New York group buys landmark Fort Lauderdale restaurant

A New York-based restaurant group purchased the home of Fort Lauderdale’s landmark Rustic Inn for $7.5 million.

Ark Restaurants picked up the popular restaurant and 4331 Ravenswood Road property west of I-95 and north of Griffin Road, the Sun-Sentinel reported. The company does not plan to make any immediate changes to the restaurant, which is known for its garlic crabs and newspaper-covered tables. W and O Inc. sold the site to Ark.

Open since 1955, Rustic Inn attracts numerous tourists and celebrities, along with a steady local customer base. Founder Henry Oreal, 90, eventually passed the business on to his sons. One of Oreal’s sons died in 2009, while the other retired. [Sun-Sentinel] — Eric Kalis