Entry No. 27 — the Des Moines file — filed under: speakeasy
de Kelder Speakeasy
de Kelder ("the basement" in Dutch) is a genuine Roaring Twenties-style speakeasy tucked beneath a downtown Pella building, serving craft cocktails, small plates, and desserts in a dimly lit, eclectic space that feels utterly incongruous amid the town's tidy Dutch Reformed streetscape. It won Iowa Tourism's Outstanding Dining Business award and has earned a devoted following for its atmosphere and housemade bites.
The story
Pella is known for immaculate brickwork, wind-milled plazas, and bakery letters. Which makes stepping into a cellar beneath Franklin Street feel like slipping through a tear in the town's squeaky-clean veneer. "De Kelder" translates literally to "the basement" in Dutch, but once you descend below street level, the tidy town square gives way to a dimly lit, Roaring Twenties-style hideaway.
You won't find a flashy street-level sign advertising the place. Instead, you have to know what you're looking for: a pair of stone lions guarding an unmarked entrance at 621 Franklin Street. Follow the stairwell down into the gloom and you'll find an intimate, 21-plus vault serving craft cocktails, housemade small plates, and desserts—a sharp contrast that earned the bar Iowa Tourism's Outstanding Dining Business award.
What it's like
Arrive on Franklin Street, spot the stone lions guarding the basement stairs, and duck beneath the streetscape. The room is dark, cozy, and small enough that tables book out weeks in advance, so securing a reservation online is essential—especially Thursday through Saturday nights and during May's all-consuming Tulip Time festival. Once seated beneath the low ceilings, order a round of craft cocktails alongside shared bites like beef crostini or flatbreads, and linger over dessert into the night.
The move: Reserve a table Thursday–Saturday (it fills fast — reservations strongly recommended) and spend the evening working through their creative cocktail menu and shared small plates; the intimate 21+ basement space, soft lighting, and Jazz Age vibe make it ideal for lingering over drinks and dessert well into the night.
📍 Before you go It's a genuine hidden basement on Franklin Street in downtown Pella's tidy square: look for the lions and follow them down to the unmarked entrance rather than a street-level sign. Park free around the square or in nearby public lots a short walk off. Because it's an intimate, adults-only (21+) room that opens only in the evening and fills fast, treat a reservation as essential and book well ahead, especially around the first-full-weekend-of-May Tulip Time festival, when the whole town packs out. Make a day of it: the Vermeer Windmill and Central Park sit a block up at 720 Franklin, with the Klokkenspel carillon and Molengracht Dutch shops nearby.
- 📍 Pella
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 621 Franklin St, Pella, IA 50219 (basement)
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum — Pair basement cocktails in Pella with an afternoon spent taking in over 30 winged open-wheel sprint cars just 11 miles down the road in Knoxville.
- Valle Drive-In — Trade the subterranean Jazz Age vibe for outdoor double features under the sky at Iowa's oldest operating drive-in theater up in Newton.
- Joy the Movie Theater Pig (Capitol II Theatre) — Balance a evening of craft cocktails with a detour to Newton's two-screen movie house to meet Joy, a Guinness World Record-holding pig living in the lobby.
Good to know
How do I find the entrance?
Skip looking for a street-level sign on Franklin Street. Instead, find the stone lions flanking the stairs at 621 Franklin and head down into the unmarked basement doorway.
Do I need a reservation?
Yes. The room is small and fills rapidly Thursday through Saturday nights. Treat reservations as essential and book online well in advance, particularly during the first-full-weekend-of-May Tulip Time festival.
Is de Kelder kid-friendly?
No. de Kelder is strictly a 21-and-over adult space.
What kind of food and drinks do they offer?
They offer a creative craft cocktail menu alongside housemade small plates—like flatbreads and beef crostini—and desserts.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · Tripadvisor · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07