Trash-Touching Employee Handles Food at SF Restaurant

Contamination Crisis at Popular SF Eatery

Health inspectors witnessed a stomach-turning scene at AREPAS this week when an employee touched a trash can with their gloved hands, then contaminated the handle of the faucet while attempting to wash up, all while in the middle of food preparation. The shocking hygiene violation occurred during routine inspections that saw four San Francisco restaurants forced to close their doors and dozens more cited for serious health code violations.

The incident at Arepas highlights a disturbing pattern of hand hygiene failures discovered across the city's restaurant scene during the September 8-14 inspection period. After touching the trash receptacle, the worker was directed to wash their hands but immediately contaminated the faucet handle at the end of the handwashing process, potentially spreading bacteria and pathogens throughout the food preparation area. Inspectors had to provide on-site education and ensure proper handwashing procedures were followed before allowing operations to continue.

Making matters worse at the establishment, inspectors found multiple potentially hazardous foods in the prep cooler holding at dangerous temperatures between 49 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, including cut tomatoes, cheese slices, raw chicken, and raw beef. These items had been placed in the cooler less than four hours prior, creating ideal conditions for bacterial growth.

Restaurant Closures

Four establishments were ordered to immediately cease operations due to critical violations that posed immediate health risks to customers. Hollywood Cafe was shut down after inspectors discovered a cup of coffee and pan of water sitting in the basin of the hand wash sink at the cook line, preventing workers from properly washing their hands. The facility's glass door refrigerator was also holding at 49°F, well above safe temperatures, forcing staff to relocate cut fruit and orange juice to working refrigeration.

Darrens Cafe failed inspection when paper towels were missing from the kitchen line handwash sink, making proper hand hygiene impossible. Inspectors also discovered rodent droppings behind the prep table opposite the point of sale area. While the droppings appeared old, the presence of pest evidence combined with the hand hygiene failures necessitated immediate closure.

Good Good Culture Club faced closure after inspectors found the handwash sink at the bar/kitchen entrance blocked by a broom and dust pan. Adding to the violations, rodent droppings were discovered in the corners of the upstairs wine storage room, and mushrooms were growing beneath the condensing line at the walk-in cooler, indicating severe moisture and contamination issues.

Fort Point Beer Company was ordered closed when inspectors measured a garlic-in-oil mixture at 47 degrees Fahrenheit in an inadequate ice bath. The temperature abuse violation, combined with a lack of consumer advisory for raw or undercooked food items on the menu, created conditions that could lead to serious foodborne illness.

Most Serious Violations

Beyond the closures, inspectors documented alarming violations at establishments that remained open under conditional passes. Broadway Taco had multiple temperature control failures with beef at 118°F, chicken at 118°F, rice at 123°F, carnitas at 105°F, beans at 120°F, and nacho cheese at 104°F. These items had been sitting in the temperature danger zone for one to three hours. Mouse droppings were also found beneath the stairwell area.

Vietnam House was caught storing a bowl of lettuce inside the front handwash sink, preventing proper hand hygiene. Old mice droppings were discovered under the dry storage table in the rear of the facility, requiring immediate cleaning and sanitization with chlorine solution.

Toy Soldier had a container of soap and water stored inside the handwash sink in the main kitchen area. Inspectors also found cooked brussels sprouts stored in the top prep cooler at a dangerous 83 degrees Fahrenheit. The operator claimed the vegetables had been cooked just 20 minutes prior and cooled with ice, but the temperature reading indicated severe temperature abuse.

August Hall had the right side handwash sink in the first floor bar obstructed by a pitcher. Pizza was measured at 118°F and slider hamburgers at 120°F inside the kitchen's two-level warmer. These foods had been sitting for roughly 30 minutes and were scheduled to be served within the hour, creating prime conditions for bacterial growth.

Rodent Activity Widespread

The inspection period revealed a disturbing prevalence of rodent activity across multiple establishments. Bay Retail Vfsf had rodent droppings on the floor along the hot water heater in the back prep area and the small front bar area by the handwash sink. The accumulation of non-essential items stored in the back food prep area made proper cleaning and pest control nearly impossible.

POKEWORKS had mouse droppings observed on the floor in the office area, requiring immediate cleaning and sanitization of all affected areas. The facility also had a mop and mop bucket stored directly in front of the handwash sink, blocking access for proper hand hygiene.

Taqueria Zorro had its basement handwash sink obstructed at the time of inspection. The facility's three-door refrigerator opposite the upstairs three-basin sink was not operating, with raw shrimp at 51°F, chopped onions at 49°F, and peppers at 50°F. The basement walk-in cooler was holding at 45°F, well above safe temperatures.

