The Winding Stair

Name: The Winding Stair
Address: 40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland, Republic of, D01 R9Y5
Telephone: (01) 872 7320
Price range: €31 to €50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

2414 Reviews

€31 to €50

Irish

The Winding Stair

4.7

€31 to €50

Irish

North City Centre

Make a booking

2 people

18 Dec 2024

7:00 pm

Booked 36 times today

Charming
Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines

The Winding Stair Bookshop & Café became a famous Dublin landmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Named after the Yeats poem and in honour of its winding staircase, it is overlooking the river Liffey, with an iconic view of the Ha'penny bridge. As a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists, it was a well known hub for debate and creativity with many poems written, novels penned and movies shot within its walls. In 2006, Elaine Murphy brought this much-loved spot back to life as a restaurant, championing seasonal, Irish produce. The bookshop, located on the ground floor, was retained, as were many of the old bookshelves, photos and memories. The room retains its timeless charm with stripped wood tables and floors, and Bentwood café chairs.The view remains as quintessentially Dublin as ever.
The food is good, old-fashioned home cooking, with produce sourced from artisans within the island. Drink sare local and international craft beers & wines from stellar producers.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
€31 to €50
Cuisines
Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
Hours of Operation
Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(01) 872 7320
Website
http://winding-stair.com/
Payment Options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, Co. Dublin D01 R9Y5
Area
North City Centre
Parking details
Public Parking
Additional
Beer, View, Wine

Pigs on the Green piggy Scotch egg with bacon dust mayoEUR 9.00
Veggie Scotch egg with confit garlic mayoEUR 9.00
Recommended with a drop of Artuke 'Pies Negros', Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain, €14.25
Roasted butternut squash soup, Dublin hills goat cheese crouton, pickled red onionEUR 9.00
Recommended with a drop of Badajo, Verdejo, Rueda, Spain €10
The Wooded Pig Irish charcuterie board with house-cured vegetables & breadsEUR 20.00
Recommended with a drop of Kaiken Malbec, Argentina, €11
The Winding Stair Fish Plate: Belvelly, Goatsbridge Farm & home-made smoked fish pâté, chive crème fraîche, treacle bread, cornichons & caper berries, good for sharingEUR 25.00
Recommended with a drop of Azevedo, Vinho Verde, Portugal, €11
Potted Dingle Bay crab with pickled cucumber, toasted soda bread & organic leavesEUR 18.00
Recommended with a drop of Macon Villages, White Burgundy, France, €13.75
Macroom Dairies' burrata, roasted Kinsealy onion squash, cranberry, spiced hazelnuts & roasted red onionEUR 18.00
Recommended with a drop of Tokaji Dry, Furmint, Tokaj, Hungary, €13.50
Doyle's hand-smoked haddock, poached in milk with onions and white Cheddar mashEUR 32.00
Recommended with a drop of Idiart Rosé, France, €10
Goatsbridge Farm trout, baby potato, spinach & goats bridge trout roe beurre blancEUR 29.00
Recommended with a drop of Los Aljibes, Sauvignon Blanc, Spain €9.50
Garryhinch wild mushroom ragu with crispy polenta & parsley pestoEUR 27.00
Recommended with a drop of Lyrarakis, Assertiko, Greece €13
Youngs' 9 oz Black Angus Irish striploin, homemade chips, steamed greens & garlic herb butterEUR 42.00
Recommended with a drop of Willunga 100, Grenache, Mclaren Vale, Australia €14
Pork Chop, cider-braised savoy cabbage, apple ketchup, mash & root vegEUR 30.00
Recommended with a drop of Ca Di Alte, Pinot Nero, Veneto, Italy, €10.25

Snacks & Sides

All €7

Homemade chips with garlic aioli
Legal Eagle homemade crisps with salt & vinegar
Steamed greens or Mixed green leaves
Irish spud buttery mash

What 2,414 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Dublin
Great for scenic views
Dublin 1
Best Overall
Dublin 1
Best Food
Dublin 1
Best Service
Dublin 1
Best Ambience
Dublin 1
Healthy
Dublin 1
Neighbourhood gem
Dublin 1
Great for fine wines
Dublin 1
Vegetarian-friendly
Dublin 1
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Winding Stair in Dublin offers a delightful dining experience with its charming riverside setting and impressive views of the Ha'Penny Bridge. Guests rave about the "unreal food" and "exceptional service," highlighting dishes like the crab starter and smoked haddock. The atmosphere is cozy yet lively, making it a must-visit spot for both locals and travelers.

