Bambinos Ristorante Closed After Failed Health Inspection

Health inspectors forced the immediate closure of Bambinos Ristorante in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district after discovering serious food safety violations during a routine inspection on October 22, 2025. The popular Italian restaurant at 945 Cole Street was shut down due to contaminated food preparation areas and failure to properly warn customers about health risks from undercooked foods.

Critical Health Violations Discovered

During this inspection, SF Department of Public Health inspector Amy Johnson found that the restaurant's food prep sink in the storage area was not properly sanitized before being used for food preparation. This violation poses serious health risks as contaminated surfaces can lead to cross-contamination of fresh ingredients and prepared foods, potentially causing foodborne illnesses including salmonella, E. coli, and norovirus. The inspection revealed that staff were using the unsanitized sink to prepare food items that would be served directly to customers. Food preparation sinks must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before any food contact to prevent bacterial contamination that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness in diners. Inspector Johnson also cited the restaurant for failing to provide proper consumer advisory notices for raw or undercooked foods. This violation was noted twice during the inspection, indicating a pattern of non-compliance with food safety regulations designed to protect customers from foodborne pathogens commonly found in undercooked meats, eggs, and seafood.

Restaurant History and Background

Located near the N-Judah/Cole Valley transit area, Bambinos Ristorante serves traditional Italian cuisine to locals and visitors in one of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods. The restaurant has been a fixture in the community, but this marks their first recorded inspection since opening, with no previous health department records on file. The closure represents a significant disruption for the restaurant, which operates in a competitive dining market where health violations can severely impact customer trust and business reputation. The establishment received a total of two violations, both classified as minor, yet the combination of unsanitary food preparation practices and inadequate consumer warnings prompted inspectors to order an immediate closure.

Health Risks and Customer Impact

The violations discovered at Bambinos pose real health threats to anyone who may have dined there recently. Using unsanitized surfaces for food preparation can introduce harmful bacteria into foods, particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations including children, elderly diners, and those with compromised immune systems. The lack of proper consumer advisories means customers ordering undercooked items were not adequately warned about potential health risks. Raw or undercooked eggs, meat, and seafood can harbor dangerous pathogens that cause food poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Inspector Amy Johnson, who can be reached at amy.johnson@sfdph.org or (415) 252-3867, documented these violations during the routine inspection conducted between 11:30 PM and 12:30 AM. The restaurant was received by manager Kostas Eleftheriadis, who refused to sign the inspection report.

Closure Status and Next Steps

Bambinos Ristorante remains closed pending correction of all cited violations and approval from the health department for reopening. The restaurant must demonstrate that all food preparation surfaces have been properly cleaned and sanitized, and that staff have been retrained on proper consumer advisory procedures before they can resume serving customers. The closure serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining strict food safety standards in San Francisco's restaurant industry. Health department inspections protect the public from foodborne illnesses that send thousands of Americans to hospitals each year.