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Pita Pan Temporarily Closed by Health Department

Source: Foodika

Source: Foodika

Sept. 20, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan

Pita Pan, a popular Mediterranean restaurant on 30th Avenue, has been closed by the Health Department for sanitary violations.

The restaurant, located at 37-15 30th Avenue, was closed after accumulating 48 violation points at the inspection last Thursday, with four violations listed as “critical” including live mice and flies on the premises, poor staff hygiene, and food not being protected from contamination.

The Health Department shut the restaurant down a month after it received an ungraded evaluation and was put on notice for similar, but less extreme, violations it had at the time.

The list of violations also included three non-critical listings, which included the facility not being vermin proof, improper plumbing that created drainage and sewer issues, and improperly constructed structures that food does not come in to contact with.

The Health Department gives out letter grades to restaurants based on a points system. Any restaurant that receives between zero and 13 points receives an A grade, any receiving between 14 and 27 points gets a B grade, and any with 28 or more points gets a C grade. Each point value is assigned based on the size and scale of the violation.

If any violations are especially bad, the restaurant can be shut down until it gets its score back under 28 violation points, at which point it can be inspected again and reopen.

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13 Comments

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Papadopollapolopogous

I avoid the Mediterranean restaurants in Astoria. Most of the workers just stand outside and smoke especially the ones just off the boat. Same with the Mediterranean cafes.

Reply
RC

How about Tradefair on Ditmars? Why isn’t the health department there? For example: Cats roam the vegetable aisles (seen them walking on the vegetables) and are in their basement where they store food and they sell salad mix that has expired days prior (the organic one). This place is horrific. Someone must be protecting them from the health Dept.

Reply
hamad

Trade Fair on Ditmars is always crowded and caters to the diverse community with there multi cultural products and foods. They are open 24 hours. They have a seniors discount 5 days a week during the day and have free delivery. Yes, some days the fruits and vegetables look fresher than others, other than that I never seen anything that would stop me from shopping there. if you are that concerned you should call the health dept yourself.

Reply
Agon

Thank goodness the Health Dept. is doing their job and protecting the public! Spread the word of how dirty some of these places are. So many places like this one serve the same type of food in Astoria (including food trucks and carts). Use caution folks if you like this type of food. Some people in Astoria that eat this stuff all day!..yuck

Reply
Anonymous

I was a month ago there and that place is sooo very dirty starting from the bathroom first and all over. The floor really discusting and the worker have NOT uniforms.

Reply
Anonymous

You’d think that’s funny but actually it’s very unhygienic to work with street clothes when you’re in contact with food and an open kitchen, them not using anything to cover their hair from contaminating the food is also one of the violations they had and reason why they were shut down. And I agree, not one of the cleanest places.

Reply
Anonymous

If it is opened,it probably REopened after reinspection. Health department closes them down and they have to pass after “fixing” the problems, but after a closing like that it’s really disgustingly disturbing.

Reply
Astorian

Yikes! Loved the food here. Never got food poisoning. I’m shocked! Hope they learn there lesson and come back prepared.

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