
The Winding Stair
A beloved Irish restaurant above a bookstore, offering delicious cuisine with river views and a unique, cozy atmosphere.

Highlights
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The Winding Stair

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A beloved Irish restaurant above a bookstore, offering delicious cuisine with river views and a unique, cozy atmosphere.
"Our best dining experience in Dublin, where food, wine, service, and atmosphere all work together perfectly."
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity and cozy, intimate setting.
Consider Seating
Request lower floor seating for potentially better ventilation, or aim for a window table for river views.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Irish
Price
$$$
Phone
+353 1 872 7320
Address
40 Ormond Quay Lower, North City, Dublin 1, D01 R9Y5, Ireland
Website
winding-stair.com/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Riverside Views & Cozy Ambiance
Enjoy a cozy vibe with a beautiful view of the River Liffey, especially from window tables. Perfect for a relaxed dining experience.

Authentic Irish Cuisine
Savor tasty, wholesome Irish dishes made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, emphasizing local producers and traditional methods.

Bookstore Charm
A unique dining experience above an independent bookstore, offering a literary atmosphere alongside delicious food.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity and cozy, intimate setting.
Consider Seating
Request lower floor seating for potentially better ventilation, or aim for a window table for river views.
Ask for Pairings
Servers are knowledgeable and can offer excellent recommendations for food and wine pairings.
Mobility Concerns
Be aware of several steep flights of stairs to reach the restaurant; it may not be suitable for those with mobility issues.
Tips
from all over the internet
Book Ahead
Reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity and cozy, intimate setting.
Consider Seating
Request lower floor seating for potentially better ventilation, or aim for a window table for river views.
Ask for Pairings
Servers are knowledgeable and can offer excellent recommendations for food and wine pairings.
Mobility Concerns
Be aware of several steep flights of stairs to reach the restaurant; it may not be suitable for those with mobility issues.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
The Winding Stair is celebrated for its delicious and authentic Irish cuisine, extensive wine list, and cozy atmosphere with river views. Diners praise the attentive service and unique bookstore setting. However, some patrons have noted issues with cramped seating and inconsistent service attentiveness, especially during peak times.
"Best meal in Dublin. Located above a local bookstore of the same name, it’s a small restaurant that packs a punch. Dining room was cosy but equally bright and airy. All the food was excellent, evidenced by the cleaned plates. Staff were friendly and efficient - thank you for being so accommodating of us bringing a birthday cake that needed some construction and lingering over coffee for an afternoon chat."
Kate
"Excellent restaurant. Food, ambiance and service was incredible. My friend and I were able to get a walk in which we were so appreciative for. The service was attentive and food was delicious! We started with Winding Stair Fish Plate, and I had the Doyle’s seam bream which was cooked to perfection. Please be mindful there several steep flight of stairs to reach the restaurant. We had a wonderful experience at this charming restaurant and reservations are highly recommended."
Danielle W
"The Winding Stair offers beautifully prepared cuisine in an environment both rustic and elevated.
The extensive wine menu pairs perfectly with the fresh, seasonal offerings.
Plates are great for sharing.
It’s always so special when food, wine, service and atmosphere all work together to provide a fantastic experience.
Our best dining experience in Dublin."
Michael Kelley
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
The restaurant is located up several steep flights of stairs and may not be suitable for individuals with mobility concerns.
Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant is popular and can get very busy.
It's known for its authentic Irish food, extensive wine selection, cozy atmosphere, and its unique location above a bookstore.
Yes, tables by the window offer a lovely view of the River Liffey, but are in high demand.
Yes, the restaurant offers options for vegetarians and vegans.
The atmosphere is cozy, literary, and elevated, with a nice view of the river.
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Restaurant, Irish, Seafood, European, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free. Named after a Yeats poem, this one-time bookshop-café was bought by Elaine Murphy, who converted it into a top restaurant (while retaining the bookshop) committed to showcasing the best of Irish cuisine. “We can stand tall and look back to our own traditions and methodology in food production – from our incredible cheese making to our fish smokers, our charcuterie industry, our vegetable growing and pickling and our sustainable seafood,” says Murphy.
