Cockroaches Swarm SF Indian Restaurant Kitchen

Health inspectors shut down Diwali Indian Cuisine after discovering a severe cockroach infestation with live roaches "in various life stages" crawling throughout the restaurant's downstairs food preparation and storage areas, marking one of the most disturbing violations in a week that saw 26 San Francisco restaurants forced to close their doors.

The inspection report detailed a stomach-churning scene at the Indian restaurant, with cockroaches found between wooden pillars, on conduit lines, doorframes, chest freezers, flooring, and walls. Inspectors documented cockroach feces smeared on walls, conduit boxes, and food-grade plastic seam strips. Making matters worse, "large numbers of filth flies" swarmed the downstairs prep area, restroom, and around the mop sink, while dead cockroaches littered the floor next to the air compressor and behind kitchen equipment.

Restaurant Closures Hit 26 This Week

The wave of closures during the week of November 3-9 affected establishments across the city, from high-end hotels to neighborhood favorites. Jw Marriott San Francisco Union Square failed its third-floor bar inspection, while Mandarin House SF was shut down after inspectors found rodent droppings on speed racks and shelves in food preparation areas, though no food contamination was detected.

House of Dim Sum Inc faced closure with violations so extensive that inspectors repeatedly noted "See inspection report for details" throughout their documentation. The facility's walk-in cooler was holding food at 44°F, above the required 41°F maximum, with the operator claiming the door had been left open after floor washing. Inspectors demanded a deep clean of the entire kitchen, noting equipment "caked in flour" and extensive accumulation under counters.

Mr. Pizza Man was shuttered for operating without valid Food Safety Manager certificates or food handler cards for staff. Tea Fm similarly lacked proper certifications for three staff members while also maintaining boba at dangerous temperatures of 125°F when 135°F is required for hot holding, and storing dairy products at room temperature reaching 77°F.

Most Serious Violations Expose Food Safety Crisis

Beyond the cockroach nightmare at Diwali, other establishments revealed equally troubling conditions. Gai Chicken Rice had rodent droppings discovered under the point-of-sale system, a dead mouse in a monitoring trap, and droppings scattered throughout the back storage area and near an abandoned prep cooler outside the kitchen.

Tung Sing Restaurant Inc accumulated such severe grease, food debris, and filth throughout floors and walls, particularly under the cook line, that inspectors cited the same violation multiple times in their report. Martha & Bros Coffee Co had holes throughout the facility that needed sealing, with inspectors specifically warning against using spray foam as an unapproved material.

Mission Shell served gravy from a hot-holding unit at 128°F, below the required 135°F minimum, while storing ready-to-eat Frazil mixer beneath raw chicken in an upright cooler, creating serious cross-contamination risks. The facility also operated two ventless cooking units without proper permits or review from building, fire, and health departments.

Big Bite Burger combined charred grease accumulation inside deep fryer cabinets with old rodent droppings found on flooring in the back storage closet area, suggesting ongoing pest and sanitation issues.

Conditional Passes Reveal Widespread Problems

Seventy-four restaurants received conditional passes, allowing them to remain open while addressing violations. Crown Market & Liquor, The Butcher Shop by Niku, Golden Ocean Quickly, and Hyde-OFarrell Market all received conditional status requiring immediate corrections.

Noriega Market and Poke Bar joined the conditional list alongside Scarlet Lounge and Kiss of Matcha, each facing various food safety infractions requiring prompt remediation. Padoca Cafe and Armo Market & Liquor Inc DBA Amro Market rounded out a partial list of establishments operating under conditional approval.

The conditional pass category indicates facilities with violations that don't warrant immediate closure but require swift correction to prevent escalation to more serious health hazards.

Results by District Show Troubling Patterns

The Inner Richmond district led with 19 total inspections, resulting in 13 conditional passes and only 6 clean passes, indicating systemic food safety issues in the neighborhood. SOMA followed closely with 18 inspections yielding 12 conditional passes and 6 passes.

The Tenderloin showed slightly better results with 13 total inspections split between 6 conditional passes and 7 full passes. The Inner Sunset recorded 10 inspections with 6 conditional and 4 passed, while Nob Hill's 7 inspections produced 6 conditional passes and just 1 clean pass, suggesting particularly poor compliance in that upscale neighborhood.

These district-level statistics reveal that conditional passes far outnumber clean inspections across most San Francisco neighborhoods, pointing to widespread struggles with maintaining basic food safety standards.

Reopenings Offer Limited Relief

Seven establishments successfully corrected violations and reopened during the week. Deli Shack and Causwells returned to service after addressing their issues. Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko cleared its violations and resumed operations.

Bangkok Street corrected problems to reopen, while Daeho Korean BBQ and Beef Soup satisfied inspectors after remediation. Two facilities managed to reopen within the same week they were closed, demonstrating rapid response to critical violations.

Weekly Overview Reveals Enforcement Surge

The 141 total inspections conducted between November 3-9 resulted in an 18% closure rate, significantly higher than typical weekly averages. The 25 failed inspections and 74 conditional passes mean that 70% of inspected establishments had violations serious enough to require official documentation and follow-up.

Only 42 restaurants, representing less than 30% of inspections, passed without violations. This stark statistic underscores the ongoing challenges facing San Francisco's restaurant industry in maintaining consistent food safety standards.

The high number of closures for missing Food Safety Manager certificates and food handler cards points to a fundamental breakdown in regulatory compliance. Multiple establishments operating without these basic credentials suggests either ignorance of requirements or willful disregard for regulations designed to protect public health.

Temperature violations appeared repeatedly throughout inspection reports, with facilities failing to maintain proper hot holding temperatures above 135°F or cold holding below 41°F. These temperature danger zones allow rapid bacterial growth that can cause serious foodborne illness.

Pest infestations, whether cockroaches at Diwali Indian Cuisine or rodents at multiple other locations, indicate failures in basic sanitation and structural maintenance. The presence of pest droppings near food preparation areas poses immediate contamination risks, while live pests can spread disease throughout facilities.

The pattern of grease accumulation, food debris, and general filth cited at numerous establishments reveals chronic neglect of cleaning protocols. These conditions not only attract pests but create slip hazards for workers and potential fire risks from grease-laden equipment and ventilation systems.

As San Francisco's restaurant industry continues recovering from pandemic impacts, these inspection results highlight the critical importance of maintaining food safety standards regardless of economic pressures. The health department's aggressive enforcement, while disruptive to business operations, serves as a necessary protection for public health in a city known for its vibrant dining scene.

Restaurant operators must recognize that proper training, certification, and daily attention to sanitation and temperature controls represent non-negotiable requirements for serving the public. The alternative, as this week's closures demonstrate, risks not only immediate business disruption but lasting damage to reputation in an industry where consumer trust remains paramount.

Author: Staff Reporter at SF Restaurant Inspections