PITTSFIELD — Iztac Mexican Restaurant has been closed by the city’s Health Department after an inspection uncovered "live cockroach activity" in the restaurant’s main kitchen.

The closure has been in effect since March 13, according to a sign posted on the door of the restaurant, located at 156 North St. “Controlling pests” is listed as the reason for closure.

A sign from the Pittsfield Health Department is taped to the door of Iztac Mexican Restaurant on North Street, announcing its closure due to failures in “Controlling Pests” according to the notice, dated March 13.

An inspection report obtained by The Eagle through a public records request documented 19 food safety violations. The violations were observed during a routine inspection on March 13 conducted by Stephanie Layden, senior sanitarian for the city’s Health Department.

Many of the issues Layden observed were minor infractions, such as a hand-washing sink missing paper towels or wall tiles being in need of repair. One violation noted “live cockroach activity” in the restaurant’s main kitchen and underneath the three bay sink. Others noted “person in charge unable to show proper demonstration of food handling” and “equipment and establishment require routine cleaning.”

Reached by phone, owner Gabriel Columna directed questions to his lawyer, Loretta Mach. A person who answered the phone at Aaronson & Mach PC said Mach declined to comment, citing attorney-client privilege.

Andy Cambi, the city’s director of public health, told The Eagle that a hearing for the restaurant is scheduled to take place at the next Board of Health meeting on April 8.

“We want to get reassurance in how they plan to move forward and not have these issues,” he said.

If the restaurant owner can demonstrate at the hearing that steps have been taken to improve the restaurant’s conditions, Cambi said, the restaurant may be allowed to reopen. Cambi said it would also need to pass an additional inspection before operations can resume.

“We’ve had a history of issues with the owner of the restaurant for noncompliance with food safety violations,” he said.

“We aren't getting anywhere with correction orders or fines, so we had to move to this drastic step,” he added.

Cambi said that restaurants in Pittsfield have been closed for pest-related issues before, but not often; it is usually only a matter of retraining employees when it comes to safety and sanitation.

The restaurant, which operated under the name Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant until 2022, has faced prior city enforcement, including liquor-license suspensions and reduced serving hours after earlier incidents.

It recently faced a separate disciplinary action from the Pittsfield Licensing Board, which suspended its liquor license for two weeks on March 23 over allegations that staff served alcohol to underage patrons.