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The Winding Stair is Dublin's beloved bookstore with a restaurant upstairs. UK and European editions of contemporary literature, as well as classics like Joyce and Yeats, are easy to find on the shelves. If you're stumped finding your next read, ask the clerk behind the desk to help curate a list of titles for you, preferably something that may help you remember your trip or enrich your time in Ireland.
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In a beautiful Georgian building that once housed the city’s most beloved bookshop – the ground floor still is one – the Winding Stair’s conversion to elegant restaurant has been faultless. The wonderful Irish menu (potted crab, haddock poached in milk, steamed mussels and gorgeous fat chips) coupled with an excellent wine list makes for a memorable meal.
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The outdoor terrace at The Winding Stair on Lower Ormond Quay. The Winding Stair is making a welcome comeback, with outdoor dining available on a terrace overlooking the Liffey. Access is through a secret door on the first floor of the restaurant and the menu is a collaborative effort made up of the greatest hits from The Winding Stair and sister restaurant The Legal Eagle – think roasted bone barrow with braised oxtail and Gaelic escargots; pork scratchings with smoked oyster mayo, and steamed east coast cockles; Connemara rope mussels and Clogherhead crab with chips and seaweed aioli; as well as chocolate and stout mousse with peanut praline and raspberries.
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This quaint bookseller is a great place to browse for literary treasures before heading upstairs to the lovely restaurant on the top floor. So named because of its twisting staircase that brings you up to stunning views of the Liffey, The Winding Stair's menu concentrates on Irish produce with an emphasis on fish and seafood - expect menu items like Wicklow crab claws, potted Dingle crab and Roaring Bay mussels with steamed cockles and brown shrimp mayo. If you can get a table by the window and take in the sunset over the Liffey while sampling these delights you'll be doing well.
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Pull up a bentwood chair to a lunchtime table overlooking the River Liffey’s iconic Ha’Penny Bridge at the Winding Stair, a pioneering supporter of local producers. At lunch, tuck into their heartiest of seafood chowders topped with Irish-made Gubbeen chorizo and served with dillisk seaweed treacle bread. At dinner, don’t miss their roasted bone marrow, braised oxtail, Irish-raised Gaelic escargot and garlic butter, which elevates underrated ingredients to a humdinger of a dish that has the food critics swooning.
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This elegant spot at the Museum of Literature on St. Stephen’s Green was once the student dining hall of the original University College Dublin, which stood here years before the museum. The cafe has a separate entrance to the museum, and during good weather, you can grab a shaded table in a small garden connecting to the Iveagh Gardens, a city park. The menu went casual during the pandemic, with tasty blaas (traditional Irish rolls) with bacon and sausage, soups and salads, plus cakes, scones and pots of tea.
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Elaine Murphy is proprietor of four outstanding yet accessible restaurants that includes The Winding Stair, overlooking the river Liffey and iconic Ha'penny bridge. Originally a bookshop and café beloved of writers and artists, The Winding Stair is named after the Yeats poem and indeed, its very own winding stair. Murphy, an academic, selected the venue for the special connection she formed there during her student days, and has retained the bookshop on the first floor.
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This little bookshop is located on the lower Ormond Quay in Dublin, among cafés and other shops. It seems like something you might usually find around somewhere else, but if you go inside you will be propelled into a bookish little world. There are tables near the window where you can eat food or sit and sip some tea surrounded by countless books, and there is also another small room in which you can find some really old secondhand books to look at and buy.
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The Winding Stair is back with 'pop up' terrace dining from Friday 11th, adjacent to where their pizza place The Yarn was pre-lockdown. The menu is a mix of the best dishes from The Legal Eagle and The Winding Stair, like roasted bone marrow with braised oxtail and gaelic escargots with garlic butter, and Pat Mac’s smoked lamb breast with potato pavé, pea & wild garlic ketchup, Jerusalem artichoke purée and pickled tongue. Book on their website.
