Top o’the morrow to yah, Father Ted called and he wants all the Irish cliches back, please. Well he won’t be getting any this weekend because shamrocks, emerald green outfits and those ridiculous Guinness top hats will be out in force.
However, if you’re keen to celebrate the man who somehow rid Ireland of snakes, then here’s a bunch of places that might be a little more, um, refined.
Corrigan's Mayfair
Corrigan’s Mayfair have rolled out the green carpet for a St Patrick’s Day special. Irish chef and owner Richard Corrigan along with his head chef Aidan McGee have settled on their favourite Irish classics which will be on the menu all week to make the most of St Patrick’s celebrations. The dishes will include Slow cooked pork belly, pan roasted cockles and clams with wild garlic mayonnaise as well as charred baby leeks and wild Irish mussels. And THAT’S just to start. Next up there’ll be Irish stew, served from the trolley and Corrigan’s Royal fish pies with lobster, scallop and haddock. As if that wasn’t enough, stand by for a pudding of Mammy Corrigan’s apple tart with whiskey custard and Donegal bread and butter pudding with Irish cream ice cream.
On the day itself Corrigan’s will be putting on a special St Patrick’s Day lunch and there will also be dedicated Irish cocktails in the bar.
Where: 28 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 7EH, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Green Park (0.4 miles)
Website: www.corrigansmayfair.com
Bounce Farringdon
Bounce into St. Paddy’s Day and mix it not only with a tonne of Irish fun but with the final Six Nations games – balls everywhere! The crazy, ballsy venue will feature partying into the wee hours, Irish Dancers and enough Guinness to give you some of that luck all the Irish natter about. The country practically invented the colour green, and you’ll be green with envy if you don’t get yourself down to Bounce Farringdon.
If that’s not enough then know that the Official Guinness World Record’s TALLEST LEPRECHAUN will be making an appearance – does it get more Irish?!
Where: 121 Holborn, London, EC1N 2TD, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Farringdon (London) (0.2 miles)
Website: www.bouncepingpong.com
Peckham Springs
It doesn’t get more Blarney Stone than a night Jameson Irish Whiskey? Or at least you’ll be feeling like kissing a few Blarney Stones after a couple of whiskies, that’s for sure! To celebrate shenanigans, London’s Peckham Springs are hosting a day of the aforementioned whisky, a tonne of retro games and a load of gourmet street food to help keep you on your feet. Plus if you’re one of the first 500 through the door you’ll bag yourself a free drink which can act as an appetiser for the tonnes that will follow. There’ll be live music aplenty and even more attempts at busting a move. Happy Paddy’s Day!
From midday on Saturday 16 March
Where: Peckham Springs SE15 4QN
Website: www.jamesonwhiskey.com
Brigadiers
Brigadiers and Guinness have teamed up to present ‘The Big Guinness Weekender’ which already sounds like a hangover waiting to happen but who cares – it’s St. Paddy’s Day and The Six Nations! The Indian foodie bolthole will see pundits enjoying a tonne of sport and, most probably, a tonne of Irish charm found deep inside a free-flowing glass of Guinness! A live Irish band will see you jigging your green socks off and you can even indulge in a Sunday roast with an Indian barbecue twist to line your tummy. Sound’s fantastic!
Where: Brigadiers, London, UK
Nearest station: London Cannon Street (0.1 miles)
Website: www.brigadierslondon.com
Boxpark Wembley Park
North West London’s answer to the boxpark movement has its own answer to the St Patrick’s day craziness too. Boxpark Wembley will be celebrating with its ‘Shamrock Sessions’, a family-friendly Irish-filled event with live music, traditional dance, comedy, storytelling and children’s activities.
Saturday 17th March
Where: 18 Olympic Way, Wembley, HA9 0JT
Website: www.wembleypark.com
The Piano Works West End
The Piano Works have prepared a ‘craic-ing’ St Patrick’s celebration with glitter artists, bottomless brunch and, inevitably, pints of Guinness for a measly £3. Which is basically free. And in true Piano Works style the house band will be taking Irishy requests all night. Dress in your finest greenery and let’s roll The Pogues and Dropkick Murphys.
