Meet In Confidence, the whimsical new speakeasy at the Hotel Fort Des Moines opening Friday
Walk into Hobnob Coffee & Wine Bar at the Hotel Fort Des Moines and continue toward the northern end of the bar. Look for the bookcase and if a light above it is on, the speakeasy is open.
No secret password needed.
Grab the hidden diamond doorknob to escape down a rabbit hole replete with drawings of the White Rabbit from Lewis Carroll's 1865 book “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,” lining the staircase. At the bottom, find In Confidence, the speakeasy that opens in the basement of the renovated hotel on Friday.
Food and beverage management at the hotel felt this area of downtown Des Moines at 10th and Walnut streets needed something like this, a sophisticated bar with composed cocktails, wine and beers that’s open a little later at night.
The renovated hotel opened in October 2021 with 290 rooms. The nearly $60 million renovation brought the historic hotel, originally built in 1919, back to its former glory from the 1920s-inspired bronze light fixtures in the rooms to the elegant two-story lobby. The flagship fine dining restaurant Proudfoot & Bird serves lunch and dinner, while Hobnob takes care of coffee and breakfast dishes.
Lyz Pfaff, lead mixologist at In Confidence, pointed out more “Alice in Wonderland” décor in the basement space that seats 75. A lamp features a rabbit as the base with ears peeking out from the shade while the wallpaper in the bathrooms comes with bunnies.
“Originally, they wanted it to be kind of like an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ vibe,” Pfaff said. “That’s why we have a lot of velvet, a lot more of the antique and whimsical styles of décor.”
Eclectic furnishings from around the world give the space a speakeasy vibe. One corner offers a private space that can be blocked off with heavy chocolate curtains with a chocolate leather banquette lining three walls. Throw pillows and small tables give the room a parlor feel.
Another blue velvet booth can be closed off with heavy gold drapes. Teal-colored velvet-padded stools surround high-top tables in front of the bar, while a set of high-backed chairs sit on either side of an end table with a cuckoo clock behind it. Other seating areas use comfy upholstered chairs. Of course, the prime seating for those who want to chat with strangers is at the bar.
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Sean Wilson, the director of food and beverage for Hotel Fort Des Moines, worked on the cocktail menu. The former chef and owner of Proof before he sold it in 2019 plans to change the menu quarterly. Wilson came on board last fall.
“We’ll see how things go,” Pfaff said. “We’ll see what’s successful, what people are looking for. Then moving forward, we’ll change or menu quarterly.”
Customers can find cocktails on the menu such as the Vintage French 75 with Hennessy, lemon, and prosecco as well as the Pretty in Pink, a martini made with Ketel Citroen, Mumm Napa Brut, lime juice, mint, raspberries, and simple syrup. A Hemingway, a classic cocktail, features Flor de Caña rum combined with Luxardo, lime juice and grapefruit juice, while the Last Word uses Aviation gin, lime juice, green chartreuse, and Luxardo.
On the mocktails section, find alcohol-free drinks like a zero-proof mint julep and a gin and tonic that uses Lyre’s London dry spirit Fever Tree tonic.
Down the line, the bar hopes to add fishbowls, large-format cocktails meant to share. For now, hungry visitors can head to Proudfoot & Bird, the fine dining restaurant upstairs, for nibbles.
Also of note, now Hobnob is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday as a wine bar in addition to its regular hours from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily as a coffee bar.
In Confidence
Location: Hotel Fort Des Moines, 1000 Walnut St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-528-7733 or hotelfortdesmoines.com.
Hours: Open Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Hotel Fort Des Moines opens its speakeasy, In Confidence, on Friday
