Centre, Barnes
The drone of bagpipes welcomes revellers to the Burns Night celebrations at OSO Arts Centre, which includes a four-course meal, whisky toast to the haggis, poetry, live music and a full-blown ceilidh. The menu includes haggis, neeps and tatties, and cranachan — a traditional Scottish dessert consisting of cream, raspberries, oats and whisky.
Burns Night at OSO. £50 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night supper at Galvin Bar & Grill
Russell Square's Galvin Bar & Grill serves a one-off traditional Scottish menu, paired with warming whiskies, live bagpipes and poetry readings, for one night only.
Tuck into dishes which celebrate seasonal Scottish produce, including haggis, neeps and tatties, Buckfast-braised short rib of Scottish beef with rumbledethumps, and cranachan, all washed down with a choice of whiskies, each honouring a different area of Scottish countryside, such as Glenfarclas from The Highlands and The Macallan from Speyside.
Burns Night at Galvin Bar & Grill. £60 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at The Savoy
Fancy hotel The Savoy teams up with Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky for an evening of Scottish-inspired food, whisky and live entertainment. Enjoy a welcome Bowmore tipple before a five-course meal, featuring Savoy twists on traditional dishes, and paired with more Bowmore whiskies (noticing a pattern?). Following the dinner, entertainment and poetry, there's an opportunity to try Ceilidh dancing.
Burns Night at The Savoy. £165 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at Big Penny Social
Scottish dance band The Sassenachs headline the Burns Night ceilidh at Big Penny Social (formerly Truman's Social Club) in Walthamstow — expect a mixture of traditional violin music and full band performances, plus plenty of drinks.
Burns Night at Big Penny Social. From £12, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night dinner at Ham Yard Restaurant
At the restaurant within Ham Yard Hotel near Piccadilly Circus, Firmdale Restaurants Group Head Chef Joe Fox has created a traditional Scottish menu, to be served on Burns Night. Dishes include Loch Fyne smoked salmon served with finger lime and honeycomb, plus haggis, neeps and tatties — and pear crème brulee with cranachan crumb. All food is paired with Bruichladdich whiskies.
Burns Night at Ham Yard Restaurant. £75 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night with The Nest Collective, Paddington
View this post on Instagram
Folk music events company The Nest Collective hosts two Burns Night ceilidhs. Both take place at Grand Junction, an arts centre in a former church in Paddington, and feature live music from the Ceilidh Liberation Front band, plenty of dancing, and you can buy a haggis dinner or a dram (or two) of whisky on the night as well.
There's also an afternoon family-friendly Burns Ceilidh, with live music from the Ceilidh Liberation Front, and dancing for all ages.
Burns Night with The Nest Collective, 27-28 January 2023.
Bourne & Hollingsworth Burns Night banquet
Bourne & Hollingsworth's Clerkenwell townhouse hosts one heck of a Burns Night banquet. Celebrate the life of Robert Burns with a sophisticated night of whisky cocktails, ceilidh dancing and dining. Begin with a whisky cocktail, accompanied by a piper, before tucking into a five-course meal of delicacies from north of the border, followed by the Selkirk Grace, Auld Lang Syne and ceilidh dancing.
Alternatively, skip the meal and book a ticket just for the whisky tasting instead. Sample four whiskies, with the story of each told as you sup.
Burns Night at Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings. Tickets £40-£95 per person. 25 January 2023.
Burns Night on board the Cutty Sark
Board the Cutty Sark in Greenwich after hours on Burns Night for an evening of live folk music. The Salts take over the Lower Hold of the famous tea clipper for their performance, with a bar open in the dry berth pre-show and during the interval.
Burns Night at the Cutty Sark. Tickets £15 per person, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at the Old Brewery, Greenwich
If whisky is a key part of Burns Night for you, get yourself down to the Old Brewery in Greenwich for a wee dram (or two, or three...). Special bottles of the good stuff have been sourced from some of Scotland's best distilleries for the occasion, and there will be a few Scottish dishes on the specials board, too. If you make it quick, you should be able to squeeze in a whisky after the live music event at the nearby Cutty Sark (above).
Burns Night at the Old Brewery, 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at the Cutty Sark Tavern
Seems that Greenwich is the place to be this Burns Night. Start your evening at the Cutty Sark Tavern with a dram, then head upstairs to the restaurant for a three-course meal of traditional Scottish dishes. This is a more relaxed alternative to the usually rather rowdy Burns Night celebrations elsewhere.
Burns Night at the Cutty Sark Tavern. 25 January 2023.
Burns Night at Barge East
Hackney's floating bar Barge East gets in on the Burns Night action with three evenings of celebrations. Tuck into a four-course Scottish supper including a dram of whisky, and enjoy live music, poetry and a toast to the haggis.
Burns Night at Barge East. From £55 per person, 25-27 January 2023.
