Where to celebrate Burns Night in Edinburgh

It’s good enough for royals and is one of the city’s most popular attractions; The Royal Yacht is undoubtedly the fanciest place to spend this Burns Night. If you have some Christmas cash left over to splash and are in the market for a lavish evening, treat yourself to a seat on this luxe liner. You’ll be piped in, arriving via a red carpet, and be welcomed with a drinks and canapé reception (in the State Apartments no less). After a tour of some of the boat’s highlights, you’ll be served a five-course Scottish banquet (including the traditional Address to a Haggis) with live music in the State Dining Room, followed by a whisky tasting.

Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms will this year host the Bairns Burns Supper and will have you and your little ones birlin’ for Burns with traditional ceilidh dancing for all the family. Suitable for all ages, come and join the incredible Kilter Ceilidh Band and the ceilidh callers for a fun, relaxed, child-friendly event. Kids will get a taste of their first Burns Supper with a bit of haggis and some surprise guests for fun and laughter. Remember and bring your dancin’ shoes!

This is a venue that ensures ceilidhs are for all of the year, not just Burns Night. The high-end bar hosts frequent dances with live bands. And with a strong Scottish theme and a stunning function room, it’s an obvious choice for this particular night. This year, the venue’s hosting a three-course Burns Supper on Wednesday 25th January, as well as a Burns Ceilidh (which will be hosted on the 25th and 28th). For the latter, expect a live piper and toast to the haggis, an arrival dram, a four-course meal, and, of course, the dancing.

You don’t have to celebrate right in the centre of the city. Those living in the burbs can head along to their local — and if you’re in the Ratho area, you’ll be well catered for at The Bridge Inn. As well as excellent food and drink, you’ll also be welcomed warmly with superb customer service. Why night make a night of it and book an overnight stay in one the rooms?

Is there any event, holiday or celebration for which Brewhemia isn’t throwing a themed party? It seems not. And we’re delighted about that because Edinburgh’s largest bar-restaurant complex knows how to host a great bash. Located perfectly in the heart of Edinburgh, directly opposite Waverley train station, Brewhemia is the city’s largest restaurant and bar hosting five separate areas spread across two floors, making it one of the best places to celebrate Burns Night.

Owned and run by husband and wife team Gordon and Lucy Craig, this independent restaurant celebrates the produce of our shores and fields and has been featured in the Michelin Guide, the AA Guide and the Good Food Guide. There are tasting and a la carte menus, with inviting courses such as grilled venison haunch with butternut squash, chestnut puree, game tortellini and cassis jus, and pan-fried sole with nori dauphinoise, leeks and yuzu beurre blanc.

If you need another reason to book this restaurant for January 25th — where else can you pair your meal with a glass of Robbie Burns Shiraz red wine (2018 vintage)?! Their Whisky Sour (Tamdhu 10Yr, lemon juice, gomme syrup and egg white) is also delightfully apt if you prefer something that little bit stronger.

The home of whisky is an obvious place to spend this evening. SMWS’s festivities will be opened by Pipe Major Jim Nicholl and the traditional address to the haggis. Then, a three-course meal by executive chef James Freeman will be served, paired, of course by a range of top-class whiskies. This takes place at the Queen Street location and tickets are priced at £75 each. Or for £70 per person, you can book your place at SMWS’s The Vaults, in Leith, an 18th-century former commercial warehouse close to the Shore. Pipe Major Iain Grant will be responsible for launching the night here, followed by a three-course meal, your drams and entertainment from 6.30 to 9 pm.

Take a pilgrimage to the final place Robbie himself ate and slept while staying in the capital. He spent an entire week here in November 1791 as his base while spending time with his lover Nancy Macklehose (Clarinda) — and it was during this trip he penned the iconic Ae Fond Kiss. Dating back to 1516, the inn welcomed weary travellers for five hundred years, before being taken on as a Belhaven Pub. Not only has the White Hart played host to Scotland’s beloved poet, it serves up an award-winning haggis. While you’re eating, look out for some of Burns’ poetry which is painted on the pub’s wooden rafters. Found on the buzzing Grassmarket, the location is ideal for a pub crawl in the most historic part of Scotland’s premier city.

If historic venues are to your liking, you should also consider The King’s Wark. Established in 1434 it has centuries of tales to tell, having served as a Royal residence, store house, smugglers hut, plague hospital, weigh house and a retail and wine merchant. Nowadays it combines the ancient and modern in a feast of good Scottish fare down on the Shore. Wild game and meat feature heavily on the menu, so this is one that’ll appeal especially to the carnivores (although there’s plenty to draw plant-based diners too). Lap up the menu of Scottish classics beside the roaring fire this January, with a steaming bowl of smoked haddock chowder to start, Chicken Balmoral with pancetta, haggis, mashed potato, turnip, pickled kohlrabi and mustard cream sauce for main and some I.J. Mellis cheese for after.

Those without the time for a lengthy supper can book a place at this upscale food market for some speedier scran. Each year Bonnie and Wild mark the occasion with appropriate collabs and offer unique creations in homage to the bard (we’ve previously spotted whisky and hazelnut choux au craquelin and a hot toddy cranachan cake with vanilla, whisky and raspberry).

The Scottish food hall — comprising three bars and 12 food stalls — is laid back and set within the new St James Centre, so you can do some seasonal shopping while you’re in the vicinity. And there are regular live events, cooking shows and pop-ups to be enjoyed. All kitchens open from noon, with food served until 9 pm on the 25th January.