Monty Q’s, the popular Montague Street pizzeria, was shut down by the Health Department on Monday for a second time in three years.
The department said it found evidence of mice and roaches, as well as improper storage of food — similar violations as the last time.
Health inspectors grade restaurants on a point scale based on cleanliness. Like golf, lower is better — zero-13 earns an eatery an A, 14-27 a B, and anything above 28 a C.
Monty Q’s received a 50, more than double its previous score from January.
Such high scores are certainly not common. Last year, only 15 percent of restaurants scored above 28, and only 6 percent had to be closed.
Most residents were surprised to read the closure notice when they approached the glass doors, which were blocked out with black garbage bags.
“I’m shocked,” said resident Jurgen Brojatsch. “I bring my 2-year-old daughter here, and now I see that the place cannot be trusted.”
But others were shocked because they never saw it coming.
“The food was good and it was always busy,” said John Willis, who works in the area.
Workers declined to talk to a reporter on the scene, but a man who answered the phone at the restaurant said the owner is working on fixing the violations and hopes to reopen soon.