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It’s easy to spend an entire afternoon at this famous Dublin landmark. Overlooking the River Liffey, the first floor is a dedicated book shop overflowing with contemporary literature and classics. Head upstairs, and you’ll find a cozy eating space serving up hearty comfort food from Irish artisan producers, like braised oxtail, hand-smoked haddock and an extensive wine list showcasing emerging boutique winemakers from the new and old worlds.
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Overlooking the River Liffey and named after a poem by Yeats, The Winding Stair is an enchanting restaurant that exudes Irish charm and character. The former bookshop turned bistro serves up some of the best traditional Irish dishes in the city, with an emphasis on local, organic produce. Its rustic wooden floors and book-lined walls create a cozy atmosphere that fits perfectly with the heartwarming meals it serves.
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Located on the banks of the River Liffey, with an iconic view of Dublin's Ha'penny bridge, the winding stair is one of Dublin's best kept secrets and has only just recently came on my radar. Established in the 1970's as a cafe and bookshop, this became an infamous Dublin landmark for its winding staircase. It was rejuvenated in 2006, now a chic restaurant championing seasonal Irish Produce and traditional cuisine.
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In the midst of all the bustle of Camden Street, you’ll find one of the best places to eat in Dublin. Set in a Victorian building in what was formerly a grocer’s (which also featured in James Joyce’s Ulysses, rather interestingly) you will find Delahunt, an ambiance-filled venue that offers up consistently good ‘Irish’ food in warm, comfortable surroundings. Why one of the best Irish restaurants in Dublin?
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Sorry, you need to accept cookies from Instagram to view this content. Overlooking the River Liffey, The Winding Stair is a Dublin restaurant with an adorable downstairs bookshop that’s been charming locals and tourists alike since it opened in 2006. Previous to that, it was just a bookshop and café but even within the last 18 years of its existence, the restaurant has undergone a few different changes.
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The Winding Stair at Ormond Quay Lower is a quaint, bistro style restaurant that has long lead the resurgence of Irish specialities in modern Dublin restaurants. The Winding Stair won a Michelin Bib Gourmande in 2008 and is well worth a visit if you like to sample classy restaurant cooking with a solid Irish twist. Other places to head for a taste of Ireland are the Mermaid Cafe and Cafe Bang.
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The Winding Stair Bookshop and Cafe is a literary landmark in Dublin, situated on Ormond Quay. It’s an institution that has been around for over 40 years and has seen the likes of Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney grace its doors. The cafe boasts a cosy and charming atmosphere, complete with vintage furniture, book-lined walls, and large windows overlooking the River Liffey.
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For the literary lover in your life, The Winding Stair is named after the Yeats poem and is the epitome of rustic chic. With a bookshop on the ground floor, you and your date will be surrounded by the comfort of its timeless charm. Devoid of bells and whistles, just good old-fashioned home cooking, here you can share dishes lovingly crafted with the best of Irish produce.
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Best known for being the site of a fantastic new and vintage bookshop lying alongside the River Liffey, the Winding Stair is also home to an excellent café serving plenty of local produce. Easily one of the best secret spots in Dublin, as well as one of the best coffee shops in Dublin, you can even browse the books while enjoying your coffee and cake.
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The Winding Stair Bookshop is one of the oldest surviving independent bookshops in Dublin. It is a cozy establishment where you will find a variety of genres- everything from bestsellers and general fiction to current affairs and gardening. The winding Stair also offers plenty of Irish fiction, used books, and fabulous literary gifts.
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The Winding Stair is another fantastic, little-known place to go for traditional Irish food. It’s in a great location overlooking the River Liffey and Ha’penny Bridge. The Winding Stair is unique in that it has a bookshop located on the ground level that used to be a popular place for writers, musicians, and artists to frequent.
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The Winding Stair is a Dublin landmark which has been serving the city since the 1970s. It is a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists and is located overlooking the River Liffey. The restaurant serves traditional home cooking with a focus on local and international microbreweries and a comprehensive wine list.
