Cafe Zoetrope Reopens After Discarding 6 Gallons of Food

Cafe Zoetrope, the beloved North Beach cafe located at 916 Kearny Street, has successfully reopened after passing a critical reinspection that required the establishment to discard approximately 6 gallons of potentially contaminated food. The cafe, situated near the Powell-Mason Cable Car line, demonstrated its commitment to food safety by voluntarily destroying all compromised items and implementing corrective measures to prevent future violations. During this inspection on August 27, 2025, health inspectors discovered a malfunctioning refrigerator that had been holding food at a dangerous 52°F for more than four hours. The temperature violations affected critical food items including clams, meatballs, and sauce stored in a one-door prep top refrigerator located next to the pasta boiler. The establishment immediately cooperated with inspectors by voluntarily discarding all affected products, totaling approximately 6 gallons of food that could have posed serious health risks to customers.

Critical Violations Corrected

The inspection revealed multiple food safety concerns that were promptly addressed. Beyond the temperature control issues, inspectors found raw shell eggs improperly stored above ready-to-eat food items, creating a potential cross-contamination hazard. The facility also had compliance issues with shell stock tags for their clams, which were stored without proper identification tags required by health regulations. All violations were corrected on-site during the inspection, with the restaurant staff demonstrating immediate responsiveness to health department requirements. The facility received a conditional pass with the restriction that the malfunctioning refrigerator cannot be used until it can maintain proper temperatures below 41°F and receives approval from a district inspector.

Health Implications and Safety Measures

Temperature abuse is responsible for 63% of foodborne illness outbreaks, making the swift action taken by Cafe Zoetrope particularly important for public safety. Clostridium perfringens, a dangerous bacteria, multiplies rapidly in the temperature range where the food was being held. Additionally, Listeria can grow even at proper refrigeration temperatures, making the extended exposure at 52°F especially concerning for vulnerable populations including elderly customers and pregnant women. The improper storage of raw shell eggs above ready-to-eat food could have led to salmonella contamination, while the untagged clams violated shellfish safety protocols designed to track potential contamination sources. These violations, while serious, were all corrected immediately during the inspection process.

Restaurant History and Reopening

Cafe Zoetrope's inspection history shows this was an isolated incident for the establishment, which has maintained generally good standing with health inspectors. The restaurant, operated by Rosso and Bianco LLC, successfully passed a follow-up reinspection on September 11, 2025, confirming that all corrective measures had been properly implemented. The North Beach dining scene benefits from having establishments that take food safety seriously, and Cafe Zoetrope's proactive response to these violations demonstrates their commitment to customer safety. The restaurant's location near popular tourist attractions makes food safety compliance particularly important for maintaining the neighborhood's reputation as a dining destination. Customers can now return to Cafe Zoetrope with confidence, knowing that the establishment has addressed all health concerns and passed subsequent inspections. The restaurant's willingness to voluntarily discard compromised food and work cooperatively with health inspectors reflects professional food service standards that protect public health.