Divino Closes, Re-Opens Following Cockroach Infestation

The restaurant in Bethesda was temporarily closed last month after Montgomery County health inspectors discovered a “severe cockroach infestation,” WUSA9 reported.

The popular Wisconsin Avenue Argentinean eatery was closed May 29 after inspectors discovered cockroaches, and re-opened May 30, confirmed Mary Anderson, a spokeswoman for the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Department.

HHS routinely inspects county restaurants, Anderson said. “If they make a closure for any particular reason – they’re operating without hot water, or a rodent or insect infestation – they would give the restaurant the notice, and then the restaurant either has to get an exterminator or exterminate and clean up whatever issue may have contributed to the infestation in the first place,” Anderson said.

An inspector would then return to the restaurant to ensure the problem has been fixed before it’s re-opened, Anderson said. “After something like this, [the inspectors are] going to come by immediately after to make sure corrective action has been taken. The inspector said she was going to stop by again this week to double check,” Anderson said.

A copy of the inspection report wasn’t immediately available.

It’s rare for HHS inspectors to shut down a restaurant, Anderson said – it usually happens once or twice a month across the county. When restaurants are closed after an inspection, it’s usually temporary, she said.

“We’re not in the business of trying to prevent a business from their livelihood,” Anderson said. “We’re going to work with the restaurant to make sure they correct the problem and the problems are corrected quickly.”

A call to Divino for comment wasn’t returned.