Va Bene Pizza, at 201 E. Clinton St. near East Broadway, was shut down by health inspectors Tuesday after receiving 81 points for sanitary violations.
Va Bene was cited for eight violations, six of them rated critical. The critical violations included not providing a toilet for either either employees or patrons, the presence of mice, improper holding temperatures for cold foods, and food that was “adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated or not discarded” appropriately.
It was a tough week for LES pizza shops; Va Bene’s closure came one day after entrepreneur Hakki Akdeniz’s new venture, Famous Hakki Pizza at 123 Essex St., earned 51 points and a C grade in an inspection on Aug. 8.
For more on Lower East Side restaurant inspections, read our latest monthly Restaurant Report Card here. To research restaurants on your own, check out the city’s website here.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Oct. 19, 2011, to correct the ownership of Va Bene Pizza. It is not affiliated with Famous Hakki Pizza.
