Whisky, poetry, and a whole load of delicious sheep’s innards. Burns Night is the kind of party we whole heartedly approve of and there are loads of things happening this year for Burns Night in Manchester.
Held on 25 January every year, though some of our events below are on adjacent days, Burns Night celebrates the life and works of much loved Scottish poet Robert Burns who was born on this date back in 1759. Try reciting one of his traditional Scots poems after a few drams.
This longstanding tradition sees Scottish people and many others across the world get together to raise a glass of something strong to Scotland’s national bard, while they enjoy an evening of poetry and eat some haggis, neeps and tatties. And with plenty of Scottish links to Manchester, we don’t need any more of an excuse to get involved.
Here are some ways you can celebrate Burns night in Manchester.
10 Tib Lane
Wednesday 26 January
The cosy small plates restaurant 10 Tib Lane has added some specials to its menu for the evening of Burns Night.
A cocktail, Bobby Burns, includes Chivas Regal 12 Yr, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peyshaud’s bitters and absinthe. Elsewhere on the menu there’s haggis, neeps and tatties; black pudding, scallop and peas; and salmon tartar with dill oil and roe. Special desserts include a sorta cranachan: raspberry, scotch cream and oat cake or a fruit sponge with scotch cream.
Blinker Bar – special whisky cocktail
All month
Classy cocktail bar Blinker bar on Spring Gardens has created a special cocktail with a nod to Burns Night. On the menu all month, the Scotch & Apple cocktail is made with Aberfeldy 12 Scotch whisky, honey, lemon and fresh pressed apple.
The Britons Protection – Burns Night supper club
Wednesday 25 January
A true original that’s been serving up booze in Manchester since the early 1800s, The Britons Protection is known for having one of the widest selections of whiskies in the city – 360 at last count – so it’s ideal for Burns night. But this year, the pub is organising a special Burns Night whisky supper with haggis neeps and tatties, and five drams of whisky for £25 per person. Email them to book a place or book on Skiddle.
The Black Friar – haggis pie
Wednesday 25 – Friday 27 January
The Salford gem will be serving up a one off special haggis pie again this year and if the Black Friar’s pies are good enough for Jay Rayner, they’re good enough for us. It’s part of their Festival of Pies where you can get a pie for a tenner (add mash and greens for £2.50). Available 12-6pm Wednesday-Friday.
The Castlefield Hotel – blind whisky tasting dinner
Friday 27 January
The Castlefield Hotel is hosting a Burns Night blind whisky tasting dinner and that doesn’t just mean you’ll be blind drunk by the end of it. A three-course Scottish themed menu – which includes a choice mains involving haggis, smoked salmon and cranachan – will be paired with a tasting of six drams of whisky – one from each of the five regions (Highland, Lowland, Campbeltown, Speyside & Islay), plus a traditional blend. Tickets cost £100 from Skiddle.
Edinburgh Castle – Burns Night supper club
Wednesday 25 January
Edinburgh Castle has just hired a hot new chef and wowed everyone with the bougiest chip butty in Manchester. The Ancoats pub is putting on a feast in one sitting with a Burns Night menu created by chef Shaun Moffat. Expect Pollen bread with whisky butter, fried slice and Arbroath smokie, Swaledale lamb haggis, neeps and tatties, cheese and oatcakes, cranachan and – wait for it – an Irn Bru pastille to finish. There’s a veggie menu too and an optional whisky flight to run alongside. Email them to book. Starts at 7pm.
Elnecot
23-28 January (excluding Wednesday 25)
Elnecot has created four special dishes and paired them with some of Scotland’s most characterful whiskies for a Burns Night special which will be available for a whole week 23 – 28 January (except Burns Night itself Weds 25). Special menu items include Shetland scallops with apple and haggis crumble, a hearty broccoli and Hebridean blue soup served with Scottish rarebit made with 24-month-old Scotch Connage cheese, a haggis Manchester quail egg with piccalilli, and vegetarian haggis bon bons with peach and whisky chutney. The drams on offer include Laphroaig, Auchentoshan, and Chivas Regal. All of these specials will be included in the 30% off total bill Jan Sale Elnecot currently have on.
Harvey Nichols – Burns Night whisky tasting with The Dalmore
Wednesday 25 January
With a 150 year legacy of cask mastery under its sporran and a history that dates back to 1263, The Dalmore is the expert you turn to for a dram or several of the really good stuff on Burns Night. Harvey Nicks knows a thing or two about everything high end too so this Dalmore whisky tasting hosted by Manchester’s fanciest department store is one for those that like the finer things. Tickets are £40 per person but £30 of that is redeemable against any The Dalmore purchases made at the event.
Levenshulme Old Library – Blether Burns Night
Friday 27 and Saturday 28 January
Blether Burns Night is a Levenshulme take on the legendary evening where you get into the Scottish spirit with a good ‘ole blether of words, music, performance, comedy and community. The organisers say this will be a night all about “the ritualistic act of being together, sharing stories and taking the piss”. Tickets are £8 and you can buy them online via Skiddle.
Manchester Craft & Design Centre – Butcher’s Quarter Bitesize Scottish supper club
Wednesday 25 January
In case you missed the news, The Butcher’s Quarter now runs the cafe BQ Bitesize at Manchester Craft and Design Centre. In this its first supper club event for 2023, the carcass connoisseur has put together a super fancy menu which includes venison from Pitscandly Farm in Angus with haggis, neeps and tatties, as well as smoked salmon and shellfish chowder, and forced rhubarb cranachan each course with a paired wine. There will be whisky too of course. Tickets are £75 a head.
New Century
Wednesday 25 January
New Century will be celebrating all things Scottish with poets, flights of premium Scottish whisky and highland-themed cuisine from the in-house food traders which include Bao Bros, Banh Vi and Tallow. 6pm til late. Free entry.
Open Kitchen – Burns Night supper club
Thursday 26 and Friday 26 January
This sustainable cafe at the People’s History Museum, Open Kitchen will be holding an Our Place supper club featuring food by Iain Thomas, formerly of the Alan in Manchester. Diners will enjoy a four-course tasting menu made from produce from local suppliers that might otherwise have gone to waste. These two January supper clubs will have a Burns Night theme with Cullen skink soup and haggis, neeps and tatties among the dishes on the menu. Priced at £35 per person with a £5 donation from each ticket to support the charity, Only a Pavement Away.
Sam’s Chop House
Wednesday 25 January
Sam’s has always done a traditional Burns Night supper and we are glad it’s back up to speed after an extended period of closure post-lockdown. The planned menu doesn’t disappoint with five courses including Loch Fyne oysters and scallops, Scottish venison and of course haggis, neeps and tatties and cranachan. There’s an optional Speyside whisky pairing and an optional Scottish cheeseboard too. It’s £60 a head and you need to email them to sort your table.
The Whiskey Jar
Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 January
Even though this Manchester bar spells it’s name the Irish way, The Whiskey Jar will be doing Burns Night large this year. The Northern Quarter bar is hosting a three-day celebration with free haggis from 6-7.30pm, £5 cocktails from 5-7.30pm and a Scottish-themed open mic night on the Wednesday.
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