20) The Red Bank 1736 Wine Tavern of Duke Street, D2

A rare nonconforming bar for our list. We include it for reasons other than completism and we admit that the humble pint cannot be had – it’s strictly a wine bar. However, it’s a very fine wine bar indeed, and hidden beneath a busy Duke Street. An inconspicuous flight of steps will lead you down into this bar in a basement where you’ll find a strong emphasis on support for the Arts. Paintings available for purchase adorn the walls, and open-mic nights along with music and theatre sessions take place sporadically. Jona Xhepa, lover of all things Irish and cruelly disowned by our island’s own embassy, organised a regular open-mic session here called The Lestrygonian Sessions. Sam Coll collaborated with Jona in writing a short play The Cloud Counter which was performed to a captivated audience - ‘Get thee to a punnery!‘. Its proximity to Hodges Figgis means it also will often play host to the afterparties of book launches.

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