Peter Allen Inn

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A House With Two Centuries of Story

The Peter Allen Inn stands on State Street in Kinsman, Ohio, at the far northeast corner of Trumbull County — a landscape shaped by rich farmland, two converging waterways, and a deep commitment to conservation. The building itself was constructed in 1821 as the home of Kinsman's first physician, Dr. Peter Allen. Raised in the Federal style rather than the more common Colonial, its façade was considered impressive even in its own era. Two centuries later, it had fallen into disrepair — until local businessman Richard Thompson and his wife Rhonda decided it was worth saving.

Rescued and Restored

In 2010, the Thompsons established the Richard and Rhonda Thompson Foundation with historic preservation as its mission, and the Allen House became its primary project. The restoration was painstaking: the home, originally built by master craftsman Willis Smith without blueprints, was literally taken apart, each piece labeled, and reassembled. Architectural records from the Library of Congress — drawn during the Great Depression as part of a federal employment program — guided the reconstruction. The Thompsons then expanded the footprint thoughtfully, adding a kitchen, conference and banquet room, tavern, and gardens, before opening the Peter Allen Inn in 2017.

The work continued. A historic 1836 stone cottage from a neighboring township was dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt on the Inn grounds, opening in 2024 as four additional suites, bringing overnight accommodations to seven in total. The Inn holds membership in Select Registry, a distinction reserved for properties that meet rigorous standards in craft lodging.

The Table

The dining program is the heart of the daily experience here. Farm-to-table American cuisine is served alongside premium cocktails, craft beer, and a wine list that has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — a mark of genuine depth and curation that sets the Inn apart from most restaurants in the region. General Manager Katherine Dodd, a Youngstown State University graduate with years of experience across the restaurant and events industry, oversees operations with evident care for both the place and its guests.

The Inn's event calendar reflects the same attention to quality. Themed evenings — from guided BRIX chocolate and wine pairings to five-course Reserve Wine & Dinner Showcases featuring premium pours alongside dishes from the culinary team — give regulars and first-time visitors alike a reason to return. The American menu anchors everything, but it's the layered programming and the historic setting that make a meal here feel like something more than dinner.

More Than a Restaurant

Dick and Rhonda Thompson can still be found on the property most evenings — working a Puzzle Room challenge or mingling with guests during Friday Tavern nights. That presence says something about what the Peter Allen Inn is: a place built from genuine conviction, where the architecture, the food, and the hospitality all carry the same careful intention.