Entry No. 11 — the Missoula file — filed under: speakeasy
The Grotto
Tucked beneath The Old Post, the Grotto is reached only by finding a covered concrete staircase off the back patio that drops down to a single door. Inside it's a moody stone-arched cellar of mauve velvet chairs, peacock artwork, and candle-lit corners. The cocktails lean playful and aromatic, built with things like lemongrass, pickled ginger, and fresh mint, and they arrive with popcorn. It opened in 2024 in a space that previously ran private wine dinners as La Grotto Bella.
The story
You walk onto the back patio of The Old Post on Spruce Street, skip the main dining room entirely, and look for a covered concrete staircase dropping off the side. Down at the bottom sits a single door leading directly under the building into a stone-arched cellar. Before mid-2024, this underground pocket was La Grotto Bella, a quiet enclave reserved almost exclusively for private wine dinners and hosted tastings.
In July 2024, the space relaunched simply as The Grotto, converted into a full-fledged cocktail cave headed by a local Missoula musician looking to marry drink-making with performance and local art. The historic stone architecture remains intact, but it's now decked out in mauve velvet chairs, peacock artwork, and low candlelight. Drinks lean sharp and aromatic—using ingredients like fresh mint, lemongrass, and pickled ginger—and every cocktail order lands on your table next to a fresh bowl of popcorn.
What it's like
Finding the door requires walking through the back patio area of The Old Post and navigating a steep, covered outdoor concrete stairwell—meaning the space is completely cut off from street visibility and lacks step-free access. Inside, the footprint is small and moody, lined with plush velvet seating in shadowy corners. It opens around 5 PM; arrive early in the evening if you want a guaranteed seat without waiting for cellar dwellers to clear out.
The move: Find the unmarked alley staircase behind The Old Post and split a couple of the herb-forward cocktails in a velvet corner of the stone cellar.
📍 Before you go Open evenings (roughly Tue/Mon-Sat from 5pm); entrance is down stairs off the back patio of The Old Post, so it's not street-visible and not step-free.
- 📍 Missoula (Downtown)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 103 W Spruce St, Missoula, MT 59802
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Depot Wine Room — Keep your evening entirely subterranean by following up a cocktail here with a visit to the stone-walled wine cellar hidden beneath The Depot.
- Double Front Cafe Basement Bar — Pair your upscale cellar cocktail with fried chicken and a cold beer down in another historic Missoula basement bar just a block away.
- Charlie B's (Dinosaur Cafe) — Contrast the quiet mauve velvet and candlelight of The Grotto with the dim, portrait-lined dive bar energy of Charlie B's right around the corner.
Good to know
How do you get into The Grotto?
Head to the back patio of The Old Post at 103 W Spruce St and locate the covered concrete staircase descending underground to a single exterior door.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
No. The only entry point is via an outdoor concrete staircase off the back patio.
What is on the menu?
The bar focuses on herb-forward craft cocktails built with fresh ingredients like lemongrass, mint, and pickled ginger, served alongside complimentary popcorn.
Does The Grotto host events?
Yes. Beyond regular evening cocktail service, the basement cellar occasionally hosts private bookings and monthly wine tastings in partnership with Worden's Market.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: thepulp.org · z100missoula.com · Yelp · montanaedit.com · wordens.com
last checked: 2026-06-24