Rodent Droppings Found Next to Dough Mixer at SF Bakery

Health inspectors discovered rat droppings on the floor adjacent to a dough mixer and behind an oven at Boss Bakery during routine inspections last week, marking one of the most disturbing violations found as San Francisco restaurants struggled with pest control and sanitation issues that forced four establishments to close their doors.

The rodent contamination at the bakery, where bread products are prepared daily for customers, represents a serious food safety risk that could have exposed countless patrons to potential illness. Inspectors required immediate cleaning and sanitization of all affected surfaces, though the bakery was allowed to remain open with a conditional pass after addressing the violations on site.

Restaurant Closures

Four San Francisco restaurants were ordered to close during the week of September 15-21 due to critical health violations. Cafe Fiore was shut down after inspectors found food containers and punches inside handwashing sinks at both the front counter and kitchen areas, along with numerous fruit flies swarming the bar area. The restaurant also lacked required tags for live clams and mussels and failed to provide consumer advisory notices for raw fish on their menu.

Bowld Acai faced closure after inspectors discovered old rodent droppings on shelves in the dry storage room upstairs and on the floor underneath the three-compartment sink. The facility also lacked paper towels at the hand sink and offered raw tuna without proper consumer advisory warnings.

Golden Gate Bakery Inc was ordered closed when inspectors found the facility "extremely full of personal effects," including papers, cardboard boxes, and bags of paperwork that needed to be relocated from food preparation areas. Pancho Villa Taqueria also received a closure order, though specific violation details were not recorded in the inspection report.

Most Serious Violations

Beyond the rat droppings at Boss Bakery, inspectors uncovered alarming sanitation failures across multiple establishments. Vietnam House was found storing a bowl of lettuce inside the front hand wash sink, preventing proper hand washing procedures. Inspectors also discovered old mice droppings under a dry storage table in the rear of the facility.

SARU had a particularly concerning violation when an inspector observed an employee touch a trash can and then immediately reach for a knife to continue cutting cucumber without washing their hands. The inspector had to intervene to stop the food preparation and instruct proper hand washing procedures.

Cal-mart Super showed evidence of ongoing rodent activity with mice droppings found along floors throughout the facility. The deli hand wash sink was also blocked, preventing employees from maintaining proper hygiene. Cumaica Coffee had rodent droppings inside the cabinet beneath the front of house hand wash station and on floors beneath the back dry storage area, requiring immediate pest control intervention.

Temperature control violations posed additional risks at several locations. Le Marais Bakery Castro failed their inspection when a prep cooler across from the crepe maker maintained an ambient temperature of 57°F, causing multiple potentially hazardous foods to reach dangerous temperatures. Raw salmon reached 65°F, while tuna spread measured 61°F and shredded chicken hit 59°F after being stored for more than four hours.

Conditional Passes

Thirty-seven restaurants received conditional passes, allowing them to remain open while addressing violations. The Epicurean Trader was found operating without hand soap in the kitchen hand washing sink, with the operator stating the facility had simply run out. A towel was also found inside the hand washing basin, obstructing its use.

Palou Market Inc received a conditional pass after inspectors identified multiple issues requiring immediate attention. Delah Coffee and Outta Sight also passed conditionally, though they must address cited violations to maintain operations.

North Beach Restaurant joined the list of conditional passes, as did Fairmount Elementary School, raising concerns about food safety in school cafeterias. Zenpo Sushi, which serves raw fish, received conditional approval despite violations that needed correction.

Hand washing violations emerged as a recurring theme throughout inspections. Papa Noodle had a clogged hand wash sink due to food debris, with inspectors emphasizing that hand wash sinks must be used for hand washing only. The facility also had cooked noodles on racks measuring 60°F without proper time labels for discard.

Mp Seafood operated without hand soap and inspectors observed no hand washing during the entire routine inspection. The hand sink at the fish prep area had its water shut off, and the soap dispenser was filled with hand sanitizer instead of soap.

