Di Fara’s Pizza Shuttered By Health Department


by on Nov 22nd, 2011

Source: Wikipedia Commons

Oh no! The city’s best pizzeria, Di Fara’s Pizza in Midwood, was shuttered by Department of Health inspectors yesterday after racking up 67 violation points.

Of course, it’s not a surprise to most familiar with the 1424 Avenue J location. The venerable pizzeria makes most fanatics feel torn. On the one hand: what a pizza! On the other: at $5 a slice, couldn’t you gussy the place up a bit?

Apparently the Health Department agreed with the assessment, and it’s not the first time. It was shut down at least two other times as recently as 2007. Here’s the run down of the latest violations.

  1. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
  2. Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
  3. Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
  4. Personal cleanliness inadequate. Outer garment soiled with possible contaminant. Effective hair restraint not worn in an area where food is prepared.
  5. Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
  6. Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.
  7. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
  8. Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
  9. Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained and/or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.

The business could reopen as soon as tomorrow, but they may take longer since the old man can apparently afford some time off.

From the Daily News:

Dom DeMarco Jr. brushed off the violations and said the family expects to reopen Wednesday, but only if his dad, Dom DeMarco Sr. — who still makes every pie personally, as he has for nearly 50 years — feels up to it.

“Sometimes when this happens, he sees it as a little bit of a break,” the son said.

“It’s very easy to get closed down by the Board of Health,” he added. “Any little thing can get you a few points. They add up. ”

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  • http://twitter.com/nicktherat Nick the Rat

    i poop on your pizza, 5$ buster!

  • SuperHero

    Old news Ned. Get with the times. Geez and i thought sheepsheadbites was breaking news!

  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Ah, time to chime in. You know. I honestly think it’s time for Dom to take a bit of a break, sit back, and re-evaluate what exactly he wants from his business. He’s never been more popular if the posts on Slice and the NYT articles are to be trusted and frankly the slices ARE a bit over-rated. 

    Yes, yes! I know that might be a bit of a sacrilegious statement to some of my fellow pizza worshipers out there, but Di Fara’s has always been a love or hate thing. Can’t I be in the middle? Di Fara has a good pizza with great quality ingredients. It’s something every pizza fan should experience at least once. But, IMO, the pizza is not worth the damned adventure you need to undertake to get it. I don’t want to wait an enormous line or get my ass kicked by the elements in summer and winter. I want to be able to sit down and enjoy a slice with friends without having to arrive 2 hours early to reserve seating. L&B Is also super popular and people at least find a place to sit while waiting in their huge lines. They don’t even deliver! I live 5 blocks away, I’ll pay 30$ for a single pizza if they would deliver holy christ!

    The atmosphere is quaint and cozy and nice, but it’s clearly difficult to keep clean. It’s time DiMarco took some of those profits and renovated and cleaned the place top too bottom. Hell, invite Kitchen Nightmares over and have them pay for it. Maybe consider moving locations to a bigger place.

    Also, I know he really wants to keep making every slice alone, but he just can’t serve as many people this way. He’s running full speed and that’s why the rest of these things keep happening. I don’t think any of his fans would be upset or look down on him if one of his sons started sharing the pizza duty, or a true apprentice (how about that guy that owned Del Corso before it got shut.).

    Something’s gotta change. I don’t think DiFara’s should continue as they are. It’s not right for him, or the Fan’s or anyone.

    • Cabbie

      di fara is a dick. I ate there once and would never go back. I hope he joins our friends at chipps and ”retires”.
      i grew up in the BAY and can name lots of places better than di faras……………….. but I won’t!

    • Brooklyn Native

      Your right. It’s good, but not so good that the price, the wait, etc. is acceptable. And yes, Nino who owned/ran/cooked at Del Corso would be a good fit to pick up the pizza stone…. 

  • TITANIUMDX

    This has happen before, no big deal; it’s the hygiene issues that makes the pizza taste better (just joking, no haters now). But it’s time for the other family members to step-up and continue the Di Fara’s Brooklyn Legacy and renovate the place for 2012.

    • RKramden

      I never got why everyone goes crazy over Di Fara’s.  When I want the best pizza in Brooklyn, it’s L&B all the way.

      • RKramden

        Meant for this to be it’s own post, not a reply.  Sorry.

        • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

          You can edit posts if you sign up for Disqus.

  • Anonymous

    I’m in the pest control field and I’ll tell you that there is no reason for a restaurant, no less a pizza place, to have these types of problems. It’s a matter of the owner not willing to spend the money to properly clean, seal up holes and have it serviced once or twice a month. This owner is living in the old days when low paid inspectors were paid to look the other way.  

    • RKramden

      At $5 a slice, you’d think they could afford the upkeep.

  • Unreal

    L and B???? Are you serious?????? Best In Brooklyn??? Ellios frozen pizza is better then L and B and day of the week.  Maybe 15 years agi L and B was good.  Not anymore.  Mexicans can’t make pizza!

    • Brooklyn Native

      I really hate to ‘go there’, but you need to pull your head out from between your legs… Who do you think has been cooking in most restaurants for years now?
      Yes, that’s right…. Most of South and Central America. And please, try and understand that not everyone is from Mexico.  There are a few other countries that speak Spanish as a first language.  
      As for L&B, different strokes and all that. 

    • Anonymous

      L&B is living off the hype from the TV food shows. The square pizza is bad,and the round,just average.Most people today think Dominos and Pizza Hut are good.

  • RomanM

    Mice and flies around the food? No big deal. Thank god the inspector didn’t notice the roaches, snakes, and locust.

  • Emmons Owl

    Hopefully this causes lots of people to stay away. I want my awesome pizza quicker!

    Worth every cent.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_P3BQ6IYVSDGKXP3AAQ2LPNIYSY Anthony

    Ripoff

  • Brooklyn Native

    Over an hour wait, 5 usd a slice and various vermin…. No. Thank you. Ever. 
    I would rather just empty my wallet into the wind.
    DelMar is just fine for me.

  • TITANIUMDX
  • Anonymous

    I wish a pizzeria as good as DiFara would open up on Sheepshead Bay rd. DiFara gets costumes from all over the city and there’s always a line out the door and it I worth every penny. Dominick should clean up his act and come on over to the bay!

  • Anonymous

    * customers. Sorry. Spell check failure strikes again!

  • Tommym

    That place has been a sty for as long as I can remember.  It did get better about 5 years ago when they did some upgrading but it’s still a dump.  The napkins are never there, the garbage is overflowing, the tables are disgusting, running a wet rag over them would do wonders.  I can’t imagine what goes on in the back and in the freezer.  

    BUT the pizza is good.  It’s great.  Deserves the title and sadly the long lines, ol Dom making the pies with his own hands at his own pace and unsanitary conditions are what add to the appeal.  

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