Nopa Fish Gets Conditional Pass on Ferry Building Reinspection

Nopa Fish, located at 1 Ferry Building Suite 31 in San Francisco's Financial District, received a conditional pass during a reinspection conducted on October 24, 2025. The follow-up inspection, performed by Inspector John Wells between 1:15 PM and 1:45 PM, found the restaurant had addressed most previous violations while identifying one remaining minor sanitizer issue.

Inspection Results

During this inspection, Inspector Wells documented significant improvements from the restaurant's previous inspection. The establishment successfully corrected multiple violations including proper temperature control for potentially hazardous foods, elimination of fruit flies, ensuring all cooking staff wore appropriate headwear, and removing personal items from food storage areas. However, one minor violation regarding food contact surfaces and sanitization remained uncorrected. The inspector measured multiple towel buckets at 0 ppm of quaternary ammonium sanitizer, when health code requires 200 ppm concentration. Two of the three buckets were immediately replenished during the inspection, demonstrating the restaurant's commitment to compliance. The inspector also found the sanitize compartment at the three-compartment sink lacking proper sanitizer concentration. While no utensils were being actively washed at the time, the establishment was instructed to maintain 200 ppm of quaternary ammonium sanitizer when manually washing utensils.

Previous Violations Addressed

The reinspection revealed substantial progress since the restaurant's previous inspection on October 16. Nopa Fish successfully addressed temperature control issues by removing potentially hazardous foods from an open-face display cooler in the customer area. All foods on the ice display now maintain the required 41°F temperature. The restaurant eliminated a fruit fly problem that had been identified during the previous visit. Additionally, the wall-mounted sanitizer unit now properly dispenses sanitizer at the required 200 ppm concentration, and staff compliance improved with all cooks wearing required headwear.

Operational Impact

The conditional pass allows Nopa Fish to continue normal operations while addressing the remaining minor sanitizer issue. The restaurant, conveniently located near Embarcadero BART station, serves customers in the bustling Ferry Building marketplace without interruption to service. Inspector Wells noted that the remaining violation regarding one towel bucket measuring 0 ppm sanitizer will be checked during the next routine inspection. This approach allows the establishment to maintain operations while ensuring full compliance with California Retail Food Code sections 114099, 114099.6, and 114117.

Food Safety Context

Proper sanitizer concentration is crucial for preventing cross-contamination and ensuring food safety. According to health department guidelines, dirty cutting boards and utensils cause 76% of cross-contamination incidents. Maintaining proper sanitizer levels in towel buckets and wash compartments helps prevent biofilm formation that can protect harmful bacteria from cleaning processes. The inspection demonstrates the collaborative approach between San Francisco's health department and local restaurants to maintain food safety standards. By allowing conditional passes for minor violations that can be quickly corrected, the system supports businesses while protecting public health. Nopa Fish's management, represented by Sean Eastwood who received the inspection report, can contact Inspector Wells at (415) 252-3801 or john.wells@sfdph.org for guidance on maintaining proper sanitizer concentrations before the next routine inspection.