Restaurant inspections in January: The cleanest and dirtiest kitchens in SLO County
Surprise visits from health inspectors from San Luis Obispo County Public Health department can lead to awards of excellence for a sparkling kitchen and well-trained staff, or suggestions for improvement.
Each month, The Tribune brings that information to our readers to empower you to make informed consumer choices.
We analyze the data produced from the inspector reports to create a list of cafes, diners, ice cream parlors and more that scored the highest and the lowest in the previous month.
In January, county employees inspected 205 food service facilities. One was shut down for health and safety code violations.
Lowest-rated restaurants
Golden Gong Restaurant, 1591 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach
Points lost: N/A
Notes: Restaurant was temporarily closed Jan. 7 for live vermin infestation. Several repeat violations observed. On re-inspection, facility had been cleaned and sanitized and pest control company paid. One dead cockroach observed in kitchen.
Chili Peppers, 2121 Broad St., San Luis Obispo
Points lost: N/A
Notes: Repeat violations. Two live roaches in kitchen at time of inspection. Massive accumulation of old equipment and clutter.
Villa Del Mar, 1100 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach
Points lost: 17
Notes: Several repeat violations. Observed open container of mayonnaise stored at room temperature. Vegetables and fruit appear to be rotten/inedible. Food debris and grease buildup on equipment.
El Mirador, 187 Pomeroy Ave., Suite A, Pismo Beach
Points lost: 17
Notes: Several repeat violations. Hand-washing sink obstructed. Paper towels not available. Low sanitizer level in rinse sink.
These restaurants also lost 10 or more points due to violations.
Luna Red, 1023 Chorro St., San Luis Obispo
David’s Kitchen, 9975 El Camino Real, Atascadero
AJ Spurs, 777 Oak Park Blvd., Grover Beach
Restaurant 4 Hermanos, 709 6th St., Paso Robles
- Round Table Pizza, 709 6th St., Paso Robles
- Buffalo Pub & Grill, 717 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
- Shell Beach Brew House, 1527 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach
- Cider Bar, 570 Higuera St., No. 101, San Luis Obispo
- The 4 Cats, 1531 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo
- Sushi Kokku, 581 Five Cities Drive, Pismo Beach
- Oasis Restaurant, 1351 Price St., Pismo Beach
Highest-rated restaurants
These restaurants received a score between 99 and 100 with few to no violations
San Luis Obispo:
- Thai-rrific, 208 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo (change of ownership)
- Budget Cafe, 3121 S. Higuera St., Suite J, San Luis Obispo
- Domino’s Pizza, 866 Foothill Blvd., San Luis Obispo
- Sidecar, 1040 Broad St., San Luis Obispo (change of ownership)
- Broad St. Giant Grinder Shop, 1901 Broad St., San Luis Obispo (change of ownership)
- Papa’s Thai Cafe, 1308 Monterey St., No. 120, San Luis Obispo (opening inspection)
- Finney’s Crafthouse, 857 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo (opening inspection)
- Avila Valley Barn Ice Cream, 560 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo
North Coast:
- Stax Wine Bar, 1099 Embarcadero, Morro Bay (change of ownership)
- Lolo’s of Morro Bay, 2848 Main St., Morro Bay
- Hungry Fisherman, 399 Beach St., Morro Bay (opening inspection)
- Central Coast Pizza, 1050 Los Osos Valley Road, Los Osos (opening inspection)
South County:
- Me & Z’s Restaurant, 1351 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
- In-N-Out Burger, 1170 W. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
- Five Foleys, 921 Griffin St., Unit R, Grover Beach
- Grub Shack, 704 Dolliver St., Pismo Beach (opening inspection)
- The Scoop Ice Cream Parlor, 607 Dolliver St., Pismo Beach (change of ownership)
North County
- El Compadre, 5735 El Camino Real, Suite O, Atascadero
- In-N-Out Burger, 6000 San Anselmo Road, Atascadero
- Tarek Zakaria DBA Pizza Express, 8220 El Camino Real, Atascadero (change of ownership)
- La Cosecha Bar & Restaurant, 835 12th St., Suite A, Paso Robles
- Oxford Suites, 800 Fourth St., Paso Robles
- Panda Express, 90 Niblick Road, Paso Robles
- Black Cat Bistro Too, 1218 Pine St., Paso Robles
- Chipotle Mexican Grill, 98 Niblick Road, Paso Robles
- Kiler Ridge, 1111 Kiler Canyon Road, Paso Robles
- Bethel Road Distillery and Winery, 1266 N. Bethel Road, Templeton
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
