Cafe Fiore Closed After Food Stored in Hand Sinks, Fruit Flies

Cafe Fiore in San Francisco's Tenderloin district was forced to close its doors after a routine health inspection revealed shocking sanitary violations that put customers at serious risk of foodborne illness. The cafe failed this inspection on September 18, 2025, and remains closed with no reopening date announced. The most alarming violation discovered by inspector Sojeatta Khim involved the complete compromise of the restaurant's hand washing facilities. Food containers and punches were found stored directly inside hand washing sinks at both the front counter and inside the kitchen, making it impossible for employees to properly wash their hands. This major violation alone poses severe contamination risks, as studies show only 31% of workers wash hands properly when supplies are inadequate, leading to widespread transmission of norovirus and other pathogens.

Health Violations Found

The inspection revealed a cascade of serious food safety violations beyond the blocked handwashing sinks. Health inspectors observed numerous fruit flies swarming the front bar areas, indicating poor sanitation and potential contamination of beverages and food items. These flying insects can carry over 100 different disease-causing organisms on their bodies and feet. Cross-contamination violations were discovered throughout the kitchen, with stainless steel food containers stored directly on top of raw meat that appeared to be fish, allowing the containers to touch the meat flesh. Even more concerning, noodles were observed stored commingled with raw fish inside the freezer, creating a dangerous situation where ready-to-eat foods could become contaminated with harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Campylobacter. The cafe was also cited for serving raw fish without proper consumer advisory notices on the menu, violating requirements that warn customers about the risks of consuming undercooked or raw seafood. Additionally, inspectors found no identification tags for live clams and mussels, which are required to track shellfish sources in case of illness outbreaks.

Equipment and Sanitation Issues

The inspection revealed widespread equipment problems that compromised food safety. The stove top, oven, and prep tables were found soiled with accumulated debris. Critical temperature monitoring equipment was missing, with no thermometers observed inside reach-in refrigerators, making it impossible to ensure foods were stored at safe temperatures. Sanitation practices were also severely deficient. The inspector observed an operator using a dry, soiled, unsanitary towel with no sanitizer solution bucket available until directed to set one up during the inspection. The facility's drainage system also posed contamination risks, lacking the required one-foot air gap for the coffee drain line to prevent backflow.

Previous Inspection History

The closure represents an escalation of ongoing problems at the establishment. A follow-up reinspection on October 2, 2025, found that many issues persisted, including a mechanical dishwasher still not dispensing sanitizer and expired food safety certificates for management and staff. Located near the Powell St BART station, Cafe Fiore's closure removes a dining option from an area already struggling with food service quality issues. The restaurant's permit had also expired, adding regulatory violations to the extensive list of health code breaches. The combination of blocked hand washing facilities, cross-contamination, pest infestation, and equipment failures created conditions that could have exposed customers to serious foodborne illnesses. The health department's decision to order immediate closure reflects the severity of these violations and the immediate threat they posed to public health.