TAMPA, FL. Two Tampa restaurants were ordered closed for roach activity within 24 hours of each other at the end of April, and state inspection records show they were not the only establishments in the city with serious food safety problems that week.
Two Closures in Two Days
Rocky's Tacos at 1201 W Hillsborough Ave was ordered shut on April 30 for roach activity. The day before, on April 29, La Ceibena at 8806 W Flora St was closed for the same reason.
Both closures were emergency orders, meaning inspectors determined the conditions posed an immediate threat to public health. Neither closure was a scheduled inspection.
The Violations
The week's most cited facility was Nueva Cantina on E Adamo Drive, which drew 9 high-severity violations and 4 intermediate citations. Among the most serious: inspectors found food from unapproved or unknown sources, inadequate shell stock identification records for shellfish, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. Inspectors also cited improper handwashing technique and the absence of a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked menu items.
China Buffet at 1245 E Fowler Ave followed with 8 high-severity violations across 11 total citations. The person in charge was not present or not performing duties during the inspection. Inspectors also documented improper handwashing technique, improperly stored toxic chemicals, inadequate shell stock records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Jazzy's BBQ at 5703 W Waters Ave drew 6 high-severity violations alongside a citation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal, one of the more acute intermediate violations in the week's records. Inspectors also found food in poor condition or adulterated, inadequate shell stock records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
Breakfast House at 1501 E Sligh Ave accumulated 6 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved or unknown source and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature. Inspectors additionally cited required procedures for specialized processes not being followed, and employees reusing single-use items, a detail that points to basic protocol breakdowns in the kitchen.
Mi Tierra Latina at 6802 W Hillsborough Ave was cited for 6 high-severity violations, including food in poor condition or adulterated, inadequate shell stock records, and no consumer advisory. Inspectors also found inadequate ventilation and lighting, which can allow grease-laden vapors and odors to accumulate in food preparation areas.
Lameizi Hot Pot and BBQ at 2501 E Fowler Ave drew 6 high-severity violations including inadequate handwashing facilities and food not cooked to required minimum temperature. The person in charge was not present or not performing duties. Without functioning handwashing infrastructure, proper hand hygiene is structurally impossible regardless of employee intent.
Winners Sports Grill at 5229 Ehrlich Rd was cited for 6 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness and inadequate shell stock identification records. The person in charge was also absent or not performing duties during the inspection.
China Yuan Restaurant at 8502 N Armenia Ave drew 6 high-severity violations, among them food from an unapproved or unknown source and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. Inspectors also cited no employee health policy and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Nicki's Omelette and Grill at 6805 W Hillsborough Ave was cited for 5 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness and required procedures for specialized processes not being followed. Inspectors noted inadequate toilet facilities, a condition that directly undermines employee handwashing after restroom use.
Tampa Tap Room at 13150 N Dale Mabry Hwy drew 5 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source, inadequate shell stock records, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff. Allergen failures are among the most immediately dangerous violations, as reactions can escalate to anaphylaxis within minutes.
Thomas P's Sports Bar and Patio at 12836 Henderson Road was cited for 5 high-severity violations including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and inadequate shell stock records. Improperly handled raw fish served without parasite destruction protocols can transmit Anisakis and other parasites to customers.
Kelp Sushi Joint at 6507 W Waters Ave drew 5 high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods. At a sushi restaurant, the absence of a consumer advisory and the absence of working handwashing infrastructure together represent a compounded risk specific to the menu.
Melting Pot Tampa at 13164 N Dale Mabry was cited for 5 high-severity violations, among them time as a public health control not properly used and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used. The person in charge was not present or not performing duties.
Jerk Hut Island Grille and Beach Club at 1241 E Fowler Ave drew 3 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness and no person in charge present or performing duties. No consumer advisory was posted.
Renzo's at 14445 N Dale Mabry Hwy was cited for 4 high-severity violations alongside intermediate citations for improper sewage or wastewater disposal and inadequate toilet facilities. Inspectors also found improper handwashing technique and inadequate shell stock records.
What These Violations Mean
The most widespread high-severity violation this week was improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, which appeared at Nueva Cantina, China Buffet, Jazzy's BBQ, Breakfast House, Mi Tierra Latina, Lameizi Hot Pot and BBQ, Winners Sports Grill, China Yuan Restaurant, Nicki's Omelette and Grill, Kelp Sushi Joint, Melting Pot Tampa, and Renzo's. Cutting boards, prep tables, and slicing equipment that are not properly sanitized between uses become direct transfer points for bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli. The contamination is invisible and does not change the appearance or smell of food.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Nueva Cantina, Breakfast House, China Yuan Restaurant, and Tampa Tap Room, means the product entered the restaurant outside the regulated supply chain. There is no way to trace that food back to a farm, processor, or distributor if a customer becomes sick. It also means the food bypassed USDA or FDA inspection at every step of production.
Inadequate shell stock records, cited at Nueva Cantina, China Buffet, Jazzy's BBQ, Mi Tierra Latina, Winners Sports Grill, Nicki's Omelette and Grill, Tampa Tap Room, Thomas P's Sports Bar, and Renzo's, is a traceability failure specific to shellfish. Oysters, clams, and mussels are often consumed raw or lightly cooked. When a customer becomes ill after eating them, investigators need harvest tags and shipping records to identify the contaminated lot and stop others from eating it. Without those records, the investigation stops before it starts.
The employee illness reporting failures at Winners Sports Grill, Jerk Hut Island Grille, and Nicki's Omelette and Grill represent a direct transmission risk. Norovirus, one of the most common causes of foodborne illness outbreaks, spreads from a sick food handler to customers through food contact. A written health policy and an active person in charge are the two mechanisms that catch this before it reaches the dining room. Both were missing or inadequate at multiple facilities this week.
The Longer Record
China Buffet on Fowler Ave has 50 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility cited this week. Eight high-severity violations in a single inspection, after five decades of state oversight, is a pattern that the inspection count alone makes difficult to dismiss as an isolated lapse.
China Yuan Restaurant carries 37 prior inspections, Kelp Sushi Joint 36, and Jerk Hut Island Grille 40. All three drew high-severity violations this week in categories, including handwashing failures and management absence, that appear repeatedly across the inspection records of long-operating Tampa restaurants.
Nueva Cantina, with 24 prior inspections, produced the week's highest violation total at 13. Mi Tierra Latina and Renzo's each have 28 and 30 inspections respectively, and both were cited for sewage-related or ventilation failures alongside the more common handwashing and food contact surface violations.
Breakfast House, by contrast, has only 3 prior inspections on record, making it one of the newest facilities in this week's data. It drew 6 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source and food not cooked to required minimum temperature. Whether those violations reflect startup disorganization or a more established pattern will depend on what inspectors find when they return. That follow-up visit had not been recorded in state records as of the time this report was filed.