Pinellas Restaurants Temporarily Closed Due To Health Violations

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – A roach infestation, including live roaches on the cook line and rodent droppings on the display counters, prompted the Florida Department of Health to temporarily close the Dome Grill at 561 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, on April 4.

According to health department inspectors, the Dome Grill had 34 health department violations in the past 30 days, more than any other restaurant in Pinellas County.

However, the Dome Grill wasn’t the only restaurant found to have a roach problem.

Health inspectors also temporarily closed Verducci’s Trattoria at 7736 Blind Pass Road in St. Pete Beach after finding live roaches on the cook line, under the pizza oven and crawling up a wall behind the chest freezer, and Engine No. 9 at 56 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Petersburg, which was cited for 31 violations including rodent droppings on the dishwasher and rodent rub marks along the wall tile above the cook line.

Pinellas County restaurants with the most health department violations in the last 30 days were:

34 violations – Dome Grill

32 violations – Rick’s Reef , 6712 Gulf Blvd, St.Pete Beach

31 violations – Tony’s Pizzeria & Ristaurante, 422 Cleveland St. 428, Clearwater.

31 violations – Engine No. 9

27 violations -- Gorditas Don Huicho, 2071 Drew St., Clearwater

26 violations – The Island Grille & Raw Bar, 210 Madonna Blvd., Tierra Verde

25 violations – Central Avenue Oyster Bar & Grill, 249 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

24 violations -- La Fondita de Leo, 528 Cleveland St., Clearwater

24 violations – China 99, 1467 S Belcher Road, Clearwater

23 violations – Nitally’s Thai-Mex Cuisine, 2462 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

22 violations – Sushi Inc., 270 1st Ave. N., St. Petersburg

21 violations – Verducci’s Trattoria

21 violations – Country Pizza Italian Grill, 14820 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater

21 violations – Chiang Mai Thai Restaurant, 1100 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

20 violations – Church’s Chicken, 1575 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Clearwater

20 violations – The Dog & Parrot, 19703 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores

20 violations – Taqueria Y Panederia La Chiquita, 1907 Drew St. Ste A, Clearwater

For details on the violations, visit the Health Department’s website.

Image via Dome Grill