Health inspectors close Kona pizza shop over rodent infestation
Inspectors found rodent feces in food and on food-contact surfaces at Black Rock Pizza on Alii Drive, forcing an immediate Kona closure.
State health inspectors shut down Black Rock Pizza on Alii Drive in Kailua-Kona after finding an active rodent infestation and multiple critical food-safety violations. The Hawaii Department of Health issued a red closed placard on July 8 at the restaurant at 75-5813 Alii Drive, which is operated by Black Rock Pizza #2 Kona LLC.
Inspectors found an abundant amount of fresh and old rodent feces throughout the facility, including in food and on food-contact surfaces. The conditions created a foodborne-illness risk for diners and workers and showed the business was not protecting food from contamination. Other critical violations included pests in the premises, an obstructed handwashing sink, and physical facilities that were not properly maintained or cleaned.
The closure is immediate and will remain in place until health officials verify the problems have been corrected and a follow-up inspection shows the restaurant meets state food-safety requirements. Before reopening, Black Rock Pizza must discard contaminated food, hire a professional pest-control operator, seal holes in the walls and ceiling, and thoroughly clean and disinfect food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces.
The state’s placarding program and inspection site list current inspection results and closure information for food businesses.
Rodents can spread leptospirosis, murine typhus, salmonellosis, and rat lungworm-related parasites. Rodents can squeeze through openings larger than 1/4 inch for mice or 1/2 inch for rats, which is why sealing cracks and gaps is part of the required fix.
The Kona closure follows another recent Big Island enforcement case. In April 2024, the department shut down Ocean Club at Halii Kai in Waikoloa over an active rodent infestation, contaminated food, unsanitary conditions, and rodent feces on food-prep surfaces and plates, and required pest treatment, deep cleaning, and sealing cracks and holes before reopening.
Black Rock Pizza’s Kona site is the Coconut Grove location, and other Hawaii locations are in Kihei, Lahaina, Honolulu, and Captain Cook.
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