FORT MYERS, FL. Jalapeno's at 2249 Cleveland Avenue was emergency-closed on April 22 after state inspectors documented roach activity at the restaurant, one of 15 Fort Myers establishments cited for high-severity health violations during the week of April 21 through April 27, 2026.
The closure at Jalapeno's came alongside two high-severity violations: no employee health policy and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. Three intermediate violations were also cited, including inadequate cooling equipment and ventilation problems. The restaurant has 34 prior inspections on record.
The Violations
China Fusion at 13111 Paul J Doherty Parkway accumulated the highest single-facility total of the week: eight high-severity violations. Inspectors cited the restaurant for no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, unclean food contact surfaces, improper use of time as a public health control, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, improperly stored or labeled toxic chemicals, and no allergen awareness.
Ichibian Food Inc at 1520 Broadway drew seven high-severity citations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, two violations that inspectors treat as among the most immediately dangerous. Employees were also cited for not reporting illness symptoms and for improper handwashing technique.
Edison's Lab at the Holiday Inn on Cleveland Avenue matched that seven-violation count. Inspectors found food from an unapproved source, food in poor condition or adulterated, food not cooked to minimum temperature, no consumer advisory, and no allergen awareness. An intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal was also documented.
El Patio at 4444 Cleveland Avenue also tallied seven high-severity violations, including food sourced from an unapproved supplier, toxic substances improperly identified or stored, and employees not reporting illness symptoms. Inspectors noted improper handwashing technique as well.
El Gaucho Inca on Colonial Boulevard was cited for six high-severity violations, including the person in charge not being present or not performing duties, food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, and inadequate shellfish identification records. The absence of a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods rounded out the most serious findings.
Mr Tequila Mexican Restaurant at 4420 Colonial Boulevard also drew six high-severity violations, among them inadequate handwashing facilities, food from an unapproved source, and inadequate shellfish traceability records. The person in charge was cited as absent or not performing duties.
Pickle and Pub at 15455 Old McGregor Boulevard was cited for six high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and improper use of time as a public health control. Inadequate cooling equipment was noted as an intermediate violation.
European American Bakery Cafe on Metro Parkway drew five high-severity citations, two of which stand out: parasite destruction procedures not followed and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature. Inspectors also cited an employee for not reporting illness symptoms and noted improper sewage disposal as an intermediate violation.
Friend's Pizza at 3441 Colonial Boulevard was cited for five high-severity violations including food not cooked to minimum temperature, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. An intermediate violation for improper sewage disposal was also documented.
Pho Bowl at 12951 Metro Parkway was cited for five high-severity violations including no allergen awareness, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods. An improper sanitizing solution or procedure was noted at the intermediate level.
Banh Mi and Tea Inc on Six Mile Cypress Parkway drew four high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source and inadequate shellfish identification records. Four intermediate violations were also cited, including improperly maintained toilet facilities and improper use of wiping cloths.
Hibachi Express at 9321 Ben C Pratt Six Mile Cypress was cited for four high-severity violations, including food not cooked to minimum temperature and improper handwashing technique. Intermediate violations included improper sewage disposal and inadequate toilet facilities.
Lis China King at 7950 Dani Drive was cited for four high-severity violations including food not cooked to minimum temperature and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. Inadequate ventilation and improper sanitizer procedures were noted at the intermediate level.
Cadeau Cafe at 10650 Metro Parkway was cited for four high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed, inadequate shellfish identification records, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. Intermediate violations included improper sewage disposal and improperly used wiping cloths.
What These Violations Mean
The most common high-severity violation across this week's inspections was no employee health policy, cited at 11 of the 15 facilities including China Fusion, Ichibian Food Inc, Edison's Lab, El Patio, and Pho Bowl. Without a written policy, there is no mechanism to prevent a sick worker from handling food. Norovirus, which causes the majority of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurant settings, spreads directly from an infected employee's hands to food and then to customers. Several of those same facilities were also cited for employees not actually reporting illness symptoms, meaning the policy gap was not theoretical.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources was cited at six facilities this week, including Ichibian Food Inc, Edison's Lab, El Patio, Pickle and Pub, Mr Tequila, and Banh Mi and Tea Inc. When food bypasses licensed suppliers and USDA or FDA inspection channels, there is no traceability if a customer becomes ill. An outbreak linked to contaminated produce or meat from an unlicensed source cannot be traced back to origin, which means the contaminated supply stays in circulation longer.
Parasite destruction procedures not followed, cited at European American Bakery Cafe and Cadeau Cafe, is a violation that receives less public attention than roaches or temperature failures but carries serious consequences. Fish served raw or undercooked without prior freezing at required temperatures can harbor Anisakis larvae or tapeworm. Neither is visible to the cook or the customer.
Shellfish traceability violations at El Gaucho Inca, Mr Tequila, Banh Mi and Tea Inc, and Cadeau Cafe represent a specific and well-documented outbreak risk. Oysters, clams, and mussels are frequently consumed raw or barely cooked, and without harvest tags on file, there is no way to pull a contaminated lot if Vibrio or norovirus cases begin appearing in the community.
The Longer Record
Edison's Lab at the Holiday Inn carries the longest inspection history of any facility cited this week: 44 prior inspections on record. That volume of visits makes this week's seven high-severity findings, including unapproved food sourcing, adulterated food, and no allergen awareness, particularly difficult to explain as a first-time oversight. Jalapeno's, which was emergency-closed for roaches, has 34 prior inspections, as does El Patio.
Pho Bowl has 31 prior inspections on record, and Ichibian Food Inc has 30. Both were cited this week for multiple violations in the same categories that appear repeatedly across Fort Myers inspections: handwashing failures, unclean food contact surfaces, and missing illness policies. China Fusion, the week's highest-violation facility, has 27 prior inspections.
Mr Tequila Mexican Restaurant presents a different picture. With only four prior inspections on record, it is among the newest facilities in this week's data, yet it drew six high-severity violations including absent management, inadequate handwashing infrastructure, unapproved food sourcing, and shellfish traceability failures. Cadeau Cafe has seven prior inspections and was cited for parasite destruction failures and shellfish recordkeeping gaps.
Hibachi Express and Banh Mi and Tea Inc, with 14 and 16 prior inspections respectively, are mid-history facilities that have not yet accumulated the long record of an Edison's Lab or a Pho Bowl. Both were cited this week for food from unapproved sources and inadequate shellfish identification, violations that require deliberate sourcing decisions, not simply a lapse in daily cleaning. Jalapeno's, now carrying an emergency closure on its record, had 34 inspections behind it before roach activity forced its doors shut on April 22.