Celebrate Burns Night at London’s Boisdale

January 19, 2016

Whisky bar at Boisdale, Canary Wharf, London — Boisdale's impressive whisky bar

This Scottish-themed restaurant in the City of London, offers hearty grub alongside an impressive drinks menu and live music to boot. We’re sure Robert Burns would approve.

Each year the Scottish poet Robbie Burns is celebrated on or around the 25th January (his birthday) in what has become known as Burns Night; a tradition that calls for endless portions of neeps and tatties, a healthy dose of poetry and plenty of whisky (kilts are optional).

Of course, many events celebrating the Bard of Ayrshire will take place north of the border, but if you can’t make it quite that far then Boisdale, Scotland’s unofficial embassy in London, is one of the best places in the capital to join in festivities.

Boisdale in Canary Wharf is the flagship of these Scottish-themed restaurants, which also has venues in upmarket Belgravia and trendy Bishopsgate, and from the moment you arrive and check in your coat before being escorted to one of the tables carefully positioned around the stage, you know you’re in for a good night.

The decor of Boisdale is all white linen tablecloths with red and green lacquered walls and tartan carpets, creating the right balance of sophistication and decadence, all complemented with a hearty menu that features seafood and meat dishes (we’d recommend the lobster with garlic, parsley and chilli butter or the game and Claret pie).

Staff display the famous Scottish welcome and that aforementioned stage plays an important part in your evening’s entertainment – Boisdale has steadily built up a reputation as one of London’s top jazz venues, with its line-up including everything from boogie-woogie to swing, and in celebration of Scotland’s national poet, on Saturday 23 January and Monday 25 January the Highland Swing: Frank and Dean’s Burns Night Hootenanny, will feature a Scottish twist on some Rat Pack classics (e.g I’ve Got You Under My Kilt).

Traditionalists will also be pleased to learn that there will be a piper on site, dressed in full Highland regalia, who will pipe the haggis at each participating table, as well as a speaker reciting The Ode to a Haggis in 18th-century period attire.

On both nights there will be a four-course set menu that includes options such as Dunkeld classic Scottish oak smoked salmon and roast Macsween haggis (with mashed potatoes, bashed neeps AND a noggin of Macallan Gold Scotch whisky).

Talking of whisky, you won’t want to miss Boisdale’s famous whisky bar, stacked with countless varieties – the perfect place for a wee dram on this most Scottish of nights.