Named after both a Yeats poem and for its twisting staircase, The Winding Stair opened in 1970 as a three-storey bookshop and café. Rescued from closure twice by Elaine Murphy, once in 2006 and then again in 2009, who opened a restaurant serving authentic Irish fare. The bookshop occupies the ground floor with the front area featuring new books and a smaller space at the rear for secondhand titles.

"The Winding Staircase is perfectly located, 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."