8 Alachua County restaurants cited for high-priority violations

Staff reports
·9 min read

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Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you.

For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspections site.

Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County for the week of Feb. 26-March 3, 2024. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.

Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment.

For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspection site.

Which Alachua County restaurants got perfect scores on their health inspections?

These restaurants met all standards during their Feb. 26-March 3 inspections and no violations were found.

** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week

Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?

Amelias

235 S. Main St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Feb. 28

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

11 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. sauce overnight (60 F - Cooling) large plastic containers of sauce cooling overnight still at 60F at 4 p.m. the following day. See stop sale.

  • High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. noodles (47-51F - Cold Holding) sauce overnight (60 F - Cooling)

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. noodles (47-51F - Cold Holding) item next to large container of sauce that was cooling, unable to determine to when food item was out of temp. See stop sale. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Baymont Inn & Suites

6901 NW Fourth Blvd., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Feb. 27

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

9 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before initiating a task working with food. Employee handled chemical spray bottle and proceeded to handle food items in kitchen without washing hands.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Item on front counter buffet: waffle batter (61F - Cold Holding). Employee stated item placed on counter two hours prior to temperature being taken. Employee placed item in reach-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle of cleaner stored on prep counter across from kitchen reach-in cooler. Employee placed bottle on shelf where chemicals are stored. **Corrected On-Site**

Cava

1404 W. University Ave., Gainesville

Complaint Inspection on Feb. 27

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

6 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food held using time as a public health control marked with a time that exceeds the 4-hour limit. Observed: the cut leafy greens food pans at the beginning of the ordering line lack timestamps.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: chicken on the front line steam well, 128-132F.

  • High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed: yellow chemical spray stored over clean dishes at the 3 compartment sink. The spray was placed with cleaning supplies. **Corrected On-Site**

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins

8181 NW 38th Ln, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Feb. 27

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

8 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in reach-in cooler next to make line: chicken (49F - Cold Holding); turkey sausage (50F - Cold Holding); eggs (49F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items placed in cooler two hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager placed items in walk-in freezer to reduce temperature to 41F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in warmer on shelf above make line: sausage (111F - Hot Holding); turkey sausage (109F,112F - Hot Holding). Manager stated items placed in warmer twenty minutes prior to temperature being taken. Manager voluntarily discarded items. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Hose side of splitter in mop sink. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Hawthorne Cafe

6005 SE U.S. 301, Hawthorne

Routine Inspection on Feb. 28

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

11 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed five flies in dry storage area next to back door.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items in reach-in cooler next to three compartment sink: hamburger (44F - Cold Holding); sausage (44F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items were at proper temperature three hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager moved items around to get better air flow to reach items on lower shelves. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

Hilton Unvieristy Of Florida Conference Center Gainesville

1714 SW 34th St., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on March 1

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

13 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee handled dirty dishes and proceeded to handle clean dishes in ware was area without washing hands. Manager had employee wash hands and change gloves. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

  • High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Shell eggs stored over liquid eggs in walk-in cooler. Manager moved shell eggs to bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site**

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Items held on buffet line: melon (67F - Cold Holding); cantaloupe (69F - Cold Holding). Manager stated items placed on buffet three hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager stated going forward items would be held using time as a public health control. Inspector provided operator with time as a public health control paperwork. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

PDQ Restaurant, Gainesville Fl

3403 W. University Ave., Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Feb. 27

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

1 total violation, with 1 high-priority violation

  • High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: on the expo line, the cold make table: Cut tomato 45, 47; cut leafy greens 48, slice cheese 50F. Items stocked around 10:45. Ice bags being added by staff. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint** - From follow-up inspection 2024-02-27: Cut tomato from the walk-in cooler 44, Cut leafy greens 45 Slice cheese 49 All items are now on time as a public health control **Admin Complaint** **Corrected On-Site**

Totes Ice Cream

1714 SE Hawthorne Rd, Gainesville

Routine Inspection on Feb. 27

Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.

12 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations

  • High Priority - Quaternary ammonium sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual warewashing. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Three compartment sink, 0 ppm.

  • High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Item in warmer on front counter: egg (129F - Hot Holding). Manager stated item placed in warmer two hours prior to temperature being taken. Manager moved item to oven to reheat. **Corrective Action Taken**

  • High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. Hose side of splitter for mop sink. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**

What agency inspects restaurants in Florida?

Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments.

How do I report a dirty restaurant in Florida?

If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online.

Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database.

What does all that terminology in Florida restaurant inspections mean?

Basic violations are those considered against best practices.

A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report.

An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over."

An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public.

A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville area restaurant/food truck inspections: Feb. 26-March 3, 2024