Burns Night in London 2019: Best restaurants, bars, Ceilidhs and parties to celebrate Robert Burns

Time to dust off those bagpipes and dig out your family tartan, as the annual celebration of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns is almost here.

Burns Night falls on January 25, which happens to be a Friday this year – so there's even more excuse to sink a few more drams to mark the occasion.

From alternative Ceilidhs to hearty Burns Night suppers, there are more celebrations in the capital than you can shake a kilt at.

One thing is for sure: there will certainly be no shortage of haggis and whisky — these are the Burns Nights happenings that should be on your radar.

Parties

The Scottish know how to throw a decent hurrah and there are plenty of parties across the capital offering just that. The Little Blue Door in Fulham is putting on its very own Bobby Burns Party on Friday with bagpipe music alongside traditional singing and dancing. Scottish-themed films including Braveheart will be screened in the living room for those looking to take a break from all the action. The night will be serving Port Charlotte scotch and the Botanist gin, with food from Mac & Wild.

Further east, Skylight will be hosting a Glenfiddich whisky takeover on its rooftop. Guests will be welcomed with live bagpipers from 7pm followed by a Highland dance performance kicking off at 8.30pm. Whisky tasting sessions will be on offer throughout the evening, with signature tipples available to enjoy by the rooftop ice rink. Meanwhile, down the road in Shoreditch, Burns Night is getting an alternative makeover. Queen of Hoxton’s cosy winter wigwam will host a kilted Scotsman performing an eccentric Address To The Haggis. Visitors can expect traditional live music, hot boozy drinks and a selection of games for an evening of Scottish merriment.

Ceilidhs

Streetwise Opera, a performing arts charity that runs creative programmes for the homeless, is hosting its annual Ceilidh on Saturday January 26. The night, taking place at Cecil Sharp House, promises traditional Scottish music and plenty of dancing with a caller on hand to talk guests through the steps. All proceeds go towards the charity’s work supporting people who are or have been homeless.

For something slightly different head over to Mac & Wild Devonshire Square for an alternative silent Ceilidh. Echoing the rules of a silent disco, guests will be given headphones to tune into a guest DJ who will be mixing traditional Scottish music with modern dance tracks. The noise-free event means there’s no traditional Ceilidh calls but there will be plenty of people on hand encouraging traditional dancing — as well as a number of Scottish treats floating around, including Glenfiddich highballs and haggis.

Restaurants

Indian barbecue haunt Brigadiers is hosting its very own celebration for three days only, from January 23-25. Turning away from Indian tradition it will offer one-off dishes, complimentary hot toddies, Scotch whisky flights and, of course, a bagpipe performance. Likewise, Indian Accent will be serving up its own version of Burns Night, fusing Scottish dishes with Indian flavours for a twist on tradition. Guests will arrive to a bagpipe and whisky reception before enjoying a four-course menu designed by chef Manish Mehrotra.

Temper City is laying on a Scottish five-course feast for £50, featuring smoked salmon paratha rolls, haggis tacos and smoked beef cheeks. Each dish will be paired with a dram of whisky for an extra £45, and after dinner guests can enjoy live entertainment until 2am. Scottish treats can also be found at gastropub the Jugged Hare, which will host a traditional Burns Night Supper on Friday. Naturally, there will be lashings of meat on its Scottish-inspired menu, including haggis croquettes and a roast rack of mutton with black pudding. All five courses will be matched with wines and whisky from sommelier Gui Mahaut. Scottish comfort food can also be found at Borough’s Roast, which is putting on an exclusive whisky pairing dinner on Friday. The five-course menu features scallops, Highland venison and Scottish cheeses — all accompanied by whisky pairings. Entertainment will come in the form of bagpipes and poems.

Michelin star chef Michel Roux will host a Scottish extravaganza at his restaurant Roux at Parliament Square on Friday, priced at £130 per person. The sit down dinner will feature a smoked haddock broth as well as haggis, neeps and tatties and a venison loin. Sweet treats will come in traditional Scottish form with a rhubarb cranachan and a clootie pudding and cream.

Chef Calum Franklin will using his masterful pie-making skills to celebrate Burns Night at Rosewood London, where a haggis and venison Wellington will be the centre of a Scottish supper. Served in The Glenlivet Glade, the luxury hotel’s whisky-themed winter terrace, each course will be paired with a specially selected Scotch and a curated selection of wines.

