Learn More About Mansfield's Historic
Underground
Preserving the Past: The Restoration of a Landmark
Prohibition at the Caverns will take you deep into the heart of Mansfield’s history. The Caverns were constructed between 1840 and 1860 during the Civil War era to provide a place for German brewers to ferment their lager beer. Lager beer ferments at a cool 50 degrees and with no refrigeration in that era, German brewers stored fermented beer underground using ice to control the temperature. The caverns you’ll be dining in were accessed through a door in the basement of an old brewery named Smutzler & Lightenr, located on Temple Court. After discovering the caverns during the building process of Hudson and Essex, Rick Taylor ultimately envisioned an underground fine dining experience.
After years of effort they have been preserved and restored to be what is now one of the premier dining experiences in North Central Ohio.
We can’t wait for you to experience it!
