Roaches, Sewage Backup Prompted Temporary Villa Pizza Closing

BRANDON, FL — Westfield Brandon’s Villa Pizza has reopened following a recent closing prompted by a failed state health inspection. The eatery was temporarily shut down after a state official found live roaches and a sewage backup problem.

According to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the 517 Brandon Town Center restaurant had four high priority violations during an Oct. 28 inspection. The inspector also noted five intermediate violations and two basic violations.

Expired employee training credentials, potentially hazardous food storage conditions and an accumulation of a mold-like substance in the ice machine were all noted among the concerns. So, too, was a failure to provide soap at a hand wash sink.

The inspector also noted the discovery of a dead roach under soda boxes and 12 live roaches found in the same area. Flies “too numerous to count” were found in the soda box area along with some ants, the state’s report said. An issue with “black water draining up the floor drains” in a back part of the kitchen was also reported.

The inspector shuttered the restaurant following the Oct. 28 visit, but did allow it to reopen on Oct. 29. At that time, only the issue with employee training remained a noted concern on the report. The inspector did report the need for another follow-up visit in the near future.

Villa Pizza was the only restaurant in the Tampa Bay area to face temporary closing by the state over the past week. Earlier in the month, Ybor City’s popular Acropolis was closed for a short time as was a St. Petersburg pizza joint.

• See also: Restaurant Inspections: ’18 Live Roaches Small and Large’

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