Saturday 16 – 17th March
Where: 47 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7DH, UK
Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus (0.2 miles)
Website: www.pianoworks.bar
The Lost Lagoon
The Lost Lagoon is a seriously cool immersive experience right now, and it just got exponentially more green as the underground lake has been filled with green dye specially for St Patrick. He may be unfazed, but you’ll no doubt be impressed. The Lost Lagoon will be paying homage to their inspiration, Captain Henry Morgan, and his Jamaican heritage, which sort of makes him 25% Irish given a quarter of Jamaica’s population is apparently (is this true?) Irish Jamaican…
Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th March
Where: West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherd's Bush, W12 8PP
Website: www.lostlagoon.org
Camden Market
Saturday 16th March
Where: Camden Market, Camden Lock Place, Camden, NW1 8AF
Website: www.camdenmarket.com
The Sun Tavern
The Sun Tavern is proud of its Irish heritage and will be devoting their extensive Irish whiskey collection to St Patrick’s Day with three Slane whiskey cocktails all day and priced at £7.50. The cocktails will be King George Cobbler, a blend of amontillado sherry, pedro ximenez, pierre ferrand, lemon, pineapple and orange and Perchaud’s bitters. the Ryanair (which will or will not lose your bags), blended with framboise, strawberry jam, lemon and absinthe and the 1981 with nardini amaro, amontillado sherry and peychaud’s bitters. They’ve also got Irish cider and ginger beer.
Sunday 17th March
Where: 441 Bethnal Green Road, E2 0AN
Website: www.thesuntavern.co.uk
All Star Lanes
Posh bowling alley All Star Lanes are bringing out the Irish liqueur with the Pot O’ Goldcocktail, which is made from Dubliner Irish whiskey and honeycomb liqueur, Mozart chocolate liqueur, Liquor 43, egg white, milk, double cream and a honeycomb crunch. Best enjoyed as part of their all singing, all dancing, St Paddy’s Drag Brunch extravaganza and with bottomless Prosecco, Mimosas or Craft Beer.
Where: Various
Website: www.allstarlanes.co.uk
HipChips
Where: 49 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 6HL
Website: www.hipchips.com
Mr Fogg's Residence
Mr Fogg may be the quintessential English gentleman (mainly in that he doesn’t exist), but at Mr Fogg’s Tavern in Covent Garden they’ve partnered with Tullamore D.E.W Whiskey and will celebrate by serving up a special St Patrick’s Day cocktail menu, Irish fayre and Paddy’s Larger, a green beer (yep, a thing) made using Mr Fogg’s house lager, set to add a bit of luck of the Irish to the day.
Sunday 17th March
Where: 15 Bruton Lane, Mayfair, W1J 6JD
Website: www.mr-foggs.com
Home boy
Home Boy’s modern Irish vibe will be getting a St Paddy’s Day makeover this weekend with visiting Irish drinks brands, special cocktails and a boozy Irish brunch. They’ve teamed up with Roe & Co Whiskey, Slane Whiskey, Jaw Box Gin and Silkie Whiskey, with special menus from each brand, as well as putting on a special St Paddy’s Day brunch, packed with comfort food, including a full Irish, dressed fries and Irish stew, along with delicious drinks with Roe & Co Whiskey, live Irish music all day and Irish DJs Eddie Kay, CiCi Kavanagh and Arveene Juthan.
Until Sunday 17th March
Where: 108 Essex Road, Islington, N1 8LX
Website: www.homeboybar.com
Paddy’s In the Park
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day weekend by paddying hard with live music, rugby, and of course, lots of alcohol courtesy of Cellar Boys Brewery. Additionally, there will be a Guinness bar where you will learn how to master the art of pouring your own stout and even draw a clover in the foam. I don’t know about you, but Irish I was beer already!
Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th March
Where: 178 Hoxton Street, N1 5LH
Website: www.hoxtonpub.com
