Just one week after its seventh closure of the year, an Italian restaurant in Kissimmee was forced to close for an eighth time due to rodent activity.
Little Italy, which is located at 2901 B-1 Parkway Boulevard in Kissimmee, was forced to temporarily close on Tuesday, December 20, after an inspector from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation cited at least 7 health code violations.
During the most recent visit, the inspector cited rodent activity as evidenced by 18 rat droppings found on pizza boxes, shelving units, storage areas, and other parts of the kitchen. Rodent rub marks were also present along the walls and ceilings.
Additionally, the inspector cited gnarl markings on several bags of pasta being stored in the kitchen.
The restaurant was permitted to reopen on Wednesday, December 21, after only four violations were cited.
Earlier this month, the restaurant was forced to close on Tuesday, December 13, and Wednesday, December 14, after rodent droppings were found on pizza boxes, prep tables, and storage areas around the restaurant.
Those closures follow multiple others that took place in the past several months, including one in October and one in September. Rodent activity was cited during each of the previous closures.
During the September inspection, over 100 rodent droppings were found around the kitchen. Additionally, dead rodents were found in multiple glue traps around the restaurant.
During a separate inspection in July, the restaurant was closed after 100 rodent droppings were found all around the kitchen and storage areas.
In April, the facility was temporarily closed for two days after over 160 flying insects were found around the kitchen.