Le Marais Bakery Castro Gets Conditional Pass After Fixes

Le Marais Bakery Castro in San Francisco's Tenderloin district received a conditional pass during their September 25, 2025 health reinspection after quickly addressing minor violations that allowed the bakery to remain open while making final corrections. Inspector Katherine Tuazon found three violations during this inspection, including one critical violation involving rodent droppings near the ice machine and underneath metro rack shelving in the kitchen. The bakery staff immediately cleaned and sanitized the affected areas during the inspection, demonstrating their commitment to food safety standards.

Minor Violations Requiring Attention

The inspection revealed issues that, while requiring correction, did not pose immediate risks warranting closure. The most serious violation involved rodent droppings discovered near food preparation and ice storage areas. The inspector noted "COS - affected area cleaned and sanitized" in the report, indicating the problem was corrected on the spot during the inspection. Additionally, inspectors found wiping cloths without measurable sanitizer levels being used on kitchen and prep area surfaces. This violation appeared twice in the inspection report, suggesting the issue was present in multiple areas of the facility. Proper sanitization of cleaning cloths is essential for preventing cross-contamination between food preparation surfaces. A third minor violation involved a leak in the warewash faucet that requires repair. The inspector requested verification of service be provided to Katherine.tuazon@sfdph.org, indicating this plumbing issue needs professional attention but does not affect the bakery's ability to operate safely.

Improvement from Previous Inspection

This conditional pass represents significant improvement from the bakery's previous inspection on September 16, 2025, when the facility failed its routine health inspection. The earlier inspection revealed more serious violations including inadequate hand washing facilities, improper hot and cold holding temperatures, and similar pest-related issues. The fact that Le Marais Bakery Castro was able to address most of their previous violations and receive a conditional pass on their reinspection demonstrates their commitment to meeting San Francisco's health standards. The facility has been working diligently to correct the issues identified during their failed inspection just nine days earlier.

Continued Operations with Corrections

Despite the conditional status, Le Marais Bakery Castro can continue serving customers while addressing the remaining minor issues. The conditional pass allows the bakery to maintain normal operations, providing fresh baked goods to residents and workers in the Tenderloin area near Powell St BART station. The bakery must provide a pest control report to the inspector and complete the warewash faucet repair to achieve full compliance. These corrections are standard maintenance issues that responsible food establishments routinely address as part of ongoing operations. The inspector's report noted no insects, rodents, birds, or non-service animals were observed during the inspection beyond the evidence of previous rodent activity that was immediately addressed. This suggests the pest control measures implemented since the previous failed inspection are showing effectiveness. Le Marais Bakery Castro's ability to quickly correct violations during the inspection and maintain operations while addressing minor issues reflects positively on their staff training and commitment to food safety in the Tenderloin community.