2,414 Reviews

R
Robert
Dublin
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic customer service and great choice of very tasty food.
Is this helpful?
B
Bobby
Dublin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
food was very good. food came quickly. service was great. couldn't fault them.
Is this helpful?
M
Muriel
Dublin
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food was fab Guinea fowl melt in the mouth real Christmas’s y feel had the mixed platter For starter plenty for 4 waa Devine Will defo return
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K
Katherine
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic food, great service in an unique location. We really enjoyed it!
Is this helpful?
J
Jessica
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a lovely experience, great atmosphere and beautiful room.
Is this helpful?
G
Gillian
Dublin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food delightful. Service excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed x
Is this helpful?
C
Colm
N. Ireland
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
I’ve been here a few times and love the ambience and in the past have had excellent food. On this occasion, a pre Christmas visit, I was let down by the food. Might have been an off night
Is this helpful?
M
Mary
Dublin
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 10 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food in a lovely setting overlooking river Liffey - great attention from our waiter Jonathan. 10/10 in every aspect
Is this helpful?
F
Franziska
Dublin
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 9 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always happy to come back to the Winding Stair. The food and staff is outstanding as well as the atmosphere. The noise level is a bit higher than usual since it’s a fairly small main room with a lot of tables. But this just adds to the cozy atmosphere. Always a pleasure!
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M
Macy
Las Vegas
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We recently dined at The Winding Stair, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. The bookstore below was a delightful prelude, filled with fascinating local books that set the tone for a great evening. Upon arrival, we were joyfully greeted by the host and promptly seated at a lovely table by the window with a stunning view. The ambiance was cozy yet vibrant, and the staff were attentive and genuinely friendly throughout the evening. The food was simply amazing—each dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor. It was easily one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in a long time. A highlight of the evening was chatting with a neighboring table, who mentioned they typically stay on the southside but make a special trip to the northside just for this restaurant. We couldn’t agree more—The Winding Stair is worth the trip and more! We’ll definitely be returning. Highly recommend!
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FAQs

The Winding Stair is rated 4.7 stars by 2414 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

The Winding Stair

4.7

€31 to €50

Irish

North City Centre

Make a booking

2 people

18 Dec 2024

7:00 pm

Booked 36 times today

40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, Co. Dublin D01 R9Y5

Additional information

Area
North City Centre
Hours of Operation
Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
Price
€31 to €50
Cuisines
Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Parking
Payment Options
Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, View, Wine

Website
http://winding-stair.com/
Phone number
(01) 872 7320

The Winding Stair

The Winding Stair

Make a booking

Additional information

Menu

Lunch Menu

Pigs on the Green piggy Scotch egg with bacon dust mayoEUR 9.00

Veggie Scotch egg with confit garlic mayoEUR 9.00

Roasted butternut squash soup, Dublin hills goat cheese crouton, pickled red onionEUR 9.00

The Wooded Pig Irish charcuterie board with house-cured vegetables & breadsEUR 20.00

The Winding Stair Fish Plate: Belvelly, Goatsbridge Farm & home-made smoked fish pâté, chive crème fraîche, treacle bread, cornichons & caper berries, good for sharingEUR 25.00

Potted Dingle Bay crab with pickled cucumber, toasted soda bread & organic leavesEUR 18.00

Macroom Dairies' burrata, roasted Kinsealy onion squash, cranberry, spiced hazelnuts & roasted red onionEUR 18.00

Doyle's hand-smoked haddock, poached in milk with onions and white Cheddar mashEUR 32.00

Goatsbridge Farm trout, baby potato, spinach & goats bridge trout roe beurre blancEUR 29.00

Garryhinch wild mushroom ragu with crispy polenta & parsley pestoEUR 27.00

Youngs' 9 oz Black Angus Irish striploin, homemade chips, steamed greens & garlic herb butterEUR 42.00

Pork Chop, cider-braised savoy cabbage, apple ketchup, mash & root vegEUR 30.00

Snacks & Sides

Homemade chips with garlic aioli

Legal Eagle homemade crisps with salt & vinegar

Steamed greens or Mixed green leaves

Irish spud buttery mash

What 2,414 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Winding Stair restaurant rated?

Is The Winding Stair currently accepting bookings?

The Winding Stair

Make a booking

Additional information