Famed Grimaldi's pizzeria in Brooklyn shut down for health department violations
DUMBO, Brooklyn (WABC) -- The doors are closed at a staple for New York diners in Brooklyn after a dispute with the health department.
The iconic DUMBO location of Grimaldi's Pizza had three violations, including evidence of mice, failure to vermin-proof, and not properly installing or maintaining plumbing systems.
The restaurant's owner disputes that decision, saying the violations found were a missing door sweep and mouse droppings in an area separate from where the pizza is made.
"There's mice all over the place, it's cold and they're trying to find a place to get warm," said the owner, Frank Ciolli.
A previous letter grade for the restaurant last March was a B, but now a sign in the window says 'closed for vacation'.
"It had nothing to do with the food, it had nothing to do with any of our equipment, everything was OK," said Ciolli.
The restaurant says mice were not anywhere near the kitchen or where food was prepared, but they were forced to close anyway.
Since then they've struggled to reopen because of a paperwork issue and pure bureaucracy.
Ciolli says the building is so big and the restaurant only takes up a small portion of it that the health department found evidence in areas the restaurant does not cover.
The health department has not yet responded.
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