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Nearby the famous Ha’Penny Bridge, you’ll find high-quality Irish cuisine at The Winding Stair. Situated in a cozy landmark building, there’s a bookshop on the first floor and, up a spiral staircase, you’ll find the dining room. The menu is full of old-fashioned, Irish home cooking like seafood chowder and black pudding.
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This unpretentious spot strives to offer its customers the very best in traditional home-cooking, with all its produce sourced from Ireland. The beer list is composed of offerings from microbreweries both Irish and international, designed to pair well with the food. There’s also an extensive wine list to enjoy.
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Some of the restaurants in Dublin known for superb views and outstanding menus are The Winding Stair and L. Mulligan Grocer in Stoneybatter. Something interesting about these places is that they represent how the Dublin pub has developed to serve not only everyday meals but also celebrations.
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If you’re looking for a traditional Irish meal while in Dublin, The Winding Stair is the place to go. With local and organic ingredients, you’ll fall in love with their farmhouse-style cheeses and meats. Don’t forget to try the famous bread and butter pudding with whiskey sauce for dessert!
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Named after the Yeat’s poem, The Winding Stair became a famous Dublin landmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Originally a bookshop and café, it’s a popular meeting spot for artists, writers and musicians. The food is a take on good, old-fashioned Irish cooking, with ingredients sourced locally.
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A sweet old bookstore downstairs and a chic restaurant upstairs, Winding Stair is just a stone’s throw from the Ha’penny Bridge. The views of the Liffey are romantic, but it’s the inventive modern Irish cooking that pulls in the crowds for lunch and dinner. After a starter of Irish…
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Cross over the River Liffey via the Ha’Penny Bridge, and The Winding Stair is there to meet you. This is arguably one of the most unique traditional Irish restaurants in Dublin. The menu is in the style of nouvelle cuisine and fine dining, so it’s best to go with that in mind.
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The trio of ely wine bars has set a certain standard for the city. Visit them for a copious, well-chosen wine list from all over the world – and an excellent selection of wines by the glass too, combined with an extensive food menu that emphasises local and organic produce.
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Above a riverside bookshop, The Winding Stair keeps the literary nostalgia while championing Irish ingredients. Think Castletownbere crab, wild mushrooms, and rich soda bread. It’s traditional without feeling tired, and the upstairs views of the Liffey don’t hurt either.
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This much-loved café and bookshop overlooking the Ha'penny Bridge re-opened in 2006 after a long closure and, to everybody's delight, since then it has been better than ever. Although now a proper restaurant with gleaming wine glasses and a fine La Marzocco coffe ...
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The Winding Stair, a renowned seafood restaurant overlooking the River Liffey, is the perfect place to sample these succulent crustaceans. Whether enjoyed as part of a seafood platter or in a traditional scampi dish, the Dublin Bay prawns here are a true delight.
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Both a bookshop and restaurant, The Winding Stair is full of ambience and personality. The food is good old-fashioned, homemade grub. The star of the show is always the produce, which they source with diligence and pride from all corners of the island.
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Back in the city, the Winding Stair is the sister restaurant of the Woollen Mills, with dining rooms overlooking the River Liffey. The menu has a strong emphasis on food provenance, sourcing quality products from all over Ireland.
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The staff were friendly and accommodated gluten free request. Able to eat a great selection of starters and mains with some minor changes. Dessert was a bit more limited but by the time I was happy to trade out for.
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One of the institutions in Dublin, the Winding Stair is located on the top floor of the homonymous library. A modern Irish cuisine, a fine selection of wines and spirits and a view of the River Liffey: what else?.
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Chez Mex is a Parisian-style bistro just outside Dublin Castle that offers visitors some of the most atmospheric dining in the city. The menu is full of French favourites made with quality Irish ingredients.
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Another top contender among the best restaurants in Dublin, Ireland is The Winding Stair. This restaurant and bookstore combination offers a quaint and charming dining experience steeped in literary history.
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One of the city's most famous landmarks is also something you don't see every day - a bookshop and Irish restaurant combo.............
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