Goodfellas Pizzeria & Grill Inc had a mason jar blocking the bar handwash sink. Their two-door refrigerator displaying 41°F was actually holding at 49°F, with recently delivered cheese at 47°F, feta at 44.9°F, and pesto at 46°F. Two containers of chicken verified to be 49.7°F were voluntarily discarded during the inspection.

Hand Hygiene Failures Endemic

The week's inspections revealed systemic failures in maintaining accessible handwashing facilities. POKEBOLA had kitchen equipment and paper bags stored inside the front handwash sink. Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown Soma - Market had a handwash sink in the prep area behind the front counter blocked by a cart at the start of inspection.

Seakor European Deli witnessed an employee not washing hands when switching from cutting meat to handling the register, using only hand sanitizer instead of proper handwashing. The facility's three-compartment sink hot water temperature measured only 113°F, below the required 120°F minimum.

Dumplings Mongolian Cuisine House lacked soap and towels at the handwash sink in the front counter area and lacked towels at the restroom handwash sink. A metal tray was obstructing the kitchen handwash sink, which staff use exclusively for washing hands.

The San Francisco Sports Grill had inoperable hot water handles at both the left handwash sink in the bar and the food preparation sink in the office room, making it impossible to provide hot running water under pressure. The facility also could not produce its current public health license certificate.

Conditional Passes Show Improvement Needed

Among the 43 establishments receiving conditional passes, several showed promise for quick remediation. Breakfast at Tiffanys addressed violations during the inspection and was allowed to continue operating. Delah Coffee similarly corrected issues on-site to avoid closure.

Zingari Ristorante and Moscone Elementary School both received conditional passes after addressing critical violations immediately. Palmetto Superfoods corrected temperature control issues during the inspection to remain operational.

Rich Table and TRATTO both received conditional passes after making immediate corrections to hand hygiene stations. J & M A-1 Cafe Restaurant LLC addressed multiple violations including temperature control and pest evidence to achieve conditional pass status.

Results by District

The Tenderloin district led the city with 47 total inspections, resulting in 20 conditional passes and 27 full passes. The high number of conditional passes in this dense restaurant district highlights ongoing challenges with maintaining health standards in high-volume establishments.

North Beach saw 13 inspections with 7 conditional passes and 6 full passes, showing more violations than clean bills of health. The historic neighborhood's older buildings may contribute to ongoing pest control and infrastructure challenges.

SOMA recorded 12 inspections with only 1 conditional pass and 11 full passes, showing relatively strong compliance despite the area's high restaurant density. The newer construction and modern kitchen facilities in many SOMA establishments may contribute to better health outcomes.

Chinatown's 7 inspections resulted in 5 conditional passes and only 2 full passes, indicating significant room for improvement. Language barriers and cultural differences in food handling practices may contribute to the high violation rate.

The Mission district had 6 inspections yielding 4 conditional passes and 2 full passes, suggesting widespread compliance issues that need addressing through education and enforcement.

Weekly Overview

The September 8-14 inspection period saw 119 total inspections across San Francisco, with concerning results that highlight systemic issues in the restaurant industry. The 4 closures represent immediate health hazards that required swift action to protect public safety. The 12 failed inspections indicate serious violations requiring significant corrective action before reopening.

The 43 conditional passes represent establishments with violations that could be corrected immediately or within a short timeframe. While these restaurants remained open, they require follow-up inspections to ensure continued compliance. The 64 establishments that passed inspection demonstrate that maintaining high health standards is achievable even in challenging urban environments.

One bright spot emerged with Local Diner successfully reopening after addressing previous violations that had forced its closure. The successful remediation shows that establishments can recover from serious violations with proper attention to health code requirements.

The prevalence of hand hygiene violations, from blocked sinks to missing supplies to improper procedures, indicates a need for renewed focus on this fundamental food safety practice. The multiple incidents of rodent activity across different neighborhoods suggest that pest control remains an ongoing challenge for San Francisco's restaurant industry.

Temperature control violations, from malfunctioning refrigeration to improper hot holding, create ideal conditions for bacterial growth that can sicken customers. The week's inspections reveal that many establishments lack proper equipment maintenance programs or staff training on temperature monitoring.

As San Francisco's restaurant scene continues to recover and grow, these inspection results serve as a critical reminder that food safety cannot be compromised. The violations discovered this week, from the shocking contamination incident at Arepas to the multiple closures for critical violations, demonstrate the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting public health.

Restaurant operators must prioritize proper hand hygiene facilities, maintain pest control programs, ensure temperature control equipment functions properly, and train staff on basic food safety procedures. The health department's enforcement actions this week send a clear message that violations endangering public health will not be tolerated.

Consumers can check the latest inspection results for any San Francisco restaurant through the health department's online database before dining out. The transparency of the inspection process helps ensure that establishments maintain high standards knowing that violations will become public record.

Staff Reporter at SF Restaurant Inspections