Lake Wales — Food Safety Records: DBPR & FDACS
Lake Wales, Florida has 142 food establishments with 1,293 inspections on record. The pass rate is 90.9%, above the state average of 86%. Inspections average 3.4 violations per visit.
Largest fine: $400 assessed to Market Cafe in Lake Wales on December 15, 2025.
Data from Florida DBPR (restaurants) and FDACS (retail food). Updated May 2026.
Most-Inspected Facilities
| Business | Inspections | Violations | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet | 41 | 222 | 6 |
| Beef 'o' Brady's | 40 | 330 | 2 |
| Vinny's Smoke-n-grill | 26 | 130 | 2 |
| Woodys BBQ | 23 | 171 | 1 |
| Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak | 33 | 168 | 1 |
Lake Wales Restaurants: Comparison to Florida State Averages
Lake Wales Restaurants: Recent Inspections (Last 30 Days)
| Date | Business | Violations | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burger King #22451 | 0 | Inspection Completed - No Further Action | |
| Crazy Fish Seafood Shack | 5 (1 high) | Inspection Completed - No Further Action | |
| Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak | 4 (1 high) | Inspection Completed - No Further Action | |
| Kentucky Fried Chicken | 3 | Inspection Completed - No Further Action | |
| Lake Wales Cheese Shoppe and Deli | 1 | Call Back - Complied | |
| Holy Cannoli Italian-american Kitchen | 0 | Call Back - Complied |
Lake Wales Restaurants: Most Common Health Violations
| Code | Violation | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Consumer advisory | 9,367 |
| 08 | Proper hand/arm washing | 9,118 |
| 14 | Food contact surfaces | 9,110 |
| 36 | Proper ventilation | 6,453 |
| 31 | Clean multi-use utensils | 6,155 |
Lake Wales Restaurants: Disciplinary Actions & Fines
Largest Fines (Past 12 Months)
| Date | Business | Fine | Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2025 | Market Cafe | $400 | 3--2025070984 |
| Feb 23, 2026 | Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet | $200 | 3--2025086699 |
| Oct 15, 2025 | Ranch Taproom and Coffeehouse | $200 | 3--2025069707 |
| Oct 29, 2025 | El Buen Taco LLC | $160 | 3--2025065306 |
Lake Wales Restaurants: Fire Safety Violations
Most Common Fire Safety Issues
| Issue | Citations |
|---|---|
| Other fire safety violation | 4 |
| Fire extinguisher in red zone | 4 |
| Exit blocked or locked | 2 |
Lake Wales Retail Food: FDACS Inspection Records
In addition to restaurants, Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) inspects grocery stores, markets, gas station food sections, and other retail food establishments. Lake Wales has 66 FDACS-regulated facilities with 121 inspections on record and 9 stop-sale orders issued.
Lake Wales FDACS: Recent Stop-Sale Orders
A stop-sale order prohibits a retail food establishment from selling specific products found to be unsafe, improperly stored, mislabeled, or non-compliant with Florida food code. Products may be embargoed, destroyed, or returned to the distributor.
| Date | Facility | Product | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunkin-donuts-345745-191167 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food: Pro… | |
| Dunkin-donuts-345745-191167 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food: Pro… | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.10 Adulterated.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.172 Unsanitary Equipment.* Sanitary Operations | |
| Terry-vending-services-INC-ven6300129 | Brand Name: (Lot #:) | FS 500.04; FS 500.172 Unsanitary Equipment.* Sanitary Operations |
Browse all FDACS stop-sale order categories →
Lake Wales FDACS: Most Cited Code Violations
Browse all FDACS violation codes →
Lake Wales Retail Food Chains (FDACS)
| Chain | Locations | Stop-Sale Orders | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar General | 4 | 57 | 2,871 |
| Publix | 2 | 30 | 875 |
| Aldi | 2 | 2 | 310 |
| Circle K | 1 | 102 | 1,574 |
| Dunkin | 1 | 13 | 347 |
| Walgreens | 1 | 1 | 743 |
| Citgo | 1 | 41 | 143 |
| Dollar Tree | 1 | 9 | 1,084 |
Lake Wales: Notable Restaurants
Grriffins Restaurant Dining Sports Bar-banquet
Beef 'o' Brady's
Vinny's Smoke-n-grill
Cherry Pocket Steak N Seafood Shak
Crazy Fish Seafood Shack
Burger King #22451
Lake Wales: Restaurant Chains (DBPR)
| Chain | Locations | Violations | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonalds | 3 | 155 | 0 |
| Wendys | 2 | 203 | 0 |
| Taco Bell | 2 | 139 | 0 |
| Subway | 2 | 59 | 0 |
| Bob Evans | 1 | 131 | 0 |
| Dairy Queen | 1 | 84 | 0 |
| Hungry Howies | 1 | 89 | 0 |
| Panera Bread | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Chipotle | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Holiday Inn | 1 | 27 | 0 |
Lake Wales Restaurant Inspections: FAQ
- How many restaurants are in Lake Wales?
