The Winding Stair occupies the upper floors of a Victorian building beside Ha'penny Bridge, with the bookshop of the same name on the ground floor. The restaurant is one of Dublin's most atmospheric, with bare floorboards, mismatched chairs, and windows looking directly over the River Liffey.
The cooking is straightforward Irish: smoked salmon, oysters from Carlingford Lough, lamb from Wicklow, farmhouse cheeses. The wine list is well chosen and reasonably priced by Dublin standards. It is a good choice for lunch or an early dinner when you want something genuinely good without the occasion of a tasting menu. Book ahead, especially for window tables.