The restaurant near Malabar Farm State Park will remain closed in 2019 for renovations, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
“We recognize the Malabar Inn Restaurant is an important part of the community, and this closure is unfortunate,” said Glen Cobb, chief of the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft. “We plan to complete renovations on this historic building in 2019 and reopen sometime in 2020.”
A restaurant is available at the nearby Mohican State Park Lodge, and there are several local eateries available in Richland and Ashland counties. For information on local dining destinations, visit destinationmansfield.com/eat-drink and visitashlandohio.com/food-and-drink.
Prior to opening, ODNR will accept bid proposals for a new restaurant operator. Interested operators can contact ODNR or visit parks.ohiodnr.gov/bids for more information.
Malabar Farm was the dream of Louis Bromfield, an American Pulitzer Prize-winning author, farmer and conservationist, who built this historic farm and aptly named his home the “Big House” because of its 32 rooms. During his life, Malabar Farm served as a getaway destination for many Hollywood stars of the 40s and 50s, and Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married at the Big House on May 21, 1945.
Ohio accepted the deed to Malabar Farm in August 1972 to preserve the beauty and ecological value of the farm, and the property became a state park in 1976. Malabar Farm State Park is dedicated to perpetuating Bromfield’s farming philosophies, preserving the Big House and the artifacts within, as well as providing a place for visitors to explore farm life and the beauty of nature. It is the only state park in Ohio that is a working farm.
Photo: Destination Mansfield – Richland County
