On Thursday 25th January, Scots – and anyone else who’s a fan of the Bard of Ayrshire, Rabbie Burns – will be feasting on haggis, whiskey, neeps and tatties for Burn’s Night. If you’ve not made plans yet, here are some of the best places in the capital to raise a dram and enjoy some poetry and pipe-playing.
1. The Pear Tree Cafe, Battersea Park
25th January 2018
Pear Tree Cafe is throwing a candlelit Burns Night supper, with whiskey cocktails, a lantern-led bagpipe procession, and five-course Scottish feast. Book ahead.
Meet at 7pm in the car park for the procession, £39pp, www.peartreecafe.co.uk
2. Mr Fogg’s Residence
25th January 2018
Enjoy Burns Night at Mr Fogg’s with a special menu from Glenfiddich, Mac & Wild Haggis Pops with Red Jon sauce, bagpipers, Rabbie’s Drams – a whiskey flight dedicated to the poet himself – and poetry recitals showcasing Robert Burns’ best works.
15 Bruton Lane, London, W1J 6JD
3. Mac & Wild
22nd to 28th January 2018
Mac & Wild have a whole week of Burns Night celebrations, with haggis-making workshops, beer and whiskey pairing evenings, Haggis Pops, venison Scotch eggs, live music and Irn-Bru daiquiris. Both restaurants will be hosting special Burn’s Night suppers on 25th January itself.
Mac & Wild, Great Titchfield Street: 65 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PS
Mac & Wild, Devonshire Square: 9A Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YN
4. The Gladwin Brothers
25th January 2018
The Gladwin Brothers will be offering diners Burns Night specials at The Shed, Rabbit and Nutbourne restaurants. Dishes will include haggis sliders and Oliver Gladwin’s deep-fried homemade Mars bars.
Rabbit, 172 Kings Road | London | SW3 4UP, www.rabbit-restaurant.com
The Shed, 112 Palace Gardens Terrace | London | W84RT, http://theshed-restaurant.com/
Nutbourne, 35-37 Parkgate Road | London | SW11 4NP, www.nutbourne-restaurant.com/
5. Devonshire Club
25th January 2018
Drawing inspiration from the Scottish larder, Devonshire Club will be serving a supper of cock-a-leekie soup, haggis, neeps and tatties, and Arbroath smokies fish pie. For dessert, there’s Cranachan and whiskey-laced coffee with deep-fried Mars Bars. Diners will be accompanied by the internationally acclaimed piper, Matthew Supranowicz, who won the world championship in 2015 with the pipe band Shotts and Dykehead.
From 6pm. Price: £28 for 2 courses; £35 for 3 courses. 5 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YD, www.devonshireclub.com
One of Robert Burns’ most famous poems, To A Mouse, was written in 1785. In its original Scots language form, it goes thus:
“Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a pannic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!
I’m truly sorry man’s dominion,
Has broken nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!
I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
‘S a sma’ request;
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss’t!
Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell-
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.
Thy wee bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!
But, Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
Still thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e’e.
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!”