The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has shut down the famous Grimaldi's pizzeria in Dumbo after several violations were found during a recent inspection.

A sign outside the restaurant says it's closed for vacation, and owner Frank Ciolli says he put up the sign because the shutdown is temporary and his workers are getting vacation time.

"The Health Department closed Grimaldi's at time of inspection because of violations that could not be corrected immediately," a DOH spokesperson said in a statement. "We are working with the restaurant to get these violations corrected and get it reopened."

Those violations were related to mice droppings, other conditions conducive to vermin and additional facility issues. Ciolli says inspectors found the droppings on floors of the building where no food is kept, although he was not using that as an excuse. 

"We should not have one mouse dropping in five stories," he says.

He says that problem was taken care of, but the restaurant remains closed due to a permit issue with the Health Department. He says he filed his paperwork on Tuesday and expects an inspector to come soon.

"I don't think we were dealt with fairly in the way it was handled," he says.

Some people who came from out of town to get a taste of Grimaldi's said they were disappointed to hear it's been closed.