- Lake Wales, Florida has 142 food establishments tracked by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
- What is the restaurant inspection pass rate in Lake Wales?
- The current pass rate for food establishments in Lake Wales is 90.9%. The Florida state average is 86%.
- What are the most common health violations in Lake Wales?
- The most frequently cited violations in Lake Wales are: Consumer advisory, Proper hand/arm washing, Food contact surfaces.
- Which restaurant chain has the most locations in Lake Wales?
- McDonalds has the most locations in Lake Wales with 3 establishments.
- How does Lake Wales compare to the Florida state average?
- Lake Wales has a pass rate of 90.9%, which is 4.9 percentage points above the state average of 86%. The average violations per inspection is 3.4 compared to the state average of 4.67.
- How often are restaurants inspected in Lake Wales?
- Food establishments in Lake Wales have an average of 9.1 inspections on record. Florida DBPR conducts routine inspections based on facility type and risk level.
- How much in fines have restaurants in Lake Wales been assessed?
- Food establishments in Lake Wales have been assessed $14,910 in fines across 39 disciplinary actions. The average fine is $403 and the largest single fine was $1,100.
- How many fire safety violations have been found in Lake Wales restaurants?
- 10 fire safety violations have been documented across 5 food establishments in Lake Wales. The most common issue is other fire safety violation.
- Are grocery stores and retail food stores in Lake Wales inspected?
- Yes. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) inspects retail food establishments — grocery stores, gas station food sections, markets, and convenience stores. Lake Wales, Florida has 66 FDACS-regulated retail food facilities with 121 inspections on record.
- How many FDACS stop-sale orders have been issued in Lake Wales?
- FDACS has issued 9 stop-sale orders at retail food establishments in Lake Wales. A stop-sale order prohibits a facility from selling specific products found to be unsafe, mislabeled, or non-compliant with Florida food code.
In the News Lake Wales
Lake Wales Bakery Cited 12 Times in April, Including Sewage Plumbing Flaw
Nosh Bakery & Eatery in Lake Wales had no air gap in its wastewater drain and still lacked a vomit cleanup plan it was c…
Lake Wales Restaurants & Food Establishments (140)
Dream Food Mart FDACS Retail
220 N 1st ST, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store/Prepackaged/No Food ServiceCherry Pocket Fish Cmp FDACS Retail
3100 Canal Rd, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Packaged Ice Self VendingBedessee Intl Imports FDACS Retail
305 S Wetmore ST, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Major Food DistributorBeall's # 0651 FDACS Retail
24125 Hwy 27, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHF/TCSLake Wales Care Center Store FDACS Retail
39 W Park Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHFCocoa Cake Studio FDACS Retail
224 E Stuart Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Retail Bakery w/FSOak Hammock Resort FDACS Retail
3500 Canal RD, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store/Prepackaged/No Food ServiceHutson's Discount Groceries FDACS Retail
2039 State Road 60 E, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Grocery Store < 15,000 sq ftBeall's # 0343 FDACS Retail
126 State Road 60 E, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHF/TCSLeader Discount FDACS Retail
10 W Park Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHFWalgreens # 4380 FDACS Retail
1903 State Road 60 E, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet with PerishablesPatty Strollo FDACS Retail
240 E Bullard Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Other Non Perishable ProcessorDollar General Store #19890 FDACS Retail
8655 E. HWY 60, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet with PerishablesVw Family Dollar 0557 FDACS Retail
135 W Central Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Vended WaterKona Ice of Winter Haven & Lake Wales FDACS Retail
2424 Burns Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Mobile VendorVista Hermosa Farm FDACS Retail
940 Walk IN Water RD, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Limited Poultry and EggIce House America # 12-0001 FDACS Retail
2531 State Road 60 E Unit 1, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Packaged Ice Self VendingGate # 1218 FDACS Retail
2950 Ridge Way, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Convenience Store Significant FS AND/OR Packaged IceDunkin Donuts # 345745 FDACS Retail
2000 State Road 60 E, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Retail Bakery w/FSBrothers Beverage Center of Lake Wales FDACS Retail
18 W Park Ave, Lake Wales
FDACS Retail Food · Minor Outlet/Prepackaged/No PHF