Oakland restaurant Pizza Romano cited for health code violations 

Pizza Romano, a popular Oakland restaurant on Atwood Street, was cited for 17 health code violations on Thursday. 

The Allegheny County Health Department issued a “consumer alert” for the business, identifying three “high risk” violations — employee personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitization and pest management. 

The report stated that “numerous rodent droppings to all parts of the facility including, but not limited to, food preparation areas, behind refrigeration units, and cash counters” were found on the premises, in addition to the presence of “exposed green bait” used for mice extermination. 

Staff was also “not observed changing gloves at time of inspection and at the end of inspection,” and “two employees [were] found eating on food contact surfaces, on preparation coolers and on cutting boards at time of inspection.”

Additional violations include “improper cold holding temperatures, malfunctioning refrigeration equipment, soiled food-contact surfaces and equipment, improper wastewater disposal, and inaccessible handwashing sinks,” according to the Allegheny Department of Health website. 

The restaurant will remain open while the consumer alert is in effect.