SF Restaurant Fails with Rodent Droppings and Dead Roach

San Francisco Towers on Pine Street in Nob Hill failed its routine health inspection on September 9, 2025, when inspectors discovered widespread evidence of rodent infestation and other serious health violations throughout the facility. The restaurant at 1661 Pine Street near Van Ness Muni was cited for five violations, including two critical infractions that pose immediate health risks to diners.

Health Violations Found

The most alarming discovery during this inspection was extensive evidence of vermin activity throughout the restaurant. Inspector Carlos Barragan found multiple rodent droppings in several critical areas, including on floors in the wine closet, beneath the clean side of the high-temperature dish machine, and across from the sandwich prep station. The presence of mouse droppings in food preparation and storage areas creates severe contamination risks, as mice produce up to 50 droppings daily containing dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and potentially deadly viruses including hantavirus. Adding to the vermin concerns, inspectors discovered a dead American cockroach on the light well in the warewash area, along with fruit flies swarming around the fresh fruit storage area. Cockroaches are known carriers of 33 different types of bacteria and six parasitic worms, making their presence in any food service establishment a serious public health threat. Food safety violations compounded the vermin problems. Inspectors observed uncovered washed greens stored beneath unwashed produce in the walk-in cooler, creating cross-contamination risks. Additionally, a container of greens was found stored directly beneath raw shell eggs, allowing potential Salmonella contamination from the eggs to drip onto ready-to-eat vegetables that customers would consume without further cooking.

Inspection Details

The routine inspection, conducted from 9:30 AM to 12:15 PM, revealed additional concerning practices. Dry wiping cloths were stored directly on food contact surfaces at the sandwich prep cooler, violating basic sanitation protocols. The facility also showed signs of poor maintenance, with inspectors noting a leak under the handwash station in the warewash area that could compromise proper hygiene practices. Perhaps most troubling was the restaurant's approach to pest control. Inspectors found that staff had been using expanding foam as vermin-proofing material, an ineffective method that provides only temporary barriers. Professional pest control requires proper building materials like wire mesh to effectively seal entry points and prevent future infestations. The inspection also revealed workplace policy violations, including an employee cup stored in a food cart within the food preparation area, demonstrating poor understanding of food safety protocols among staff.

Restaurant History

This marks the first recorded inspection for San Francisco Towers in the city database, making it impossible to determine whether these violations represent ongoing issues or new problems. The restaurant was not ordered to close despite the critical violations, though management must work with their pest control service provider and maintain service reports on site for future review. Located in the upscale Nob Hill neighborhood, the restaurant serves an area known for fine dining and high food safety expectations. The violations discovered during this inspection fall far short of standards diners would expect in this prestigious San Francisco district, particularly given the severity of the vermin infestation and food contamination risks identified by health officials.