Cockroaches ‘in multiple stages of life’ briefly shut down SLO County restaurant
One restaurant had cockroaches “in numerous critical areas” while another was ordered to stop boiling potatoes on a makeshift setup in an outdoor shed.
Those were some of the notable conditions San Luis Obispo County health inspectors found in May 2026 during dozens of surprise visits to eating and drinking establishments.
Many food and beverage sellers passed with flying colors, while others needed to make serious improvements.
Every month, The Tribune prints the lowest- and highest-ranked eateries to give diners more information about the places where they buy food and drinks.
Inspectors visit restaurants, bars, coffee shops, grocery stores, mini-marts and more on a monthly basis. They score eateries on a 0-point scale and make deductions based on the severity of the violations they find. Negative scores represent businesses with violations, while a restaurant with a score of 0 received a perfect score.
This is a change from the agency’s previous scoring system, which ranked eateries on a 100-point scale.
To check out the safety and cleanliness of your favorite restaurants around the county, visit EatSafeSLO.org and use the interactive map to view full inspection reports.
Here are the highs and lows of the 188 inspections Environmental Health employees conducted in May 2026.
Lowest-rated restaurants
Mediterranean Spice, 1401 Park St. #105, Paso Robles
Points lost: 76
Notes: Mediterranean Spice in Paso Robles was briefly shut down in May due to a cockroach infestation. An inspector first noticed live adult cockroaches during a routine inspection on May 7, noting that the facility did have professional pest management, though it was unclear the last time they were out at the location. Then during a follow-up inspection on May 19, an inspector “observed cockroaches in multiple stages of life in numerous critical areas” including the prep station at the hot line, pizza prep cooler and mop station, the report said. At that time, the restaurant’s permit was temporarily suspended while it was ordered to deal with the issue by removing all sources of food and water, sealing all cracks and crevices and contracting a licensed pest control company. During the same checkup, the health inspector also noted an employee not washing his hands after handling a delivery of fresh onions, meat cones incorrectly being “held at ambient temperature” and “excess food debris” on nonfood contact surfaces throughout the facility. The restaurant was allowed to reopen after a June 10 reinspection found the cockroaches had been eradicated.
Mirazur Restaurant, 1365 2nd St., Los Osos
Points lost: 65
Notes: An inspector found a number of violations during the routine inspection of Mirazur in Los Osos in May, largely centered around incorrect thawing procedures and temperatures. According to the inspection report, the person in charge was not able to demonstrate knowledge of the maximum cold holding temperature (41 degrees) and several hazardous foods like seared ahi and chimichurri sauce were being kept at too-warm temperatures. Packages of salmon were also improperly thawing on a prep table and packages of frozen chicken were defrosting without running water on the drain board of the prep sink, the report said. Other violations included mold on the wall of the walk-in beer cooler, several broken appliances or inoperable appliances and an employee washing their gloves rather than replacing them when changing tasks.
Morro Grill, 1215 Embarcadero Suite E, Morro Bay
Points lost: 44
Notes: Morro Grill in Morro Bay lost points during its routine May inspection for minor violations, though several were repeat issues. According to the inspection report, the handwash sink was unclean or “being used for purposes other than handwashing,” there were uncovered containers with food and ingredients in a prep cooler and reach-in freezer and an unlabeled spray bottle with a chemical liquid inside, while the facility’s flooring, which was already non-conforming, was deteriorating. The restaurant also had old licenses and permits posted and no verifiable food safety certifications.
Dos Hermanos, 1010 K. St., San Miguel
Points lost: 40
Notes: During its inspection in May, Dos Hermanos in San Miguel was found to be using an outside shed as a kitchen space. This included employees boiling potatoes on a “burner hooked up to a propane tank” and bags of onions being kept on the floor of the shed. According to the inspection report, the San Miguel Fire Department was notified of the setup, and the restaurant was advised to not keep using the shed for food prep or storage. Other violations included an employee eating lunch at a prep table, flies throughout the facility and a trash can being used as a prep table.
It’s Really Yogurt, 808 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
Points lost: 34
Notes: Significant violations were found during the routine inspection of It’s Really Yogurt in Arroyo Grande in May, including the bathroom sink’s warm water clocking in at only 83 degrees while the required range is between 100 and 104 degrees. The inspector also noticed a leaking or degrading plumbing fixture at the same sink, the report said. Meanwhile, food debris and grime was found under shelving and equipment and in cabinets with juice boxes, according to the inspection report.
These businesses also lost 30 or more points due to violations.
- Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo
- Hitching Post, 8000 Morro Road, Atascadero
- El Sabor De Guerrero, 525 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
- Agrarian Hotel, 325 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
- Al Chile!, 834 11th St., Paso Robles
- DK’s Donuts, 802 Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande
- Lopez Lake Marina & Store, 6820 Lopez Lake Drive, Arroyo Grande
Highest-rated restaurants
These stores and restaurants received perfect scores of 0, with few to no violations.
San Luis Obispo
- Bear and the Wren, 570 Higuera St. #2
- Budget Cafe, 3121 S Higuera St. J
- Classic Gourmet Shop, 100 Madonna Road
- Dollar Tree #01485, 2238 Broad St.
- Food-4-Less, 3985 S Higuera St.
- Humdinger Brewing, 855 Capitolio Way
- Libertine Brewing Company, 1234 Broad St.
- Laguna Lake Shell, 11590 Los Osos Valley Road
- Los Mexas, 1401 Osos St.
- Panchos, 1231 Johnson Ave.
- Real Foodz LLC, 4750 Allene Way, Suite A
- Sandy’s Liquor & Deli, 586 Higuera St.
- Seabreeze Kitchen - Mary’s All Natural, 4750 Allene Way
- SLO Beverage N More, 158 Higuera St. E
- Starbucks #81531, 1501 Froom Ranch Way
- Taqueria El Guero, 1122 Chorro St.
- Thai Palace Restaurant, 1015 Court St.
- The Oak Grill, 1119 Garden St.
- Trader Joe’s #41, 3977 S Higuera St.
- Uma’s Restaurant SLO LLC, 698 Higuera St.
North Coast
- Morro Bay Mart - I & S C-Stores Inc, 900 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
South County
- Ka’apuni LLC, 1187 W Grand Ave., Grover Beach
- Vista Lago Adventure Park, 6800 Lopez Drive, Arroyo Grande
North County
- Ben Franklin’s, 521 Spring St., Paso Robles
- Dollar Tree #09321, 2730 Spring St., Paso Robles
- Jack Ranch Cafe & Market, 19215 E Highway 46, Shandon
- Jan’s Place, 842 Norma’s Alley, Paso Robles
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