Results by District

The Tenderloin district led the city with 40 total inspections, resulting in 13 conditional passes and 27 establishments passing without conditions. The high number of conditional passes in this densely populated neighborhood raises questions about ongoing challenges with facility maintenance and food safety compliance.

North Beach saw 11 inspections with 3 conditional passes and 8 clean passes. Despite being home to many long-established restaurants, the district still struggled with basic sanitation requirements.

Chinatown's 7 inspections yielded only 1 conditional pass with 6 establishments passing cleanly, showing relatively strong compliance despite the high volume of food service in the area.

SOMA recorded 7 inspections with 3 conditional passes and 4 standard passes, reflecting ongoing challenges in this rapidly developing neighborhood with many new food establishments.

The Outer Richmond stood out positively with all 7 inspected establishments passing without conditions, demonstrating that consistent compliance with health codes is achievable.

Pattern of Violations

Hand washing facilities emerged as the most common violation category, with numerous establishments failing to maintain proper soap, paper towels, or keeping sinks accessible. Flywheel Coffee Roasters was observed filling a sanitizer bucket inside the hand washing sink, requiring immediate correction and education about proper sink usage.

Peacock Pansy Restaurant stored a bowl inside the front hand wash sink next to the cook's line, while Boichik Bagels LLC had placed the hand soap dispenser inside the sink basin itself. The Lucky Spot Vieni Vieni was caught with a sanitizer bucket in the basement hand wash sink.

Temperature control failures represented another significant trend. Hyatt Centric Fishermans Wharf San Francisco had a three-door under-counter fridge in the bar holding at 55°F, requiring immediate disposal of cream, grapefruit juice, and whipped cream. California Grocery had a glass display refrigerator on the service counter holding at 55°F with food that had been there since the previous night.

Pest activity, particularly rodent infestations, appeared at multiple locations beyond Boss Bakery. The presence of droppings near food preparation areas and storage zones indicates systemic issues with building maintenance and pest control programs across numerous establishments.

Weekly Overview

The week of September 15-21 saw 121 total inspections conducted across San Francisco, resulting in a concerning number of failures and conditional passes. With 4 closures, 7 outright failures, and 37 conditional passes, nearly 40% of inspected establishments had violations serious enough to require immediate intervention or ongoing monitoring.

The 77 establishments that passed without conditions represent just 64% of total inspections, suggesting that more than one-third of San Francisco's food service establishments struggle to maintain basic health and safety standards.

No restaurants reopened during this period after previous closures, indicating that establishments shut down in prior weeks continue working to address violations before being cleared to resume operations.

The prevalence of hand washing violations is particularly troubling given that proper hand hygiene represents the most basic and effective method of preventing foodborne illness transmission. When combined with temperature control failures that allow bacteria to multiply rapidly and pest infestations that can spread disease, these violations paint a concerning picture of food safety in the city.

Health officials emphasize that conditional passes require immediate action to address violations, with follow-up inspections to ensure compliance. Establishments that fail to correct violations risk escalating enforcement action, including closure orders and permit suspension.

The concentration of violations in certain neighborhoods suggests that targeted education and enforcement efforts may be needed to improve compliance rates. Property maintenance issues, particularly related to pest exclusion and plumbing functionality, require coordination between health inspectors, property owners, and restaurant operators.

As San Francisco's restaurant industry continues to recover from pandemic-related challenges, maintaining food safety standards remains critical for public health protection. The discovery of rat droppings next to dough mixing equipment at Boss Bakery serves as a stark reminder that even established businesses can develop serious sanitation failures without constant vigilance and proper maintenance protocols.

Consumers can check recent inspection scores and violation details for any San Francisco food establishment through the Department of Public Health's online database, allowing informed decisions about where to dine. Establishments displaying "Pass" placards may still have had minor violations corrected during inspection, while those with "Conditional Pass" placards continue operating under closer scrutiny until violations are fully resolved.

Author: Staff Reporter at SF Restaurant Inspections