Central Florida’s Restaurant Inspections Reveal Concerns

News Summary

Recent restaurant inspections across Central Florida have raised alarms, with only a fraction achieving zero violations. Brevard County leads in cleanliness, but many eateries are struggling, with some facing multiple violations and even emergency closures. The inspection results highlight cleanliness and public safety concerns in the region’s dining industry.

Central Florida’s Restaurant Inspections Show Troubling Trends

As March rolled in and out, several cities across Central Florida saw a flurry of restaurant inspections that left many food-lovers raising their eyebrows. A whopping 2,058 inspections were conducted, and the results are telling. Only 227 restaurants managed to come out completely unscathed with zero violations!

Brevard County leads the pack with a commendable 20.2% of restaurants receiving the coveted zero violation rating. In the race for cleanliness, Brevard County was followed by Orange County with 12%, Seminole at 8.8%, and Lake with 8.1%. On the downside, Osceola County reported only 6%, and Volusia County lagged even further at 5.5%.

Where Cleanliness Reigned Supreme

Orange County, despite its lower percentage, boasted the highest absolute number of restaurants without any violations, adding up to 111 establishments. Brevard County came in second with 58 restaurants achieving the same feat. Seminole and Volusia were tied for third place, with 18 restaurants in each county passing inspections without issues.

• Some standout restaurants that proudly received a thumbs-up include:
  • ACT Catering LLC, Cocoa
  • Ake’s Thai Food, Titusville
  • Beachfly Brewing Company, Rockledge
  • Cajun Soul Bistro, Melbourne
  • Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar, Cape Canaveral

Major Violations Causing Concern

But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for every eatery. Several spots faced some serious violations that triggered follow-up inspections. For instance, at 920 N. Courtenay Pkwy. in Merritt Island, there were four violations, including one high-priority issue. Similarly, both 1099 N. Wickham Road and 337 Washington Ave. in Melbourne and Titusville respectively each had a total of five violations with one being high-priority. Turning heads even further, another restaurant at 6100 N. Courtenay Pkwy. faced a staggering 15 violations, two of which were high-priority.

Restaurants Facing Emergency Closures

In a rather serious turn of events, four restaurants and a food truck in Central Florida were slapped with emergency closures during the week of March 16-22. One of the shocking closures was for Mr. Quick Restaurant in Orlando, which had 15 violations, including staff walking through sewage water. Just imagine that!

The Hot Reggae Dogs 2 food truck also stayed shut due to a list of seven violations found during inspection. Como En Casa Restaurant in Oviedo racked up a substantial 34 violations, inevitably leading to its closure.

Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar had its share of woes as well; flying insects and a mysterious mold-like substance were discovered in an ice machine, resulting in a temporary closure, though it met compliance in a follow-up inspection.

Johnny Rockets in Daytona Beach wasn’t spared either, cited for rodent activity deemed as a high-priority violation; however, the establishment managed to meet standard requirements on a follow-up inspection.

Where Complaints and Warnings Peak

Orange County took the lead concerning complaints and warnings, recording 36 complaints, while Volusia County logged 21 and Brevard had just 9. With restaurant owners not required to publicly display their inspection results, the transparency of such inspections raises important questions about public safety.

Hope for the Future

Local food enthusiasts can take a sigh of relief knowing that Brevard County provides an accessible restaurant inspection database aimed at ensuring transparency and safety for all diners. After all, a clean plate is a happy plate!

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

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Central Florida Restaurants Face Health Violations and Closures
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Additional Resources

• Orlando Sentinel: Clean Bills of Health
• MSN: Inspections Lead to Restaurant Shutdowns
• Florida Today: Restaurant and Food Truck Inspections
• Gainesville.com: Restaurant Inspections
• Fox 35 Orlando: Central Florida Restaurant Inspection