Diners metres from ‘giant rats’ on pub grill as Hotel Metropolitan vows deep clean and pest blitz

Patrons at Adelaide’s Hotel Metropolitan were dining just metres away as “giant rats” scrambled across a kitchen grill, with footage filmed by a neighbouring chef sparking hygiene concerns and a swift response from the venue’s owner.

Chef Andrew Antonna, who works at another restaurant, recorded rodents moving across a grill inside the Metropolitan’s kitchen on Tuesday before alerting publican Damien Peterson and sharing the vision with media. “They were just running on the grill, the fryers, on the plates … just having a good time,” Mr Antonna told 9News. The sight left diners worried their meals may have been contaminated by droppings.

Mr Peterson said the venue is tackling the infestation head-on and working to rebuild trust. The Metropolitan retains a five-star health food rating and, for now, the kitchen will remain open while mitigation continues. Instead, the team has introduced intensified cleaning protocols. “Since we have been aware of this problem, specifically every morning, we deep clean the kitchen just to make sure that if we have any visitors, there's no trace of them,” Peterson told 9News. He added that he continues to back the kitchen’s standards: “I eat food out of this kitchen every single day… and some of our customers were actually eating half an hour ago while I was telling them about the problem.” The publican said pest-control costs have approached $10,000 in 2025 alone.

Reaction online was swift and split, ranging from alarm to support: “Home cooking is the best. When you eat out you eat out everything, including rat droppings,” one said. “Big enough to put on leashes and walk out the door,” another wrote.

“Makes me glad I can't afford to eat out. No rodents in my kitchen,” a third said. “Well done to the owner for facing the matter. Good luck in the process of removing them,” a fourth person said.

Peterson noted the issue is not isolated to his venue, pointing to a broader uptick in rodent activity across Adelaide. The Adelaide City Council said it routinely inspects city restaurants to ensure hygiene standards are met, with enforcement actions taken as circumstances require. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Hotel Metropolitan and Adelaide City Council.

Jonathan Jackson, 20^th October 2025