A glass of Scotch whisky on a polished black table A glass of Scotch whisky on a polished black table

Burns Night in London

25th January means it's Burns Night, celebrating the birthday of Robert (Rabbie) Burns, the national poet of Scotland who was born in 1759. Don't think that the partying is just limited to our friends in Scotland though – plenty of venues in London are putting on special menus and lively events to help mark the occasion in style. We've got some great suggestions if you're keen to celebrate the occasion in the capital – get your kilt on, dust off the bagpipes, and take a look at this guide to Burns Night in London.

Daniel Sheppard, Content Writer UK, Thatsup Daniel Sheppard, Content Writer UK, Thatsup
Daniel Sheppard
  1. The best Burns Night celebrations in London
    1. 1
      Big Penny Social Beer hall ceilidh
    2. 2
      Rails Cosmopolitan restaurant for Burns Night
    3. 3
      The Oyster Shed Prize-winning riverside pub
    4. 4
      Boisdale A spectacular Burns Night week
    5. 5
      The Cutty Sark Get a head start on Burns Night
    6. 6
      The Little Doors Lively dinner parties
    7. 7
      Rotunda Canalside celebrations
    8. 8
      Carousel Seasonal Scottish dishes
    9. 9
      Barge East Unique space for dining
    10. 10
      The White Horse Food, whisky, and a warm welcome
    11. 11
      The Crown Burns Night near Viccy Park
    12. 12
      Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings Food, drinks, dancing
    13. 13
      OSO Arts Centre Barnes Burns Night
    14. 14
      The Fentiman Arms Cosy three-course feast
    15. 15
      Phoenix Arts Club Burns Night cabaret show
    16. 16
      The Marlborough Warm and rustic pub
    17. 17
      Woolwich Works An evening of music and dance

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The best Burns Night celebrations in London

 – Burns Night
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social
 – Burns Night
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social
Big Penny Social – Burns Night
Big Penny Social

Big Penny Social

Beer hall ceilidh

Big Penny Social is a lively and modern beer hall in East London with ample outside space. This welcoming warehouse space is contemporary and industrial, offering plenty of draft beers to try. The venue is putting on a pair of traditional ceilidhs to mark Burns Night 2025 – a family-friendly event during the daytime, followed by a Burns Night party in the evening.

Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar – Burns Night
Rails Restaurant & Little Bar

Rails

Cosmopolitan restaurant for Burns Night

Conveniently located next to King's Cross station, Rails serves an appropriate blend of British and French cuisine. Visit this homey and intimate restaurant for Burns Night, and you can savour a traditional three-course menu of classic Scottish dishes, including haggis. You can also sample a specially-mixed themed cocktail for the occasion.

The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed
The Oyster Shed – Burns Night
The Oyster Shed

The Oyster Shed

Prize-winning riverside pub

Perched on the banks of the Thames, The Oyster Shed is an award-winning contemporary pub with gorgeous views and bold colours throughout. Seasonal British food is on the menu, and Burns Night is no exception. Guests get a four-course meal with a complimentary dram of whisky. There's also entertainment in the form of bagpipe music whilst you eat.

Boisdale of Canary Wharf Boisdale of Belgravia
Boisdale of Canary Wharf
boisdale.co.uk/locations/canary-wharf
Boisdale of Belgravia
boisdale.co.uk/locations/belgravia
Boisdale of Canary Wharf Boisdale of Belgravia

A spectacular Burns Night week

Decked out in tartan, Boisdale has an unmistakably Scottish identity, so it's automatically an ideal place to celebrate Burns Night. Both venues are hosting a full week of celebrations, complete with live music, haggis, and all the rest. The festivities culminate on Saturday 25 January with a multiple-course Scottish tasting menu and the ceremonial address to the haggis.

  • Cabot Square, Canary Wharf/Tower Hamlets 13-15 Eccleston Street, Belgravia
    Boisdale of Canary Wharf
    Cabot Square, Canary Wharf/Tower Hamlets
    Boisdale of Belgravia
    13-15 Eccleston Street, Belgravia
  • Boisdale of Canary Wharf
    boisdale.co.uk/locations/canary-wharf
    Boisdale of Belgravia
    boisdale.co.uk/locations/belgravia
    Boisdale of Canary Wharf
    020-771 558 18
    Boisdale of Belgravia
    020-773 069 22
  • Boisdale of Canary Wharf Boisdale of Belgravia

The Cutty Sark

Get a head start on Burns Night

Named after the ship nearby, The Cutty Sark is a traditional pub in Greenwich. This riverside venue is charming and full of history. On 24 January, it's hosting a Burns Night dinner complete with all the Scottish classics. A bagpiper will be providing the tunes throughout the evening.

