Nine restaurants, including popular downtown Gainesville spot, cited for high priority violations
You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name.
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, Florida, for the week of Dec. 11-17, 2023. 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 Dec. 11-17 inspections and no violations were found.
Axin Sushi and Hibachi, 14218 W. Newberry Road, Newberry**
Harrys Of Gainesville, 110 SE First St., Gainesville
** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week
Which Alachua County restaurants were temporarily closed by inspectors?
These restaurants failed their Dec. 11-17 inspections and were temporarily closed. Follow-upinspections are required.
Ritters Of Gainesville Inc
6815 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 15
Facility Temporarily Closed: Operations ordered stopped until violations are corrected.
15 total violations, with 5 high-priority violations
High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Employee touching computer at front counter taking an order then came back to cooks line placed on gloves and started cooking.
High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. Employee placed raw beef on grill, touched clean utensils and grabbed hot dog from reach in cooler and package of buns, inspector had employee change gloves and wash hands before touching bread and other utensils. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw beef Pattie's over chili in small reach in cooler on cooks line.
High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed approximately 20 live roaches in front counter area near single service Togo silverware on the bottom shelf of prep table holding fudge warmer and milkshake mixing machine. **Warning**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle on shelf next to clean containers on cooks line. Spray bottle next to single service utensils at front counter. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Which Alachua County restaurants had high priority violations?
Bambi's Country Farm Market
18592 High Springs Main St., High Springs
Routine Inspection on Dec. 14
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 - Food with mold-like growth. See stop sale. Corn tortillas.
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. Expired 6/1/2023. **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Butane gasoline cans stored on shelf above single service items and dry storage food in kitchen, manager moved item away from food. **Corrected On-Site**
Domino's Pizza #5063
24950 W. Newberry Road, Newberry
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
4 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle containing degreaser stored on table beside paper plates and above salad dressing packets in kitchen near entrance. Manager removed spray bottle from table during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Liquid Ginger
101 SE Second Place, Suite 118, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
22 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Employee cutting bell peppers in prep area. Employee plating cooked chicken, he cut chicken with knife then picked up chicken with knife and bare hand then plated to be served. Spoke to manager about employees needing to use utensil or wear gloves. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. Paper towel lining containers of cut raw fish in sushi display coolers.
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken over raw salmon in reach in cooler across from Handwash sink on cooks line, manager moved salmon. **Corrected On-Site**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Tempura batter, egg wash, and cooked meat items on cooks line. Operator stated they are open 11:30-3 for lunch at that time they discard those items.
Los Avina
201 W. State Road 24, Archer
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
14 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Pan containing raw shrimp stored on shelf above guacamole inside reach-in cooler in corner of kitchen. Manager moved raw shrimp to the bottom shelf during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Five packages of fish thawed inside ROP packaging that does bear a label indicating that it must be removed from packaging before thawing. Manager stated the fish was thawed on Sunday, 12/10.
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Gallon jug of grill cleaner stored on shelf below grill beside clean plates. Manager removed grill cleaner from shelf during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site**
Subway
14248 W. Newberry Road, Newberry
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from ambient temperature to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within four hours. See stop sale. Inside reach-in cooler behind front counter below slicer: shredded cheddar (45F - Cooling overnight); mozzarella (45F - Cooling overnight); provolone cheese (44F - Cooling overnight). Manager stated they were opened/prepared the previous morning, then placed back into the cooler to ambient cool. Manager stated the cheeses have not been in-use or taken out of refrigeration today.
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food prepared from/mixed with ingredient(s) at ambient temperature not cooled to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 4 hours. Inside reach-in cooler behind front counter below slicer: shredded cheddar (45F - Cooling overnight); mozzarella (45F - Cooling overnight); provolone cheese (44F - Cooling overnight). Manager stated they were opened/prepared the previous morning, then placed back into the cooler to ambient cool. Manager stated the cheeses have not been in-use or taken out of refrigeration today. Stop sales issued.
The Midnight Underground
101 SE Second Place, Suite 100, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 15
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
8 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations
High Priority - Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. 6/1/2023. **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Deli meat in reach in cooler expired 12/14.
The Top Restaurant
30 N. Main St, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
18 total violations, with 5 high-priority violations
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Multiple bottles of advil on top of reach in freezer behind bar, manager moved items. **Corrected On-Site**
High Priority - Dishmachine not sanitizing properly. Sanitizing tube in detergent and the detergent tube inside sanitizer. Operator moved tubes to correct chemical bottles, primed both lines, reran dish machine and tested at 100ppm. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
High Priority - Raw animal food stored in same container as ready-to-eat food. Raw shell eggs in same container as tempeh. Manager moved eggs. **Corrected On-Site**
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cheese (48F - Cold Holding) in reach in cooler in prep area, all other items were 41F or below. Manager placed item in walk in cooler to rapidly chill. cream (57F - Cold Holding) sitting on shelf on cooks line, employee discarded item. **Corrective Action Taken**
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Chemical cleaning spray bottle on top of dessert display cooler. Manager moved bottle. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Wok N Roll
2106 SW 34 St., Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
8 total violations, with 1 high-priority violation
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. See stop sale. Observed: lack of a time mark for Chinese cabbage and cooked pasta, on the prep table by the cook line. Labels were made, adjusted and posted. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
Wooly (The)
20 N. Main St, Gainesville
Routine Inspection on Dec. 12
Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public.
5 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations
High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. 0ppm, unable to prime line during inspection. **Warning**
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food not consumed/sold within 7 days after opening/preparation. See stop sale. Pico dated 11/25.
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 and food truck inspections Dec. 11-17
