Burns Night In London 2016

Five Places To Celebrate Burns Night In London 2016

Whether you are Scottish or not, Burns Night is celebrated all over the UK and this weekend will be no different. Although Burns Night is not actually until the 25th which falls in on a Monday this year, many places will celebrate it on the Saturday before. If you are in London and looking for a good place to take in some good old Scottish traditions involving readings of from Robert Burns poetry and piping in of the haggis check out these five fun places to celebrate

1. Mac and Wild

This would be my 1st choice, with the restaurant owner Andy Waugh being Scottish himself and most of the produce being sourced from his family highland butchers close to Inverness.  The restaurant will be celebrating with a burns week offering various haggis creations such as clapshot, haggis in the hole and haggis pops. The Burns week starts on Saturday the 23rd  with the main celebration taking place on this evening.

Mac & Wild: 65 Great Titchfield Street, London, W1W 7PS
Tel: 020 7637 0510 | www.macandwild.co.uk

 2. Mr Foggs

I have not been to Mr Foggs before but it certainly sounds like an interesting place any time of the year. The establishment is a recreation of the Victorian home of the Jules Vern’s famous adventurer Phileas Fogg. The bar is also said to be “refined but at the same time truly off-the-wall” leaves me quite intrigued.

Mr Foggs will be celebrating Burns Night on Monday the 25th with a fantastic piper, poetry, Haggis canapés and some of my favourite whiskey, Glenmorangie 10 yr old single malt. Oh what a treat! Staff will be adorning kilts and sporrans with guest encouraged to take part in traditional dress too, though not compulsory.

Mr Foggs: 15 Bruton Lane, London, W1J 6JD
Tel: 020 7 036 0608 | www.mr-foggs.com

3. Cahoots

A wonderful 1940’s secret underground bar in the heart of Soho will also be celebrating on Monday the 25th with guests bag piped down the stairs to be welcomed with haggis canapés, a toast of Glenmorangie and the finest Scottish poetry alongside a demonstration of the Highland Fling in the train carriage. Sounds like a jolly good old knees up to me! Traditional Scottish attire is once again encouraged.

Cahoots:  13 Kingly Court, London, W1B 5PW
Tel: 0207 352 6200 | www.Cahoots-London.com

4. Tibits
One for the vegetarians and vegans! Tibits close to Piccadilly Circus will also be celebrating Burns Night on the 25th in the traditional way with pipers, poetry and some alternative vegetarian haggis! Tibits is my new favourite veggie restaurant in town, the food is fantastic and devoured even by carnivores.

Tibits: 12 – 14 Heddon Street, London, W1B 4DA
Tel: 0207 758 4112 | www.tibits.ch/en/home.html

5. Ceilidh Club
Liven up dull January with some traditional full on Scottish celebrations for Burns Night. Bring your dancing shoes for three hours of ceilidh dancing to work up your appetite for haggis neeps and tatties which will be piped in alongside recital of the Address to the Haggis. Ceilidh Club will offer both traditional and vegetarian haggis options.

Oh I do love a good ceilidh! Don’t worry if you don’t know the dances, they are easy to pick up and everyone else will soon whirl you round in the right direction.

Booking in advance is a must for this popular gathering. Burns night will be held at Hammersmith Town Hall on the 22nd, 23rd, 29th, 30th Jan and the 6th Feb 2016.

Hammersmith Town Hall : King Street, London, W6 9JU
www.CeilidhClub.com/burnsnight