Aegean Delights Castro Gets Conditional Pass on Inspection

Aegean Delights, the Mediterranean restaurant located at 545 Castro Street in San Francisco's vibrant Castro district, received a conditional pass during its routine health inspection on November 21, 2025. The establishment can continue serving customers while addressing several minor violations that inspectors identified during the 50-minute examination. Health department officials found six violations during this inspection, with three classified as major and three as minor infractions. Crucially, none of the violations posed immediate health risks requiring closure, allowing the restaurant to maintain normal operations while implementing necessary corrections.

Inspection Details

The most significant violation involved cross-contamination concerns when inspectors observed a carton of eggs stored directly on top of a plastic container of salad greens. According to the operator, these items were designated for personal use only, but the practice still violated food separation protocols designed to prevent bacterial transmission. Inspectors also discovered an expired food handler card, requiring renewal within 30 days to maintain compliance with San Francisco health regulations. The restaurant operator must provide documentation of the renewed certification to health officials. Hand washing procedures came under scrutiny when an inspector observed the operator putting on gloves without first washing hands before handling candies. This violation was corrected on-site after the inspector provided immediate education about proper hand hygiene protocols.

Infrastructure and Storage Issues

The inspection revealed infrastructure challenges beyond the restaurant's immediate control. The restroom hand sink provided water at only 63 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the required 100-degree minimum temperature. The operator explained that the restroom facilities connect to the landlord's water heater system, making immediate adjustments impossible during the inspection timeframe. Health officials required the restaurant to contact the property owner for necessary repairs and submit photographic proof of compliance within 14 days to Katie.dea@sfdph.org. Storage violations included discovering a container of sesame seeds inappropriately stored in restroom shelving behind a curtain, which the operator immediately removed, identifying the items as old inventory destined for disposal. Additionally, inspectors found canned food items stored on the floor near the hand washing sink, violating proper food storage elevation requirements.

Operational Improvements Needed

Personal items were found commingled with commercial food preparation equipment, including an electric cooking pot, small ice machine, and personal food stored alongside retail facility equipment on prep sink drainboards and in preparation coolers. The health department requires clear separation between personal belongings and commercial food service equipment to maintain sanitary conditions. The Castro St Muni accessible location serves Mediterranean cuisine to neighborhood residents and visitors. Despite the conditional status, customers can continue dining at Aegean Delights while management addresses the identified concerns. This marks the restaurant's first recorded inspection in the city's database, providing no historical comparison for compliance patterns. The conditional pass allows continued operations while establishing baseline expectations for future health department evaluations. Restaurant management must implement corrective measures promptly to achieve full compliance during the next inspection cycle, demonstrating commitment to food safety standards expected in San Francisco's competitive restaurant landscape.