Sad as Dubliners were to see the 2012 closure of one of the city’s most iconic businesses, the Dublin Woollen Mills (where James Joyce, no less, once worked), it is cheering to see Elaine Murphy and the team from the equally iconic Winding Stair next door serving up good, wholesome Irish fare here, where woolly jumpers were once on sale.
With characteristic verve and honesty, they reinvented the four-storey building to create a cool, multi-faceted business with its own in-house bakery and takeaway as well as an informal restaurant in areas ranging from small dining rooms overlooking the Liffey at Ha’penny Bridge, to open air dining areas in both a restored iron and glass canopy over the wide pavement and a rooftop overlooking Liffey Street and a big ground floor bar/restaurant.
Industrial chic prevails, but the keen-eyed visitor will quickly spot plenty of promising details to soften the minimalism, including chunky salt and pepper mills on every table beside the burnt orange heavy duty paper napkins, and plenty of interesting artisan products on sale as well as their own breads and takeaway foods.
Starters might typically range from confit of Feighcullen duck leg salad with roasted balsamic beetroot to smoked Irish mackerel pate with pickled Kinsealy vegetables. Meat and fish are given equal attention on the mains with the ever-popular Woollen Mills burger, served with bacon jam, pickle and burger sauce vying with traditional fish and chips. Weekend brunch has all the old favourites including the waffles eggs benny and waffles egg Florentine – and check out the cocktail list for some unusual offerings.
Popular desserts may offer interesting wine pairings – who could resist a glass of Moinéir Irish strawberry wine with homemade vanilla cheesecake served with boozy clementines? Interesting wines are offered in three sizes (from about €7.50/€21/€30), while a baker’s dozen of craft beer includes five from Ireland - Dungarvan stout and red ale and Kinnegar Scraggy Bay IPA among them - and McIvors apple cider from Armagh.
All round, The Woollen Mills has proved a worthy successor for a much-loved institution; this is a gem of the modern Dublin dining scene for passing visitors to try - and, for casual dining, The Yarn pizzeria is also part of the complex.
The Yarn
Going on the theory that everyone loves a really good pizza (and who could argue with that?), plus the fact that The Woollen Mills has loads of space, Elaine and her gang eyed up a private room that had access to the roof and a transformation soon took place. In no time at all, the roof - which is covered and heated in winter - became just the spot for a casual get together to enjoy a few yarns over a cocktail or two, and one of their bespoke made-for-sharing pizzas...
Having been dispatched to a pizza academy in Lazio for a spot of training, executive chef Ian Connolly and his chief pizza maker came up with their own version of a New York pizza - based on a classic Neapolitan pizza, it has that essential sociabiulity factor - the pick-up-able slice. So, with the addition of a growing range of Italian/American'Irish toppings (including vegan options) the perfect party pizza was born at The Yarn. With no compromise on provenance (Pigs on the Green pork, for example), prices are very reasonable for the quality and a 3-course meal (from an à la carte menu) would be around €35/€40 - maybe less for 'pizza parties'.
As for the booze, local beers feature - mostly in can and with rotating guest draughts - from breweries such as Whiplash, Larkins, Dot Brew, The White Hag and Trouble Brewing, as well as plenty from further afield. And, of course, there's not only a carefully curated wine list but also a full range of cocktails, including weekly specials.
So this is quite the happening place - great for casual socialising at any time, The Yarn is just perfect for parties...
