TAMPA, FL. Anchor Bar on East Davis Boulevard drew nine high-severity violations during the week of September 20, more than any other Tampa restaurant inspected that week, with state records showing inspectors cited the bar for obtaining food from unapproved or unknown sources, improperly stored toxic chemicals, and an employee who had not reported symptoms of illness.
The illness-reporting failure at Anchor Bar is not a paperwork problem. A food worker who comes in sick and does not tell a manager is the most direct route from one sick person to dozens of customers. The toxic chemical violations compounded the picture: two separate citations covered both improper storage and labeling, meaning chemicals were near food and not clearly identified.
Anchor Bar was not alone. Fourteen other Tampa restaurants drew high-severity violations during the same seven-day stretch, with inspectors documenting failures ranging from parasite destruction procedures at sushi restaurants to food cooked below required minimum temperatures at a pizza chain.
The Violations
Lolis 2 on West Hillsborough Avenue drew seven high-severity violations, second only to Anchor Bar. Inspectors cited the restaurant for having no written employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, inadequate shellfish traceability records, no allergen awareness, and failure to follow required procedures for specialized food processes.
The combination of no health policy and an unreporting sick employee at the same location is notable. Those two violations together mean there is no system requiring workers to disclose illness and no worker who disclosed it anyway.
Sushi Alive on Race Track Road collected six high-severity violations, including a citation for no person in charge present or performing duties. Inspectors also found inadequate shellfish identification records, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, two separate handwashing failures, and an employee not reporting illness symptoms.
A sushi restaurant with no manager on duty, no shellfish traceability, and no consumer advisory for raw fish represents a layered set of failures. Each one independently creates risk. Together, they remove nearly every safeguard that applies specifically to raw seafood service.
Jin China on East Adamo Drive drew six high-severity citations as well, including improperly stored or labeled toxic chemicals, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and failure to follow required procedures for specialized processes.
Westshore Pizza on Causeway Boulevard also produced six high-severity violations. One of them stands apart from the rest of this week's findings: food not cooked to the required minimum temperature. Salmonella in poultry survives below 165 degrees Fahrenheit. That citation, combined with two separate toxic chemical violations at the same location, made Westshore Pizza one of the more concerning findings of the week.
Tikka Masalaa on West Hillsborough drew five high-severity violations, including no written employee health policy, improper handwashing technique, improperly stored toxic chemicals, and no allergen awareness. The allergen citation is significant at an Indian restaurant where dishes routinely contain tree nuts, dairy, and gluten, all common triggers for severe reactions.
China Restaurant on Race Track Road was cited for five high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed. That citation means the restaurant is not using the required freezing protocols that kill parasites such as Anisakis in fish before it is served raw or lightly cooked.
Tony's BBQ Restaurant on West Waters Avenue also drew five high-severity violations, including no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Isekai Sushi Cafe on Gunn Highway was cited for five high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed and food in poor condition, mislabeled, or adulterated. That second violation, food that is spoiled, contaminated, or mislabeled, is distinct from the temperature and sourcing failures seen elsewhere this week. It means inspectors observed food that should not have been in service.
Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken on East 7th Avenue drew four high-severity violations, including food from unapproved or unknown sources and inadequate shellfish traceability records.
Donofrio's Pizza and Pasta Co. on Race Track Road was cited for four high-severity violations, including no person in charge present or performing duties and improper sewage or waste water disposal. An improperly functioning sewage system creates fecal contamination risk throughout a kitchen.
Nicki's Omelette and Grill on West Hillsborough Avenue drew four high-severity violations, including failure to follow required procedures for specialized processes and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
Bella's Italian Cafe on South Howard Street drew one high-severity violation for food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, alongside an intermediate citation for improper sewage or waste water disposal.
Bahia Churrascaria on Gunn Highway and Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits on East Hillsborough Avenue each drew one high-severity violation, both for food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
What These Violations Mean
Several of the most serious violations this week share a common thread: they remove the ability to trace what happened if someone gets sick. Anchor Bar, Lolis 2, Sushi Alive, Jin China, Westshore Pizza, Tony's BBQ, Isekai Sushi Cafe, Sweet Krunch, Donofrio's, and Nicki's Omelette and Grill were all cited for inadequate shellfish identification records. Shellfish, particularly oysters, clams, and mussels, are frequently consumed raw or lightly cooked. State rules require that the tags identifying where each batch came from be kept on file. Without those records, if a customer develops a Vibrio or hepatitis A infection, investigators cannot determine the source or pull the supply.
The illness-reporting violations at Anchor Bar, Lolis 2, Sushi Alive, China Restaurant, Tony's BBQ, and Isekai Sushi Cafe point to a different kind of failure. Norovirus, the most common cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, spreads almost entirely through the hands of sick food workers. A written employee health policy, missing at Lolis 2, Tikka Masalaa, and Tony's BBQ, is the mechanism that gives a sick worker permission to stay home. Without it, workers who need the hours often come in.
Parasite destruction failures at China Restaurant and Isekai Sushi Cafe mean that fish served at those locations may not have been frozen to the temperatures and timeframes required to kill Anisakis worms and tapeworm larvae. These parasites cause gastrointestinal illness that can take weeks to diagnose because the symptoms are not immediately linked to a specific meal.
The undercooked food citation at Westshore Pizza, combined with two separate toxic chemical violations at both Westshore Pizza and Jin China, and Anchor Bar, represents the most acute immediate risks in this week's findings. Undercooking poultry is a direct Salmonella vector. Chemicals stored near or mislabeled near food can contaminate a dish without any visible sign.
The Longer Record
Lolis 2 has 41 prior inspections on record, the highest count of any facility cited this week. That number means the state has visited this West Hillsborough Avenue location more than four dozen times over its operating history. Seven high-severity violations in a single week, at a location with that volume of prior oversight, is a different kind of story than a new restaurant stumbling in its first months.
Tikka Masalaa has 40 prior inspections on record and drew five high-severity violations this week, including failures in employee health policy, handwashing, chemical storage, and allergen awareness. Thirty-six prior inspections are on record for Popeyes on East Hillsborough, which drew one high-severity violation this week. Jin China and Donofrio's Pizza and Pasta Co. each have 30 prior inspections on record.
Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken on East 7th Avenue has only 5 prior inspections on record, making it one of the newest locations cited this week. It already drew four high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved source and inadequate shellfish traceability. Isekai Sushi Cafe has 12 prior inspections on record and drew five high-severity violations including mislabeled or adulterated food and parasite destruction failures.
Anchor Bar has 28 prior inspections on record. This week's nine high-severity violations, including the food from unapproved sources citation, mean that at a location with nearly three dozen documented inspection visits, inspectors still found food entering the kitchen through channels that bypass federal safety screening.
