Entry No. 16 — the Indianapolis file — filed under: speakeasy
Verita Cocktail Lounge
Tucked into the basement beneath Bocca Italian restaurant, Verita is an intimate brick-walled cocktail den accessible via a stairwell by the host stand or a back alley door late at night.
The story
Most people pulling up to 122 East 22nd Street are focusing on the dining room at Bocca. But if you know the layout, you skip the pasta entirely. Tucked directly into the basement below the restaurant, Verita is a low-lit, brick-walled subterranean cocktail den that feels like a subterranean secret cut off from the rest of Fall Creek Place.
The room focuses heavily on complex Italian amaro-based cocktails, giving the drink menu a bitter, herbal backbone that sets it apart from standard neighborhood watering holes. It keeps intentionally narrow doors: open only on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 pm to 11 pm. You can slip down the stairwell tucked right by the restaurant host stand, or—if you are arriving later in the evening—locate the secondary doorway tucked into the back alley.
What it's like
Expect a tight, shadowy basement room lined with raw brick and low-slung leather armchairs. Because doors are only open two nights a week for five hours at a time, seating fills quickly—arriving close to the 6 pm opening mark is your best bet for snagging a chair without waiting on the stairs. Order something heavy on amaro, sink into the leather, and enjoy being hidden underneath 22nd Street.
The move: Finish dinner upstairs and head down into the subterranean lounge to sip complex Italian amaro-based cocktails in low-lit leather armchairs.
- 📍 Fall Creek Place
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 122 E 22nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Sauna Social @ Gather 22 — Get a wood-fired sweat session inside a converted school bus down the block before cooling off in Verita's basement lounge.
- The Harrison Center — Browse dozens of working artist studios in a 1903 church just a short walk away before slipping downstairs at 6 PM.
- Psychic Science Spiritualist Church — Pair an afternoon exploring century-old Spiritualist history in the Old Northside with a nightcap in a low-lit brick vault.
Good to know
How do I get into Verita?
You can reach the basement lounge via a stairwell right next to the host stand inside Bocca, or through a dedicated back alley entrance late at night.
What are the hours for Verita Cocktail Lounge?
Verita is open exclusively on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
What type of drinks does the bar specialize in?
The menu highlights craft cocktails with a distinct focus on Italian amari and bitter digestifs.
Where is Verita located?
It sits in the basement beneath Bocca at 122 E 22nd St in the Fall Creek Place neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: do317.com · indianapolismonthly.com · Instagram · Reddit · 6amcity.com
last checked: 2026-07-21