Corrigan’s Mayfair is throwing its annual Burns Night shindig, featuring a special five-course menu priced at £75 per person — not to mention tunes from chef Richard Corrigan’s doorman Paddy. The evening promises a recital of the Ode to Haggis and Toast to the Ladies as well dishes such as cullen skink soup, scallops and beef wellington haggis. Scottish delicacies continue at the new(ish) Clifford’s restaurant on Fetter Lane, where ex-Harwood Arms chef Gemma Ellis is doing wonders in the kitchen. She's created a one-off menu for the occasion, with the four-courses including a haggis potsticker dumpling, cock-a-leekie soup, a roasted haunch of venison with black pudding and, for pudding, surprisingly gorgeous Scottish favourite, a deep fried mars bar. Things start with a Tipsy Laddies cocktail on arrival – that's gin, vermouth and irn bru – and finish with home-made Scottish Tablets (fudge's Scottish sibling) to be eaten on the way home.

Bars

In central London, Elon Soddu, the head bartender at Beaufort Bar at the Savoy, will be on hand to advise thirsty guests the best Scotch to sip on Burns Night. The bar’s new autumn menu has a ‘Drama’ section which boasts a selection of Scotch whiskies, broken down by region. Meanwhile, London Bridge bar Nine Lives is partnering with Glenfiddich 21 year-old whisky for an event taking inspiration from the brand’s aging process (where the whisky is aged in seasoned rum barrels), to bring a taste of the Caribbean to Burns Night. A selection of fusion drinks will be served alongside treats from chef Chris Evans-Gordon, including haggis with a jerk twist and salmon served with habanero salsa. Likewise, Cadenhead's will host a vintage whisky tasing in its private tasting room on Chiltern Street in Marylebone.

For a tipple to mark the occasion, Frenchie Covent Garden has created a Rob Roy cocktail for £13, made with a whisky base, aromatic bitters and orange zest. Alternatively, head over to Iron Stag, Adam Handling's cocktail bar beneath the Frog Hoxton, which is serving up some Burns Night cocktails from Tuesday January 22 until Saturday January 26. The whisky-based drinks include a Mr Burns, which marries together the floral and sweet notes and a Black and Gold which is a herbal affair. Not far off at Mr Lyan’s venue Cub, a new signature cocktail is on offer — a martini style drink made with wild foraged berries, birch syrup, barley vinegar, and a pickled berry and pine infused Port Charlotte spritz.

Just down the road, you can raise a dram at TT Liquor’s Burns Night Tasting. The Shoreditch bar has teamed up with Scottish malt whiskey The Balvenie for a one-off event. Guests will learn the histories behind the drinks and enjoy readings from Burns’ famous works. Around the corner in Bethnal Green, the Sun Tavern is paying homage to Robert Burns with a special Tam O’Shanter cocktail using Glenfiddich. Entertainment will be provided by Scottish indie singer Rennie (from The View), who will be on the decks. Staying east, Michelin star restaurant Clove Club is offering a limited edition flight of Bruichladdich drams alongside a Port Charlotte cheese pairing.

Elsewhere, with more than 101 whiskies behind the bar, the Gallery in West Hampstead seems like the perfect spot to spend the evening and, in tribute Robert Burns, the bar has created a specialist menu using quintessentially Scottish ingredients. Highlights include a haggis tortellini and the Antidote cocktail make with whisky, lemon and ginger syrup.

J Sheekey will be offering two bespoke cocktails for the evening: a traditional whisky sour and a Rob Roy, as well as traditional Scottish treats such as scallops and carrot with a haggis crust. Similarly Aqua Shard will be sharing its one-off cocktail Scottish Milk Punch, made with Scottish Early Grey tea, hot milk and whisky.

At ArtYard Bar & Kitchen in southwark’s Bankside hotel, sip on “Mars Bar” Bitters — glenrothes 12, Fig Liqueur and LBV Port — then snack on rabbie’s Mars Bars, deep-fried hunks of chocolate in the new style.

You’ll find Bobby’s Bru — influenced by the nation’s unofficial tipple, irn Bru — being spooned out at the Lobby Bar in the London edition, with a ceilidh band for atmosphere. Whet your whistle on the heady punch of Chivas 12, coconut irn-Bru, green tea with a lemon wheel and grated tonka garnish. Scottish bites will be making the rounds including both vegetarian and meat haggis balls, followed by shortbread.