The Little Blue Door The Little Orange Door
The Little Blue Door
thelittlebluedoor.co.uk
The Little Orange Door
thelittleorangedoor.co.uk
The Little Blue Door
@thelittlebluedoorfulham
The Little Orange Door
@thelittleorangedoor
The Little Blue Door The Little Orange Door

Lively dinner parties

The Little Blue Door and The Little Orange Door are both hosting lively parties in honour of Burns Night in the nights leading up to the holiday. These unique venues feel more like a house party than a bar. There are dinner parties taking place but you can also book tickets just for music, dancing, and on-theme entertainment until the early hours.

  • 871 Fulham Rd., Fulham/Hammersmith and Fulham 16A Clapham Common South Side, Clapham
    The Little Blue Door
    871 Fulham Rd., Fulham/Hammersmith and Fulham
    The Little Orange Door
    16A Clapham Common South Side, Clapham
  • The Little Blue Door
    thelittlebluedoor.co.uk
    The Little Orange Door
    thelittleorangedoor.co.uk
    The Little Blue Door
    020-451 324 29
    The Little Orange Door
    020-451 324 29
  • The Little Blue Door The Little Orange Door

Rotunda

Canalside celebrations

Celebrate next to the canal at the modern British restaurant Rotunda. This stylish spot prepares food with ingredients sourced from its own farm and offers scenic views and a relaxed ambience. For Burns Night, the venue is hosting a whisky tasting plus a classic Scottish meal. There will also be a live bagpiper and a traditional address to the haggis.

Carousel

Seasonal Scottish dishes

Innovative restaurant Carousel keeps things fresh by inviting chefs from around the world for short-term kitchen residencies. Of course, they've got some Scottish talent for January. Culinary star Tomás Gormley will be cooking seasonal dishes using the finest Scottish produce, served in the restaurant's contemporary and utilitarian dining space from 21 to 25 January.

Barge East

Unique space for dining

Barge East is a 120-year-old Dutch barge that offers casual dining in a stylish and scenic space. The menus focus on seasonal British dishes prepared with sustainable ingredients. The venue is marking Burns Night with a night of social dining, poetry, and live music, accompanied by an indulgent four-course menu.

The White Horse

Food, whisky, and a warm welcome

Enjoy Burns Night in West London at The White Horse in Parsons Green, also affectionately known as The Sloaney Pony. Visit this traditional and cosy pub on 25 January to sup on of Scottish dishes like haggis and cranachan, as well as enjoy fine Scottish whisky.

The Crown

Burns Night near Viccy Park

The Crown is a trendy and modern pub located next to Victoria Park. This unique setting combines traditional and contemporary pub decor, plus there's an outer terrace. The venue is celebrating Burns NIght with a limited edition Scotland-inspired menu that you can pair with a Scottish whisky flight.

Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings

Food, drinks, dancing

Multi-purpose clubhouse Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings is a bustling venue in Clerkenwell, themed on the faded glamour of a stately home. There's a restaurant, cocktail bar, and underground drinking den here. The place is celebrating Burns Night with a traditional ceilidh across two nights, but you can also include a Scottish banquet and a whisky tasting if you like.

OSO Arts Centre

Barnes Burns Night

Intimate performing arts theatre OSO Arts Centre stages various productions and events and houses a café and bar with picturesque views. The venue is putting on a big Burns Night celebration with a traditional ceilidh as well as live music, poetry, and a two-course dinner. A vegan menu will also be available.

The Fentiman Arms

Cosy three-course feast

Celebrate Burns Night with a traditional supper at The Fentiman Arms in South London. This popular local pub has a vibrant blue exterior and is serving the meal in its cosy private dining room. You'll get a dram of whisky upon arrival before savouring a three-course meal. Held across two evenings, the Burns Night supper at The Fentiman Arms also includes an informal whisky tasting on Thursday or live bagpipe music on Friday.

Phoenix Arts Club

Burns Night cabaret show

Enjoy an alternative celebration at Phoenix Arts Club. Anything goes at this Art Deco cabaret venue, which is open late into the night. It's a members club, but non-members can book individual events. There's a special Burns Night cabaret show with a late-night ceilidh, music and poetry, whisky aplenty, and a traditional meal.

The Marlborough

Warm and rustic pub

Located in Richmond, close to the park, The Marlborough is a rustic pub that's home to one of the area's most popular beer gardens. The venue is celebrating Scottish culture on Burns Night with a whisky flight and accompanying Scottish snacks. Expect a warm atmosphere and plenty of laughs throughout the evening.

Woolwich Works

An evening of music and dance

Celebrate Scotland's national poet with an evening of lively music, dance, and whisky-fuelled fun at this annual ceilidh. Led by the Wraggle-Taggle band, beginners and seasoned dancers alike can enjoy traditional folk music and guided steps from an expert caller. Whether you come solo or with friends, don't forget to bring comfy dancing shoes.

Burns Night – About the guide

Burns Night in London - Our guide to Burns Night in London is updated regularly. If you know of a great Burns Night event in London that we haven't featured in our guide, feel free to get in touch. Please let us know if you see any mistakes in our guide to celebrating Burns Night in London. Have you visited any of the places mentioned in the guide? Don't forget to write a review on Thatsup.

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