WEST PALM BEACH, FL. Inspectors visiting Pete's Place 2 on N. Jog Road this week found toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled near food, employees not reporting illness symptoms, no person in charge performing supervisory duties, inadequate shellfish traceability records, multi-use utensils not properly cleaned, and failures in required procedures for specialized food processes, six high-severity violations in a single inspection.
That tally tied the week's worst, matched only by Hot Wok on Forest Hill Boulevard, where inspectors cited food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards alongside employees not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, inadequate shellfish records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Across West Palm Beach during the week of August 7 through August 13, state inspectors documented high-severity violations at 15 restaurants, totaling 57 high-priority citations.
What Inspectors Found
China Wok on W. Forest Hill Boulevard also drew six high-severity violations, including food from unapproved or unknown sources, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, no person in charge performing duties, improper handwashing, inadequate shellfish records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Palm Beach Pizza on Okeechobee Boulevard accumulated five high-severity citations: no person in charge, no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
Tarbooch Hookah Cafe on S. Military Trail drew four high-severity violations, including employees not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing, inadequate shellfish records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, plus an intermediate citation for multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
O'Shea's Pub on Clematis Street was cited for improper handwashing, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
Jon Smith Subs on S. Dixie Highway drew four high-severity violations including no person in charge, employees not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff.
Las Americas Latin Restaurant on S. Military Trail was cited for improper handwashing technique, food from an unapproved or unknown source, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
El Tipico Quetzal Cafeteria on Belvedere Road received three high-severity violations, including improper handwashing, inadequate shellfish records, and time not properly used as a public health control, meaning food was allowed to remain in the temperature danger zone without adequate tracking.
Sour Seed Bagels on Fern Street was cited for food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, food from an unapproved or unknown source, and improper handwashing.
Eataly on S. Rosemary Avenue drew three high-severity violations: no person in charge performing duties, employees not reporting illness symptoms, and no allergen awareness demonstrated.
Maman on S. Rosemary Avenue was cited for employees not reporting illness symptoms and improper handwashing, along with an intermediate violation for inadequate or improperly maintained toilet facilities.
Latitude 26 on Summit Boulevard drew two high-severity violations, no person in charge and employees not reporting illness symptoms, plus an intermediate citation for improper use of wiping cloths.
Wing Stop on S. Military Trail was cited for inadequate shellfish records and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, with an intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
El Paraiso Bar and Restaurant on S. Dixie Highway received two high-severity violations: no person in charge performing duties and employees not reporting illness symptoms.
What These Violations Mean
The single most common high-severity violation this week was improper handwashing technique, cited at ten of the fifteen facilities, including Pete's Place 2, Hot Wok, China Wok, Palm Beach Pizza, Tarbooch Hookah Cafe, O'Shea's Pub, Jon Smith Subs, Las Americas, El Tipico Quetzal, Sour Seed Bagels, and Maman. This is not the same as failing to wash hands at all. It means employees made an attempt but did so incorrectly, leaving pathogens on hands that then transfer directly to food, surfaces, and utensils. The violation is documented precisely because a partial wash creates a false sense of safety.
Employees not reporting illness symptoms was cited at eleven facilities this week. Food workers who continue working while experiencing symptoms of norovirus, salmonella, or hepatitis A are the leading cause of multi-victim foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States. At facilities like Pete's Place 2, Jon Smith Subs, Eataly, and Latitude 26, where no person in charge was also cited on the same inspection, there is no supervisory layer to identify or send home a visibly ill employee.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Las Americas, China Wok, and Sour Seed Bagels, means inspectors could not verify that ingredients passed through a USDA or FDA-regulated supply chain. If a customer becomes sick, investigators have no traceability to the origin of the food. The violation matters most precisely when something goes wrong.
Inadequate shellfish identification records, cited at Pete's Place 2, Hot Wok, China Wok, Tarbooch Hookah Cafe, El Tipico Quetzal, and Wing Stop, is a specific traceability requirement for oysters, clams, and mussels. Shellfish are frequently consumed raw or lightly cooked and are a primary vehicle for norovirus and Vibrio bacteria. Without intact shellstock tags, a contaminated batch cannot be traced or recalled. Six facilities in one week without those records is a concentration worth noting.
The Longer Record
Pete's Place 2 has 35 prior inspections on record, the most of any facility cited this week. Six high-severity violations on that 36th documented visit, including toxic chemicals near food and no active management oversight, suggest the inspection history has not produced sustained correction.
Las Americas Latin Restaurant has 29 prior inspections on record. Latitude 26 has 28. Neither is a new establishment encountering its first scrutiny. Both were cited this week for foundational violations, handwashing and illness reporting, that appear in the earliest inspections of any food service operation.
Hot Wok carries 27 prior inspections, the same count as Palm Beach Pizza. The food contamination citation at Hot Wok, covering chemical, physical, or biological hazards in food itself, is among the most serious categories a facility can draw. It appeared alongside five other high-severity violations on the same visit.
The newest facilities on this week's list tell a different story. Eataly on S. Rosemary Avenue has only three prior inspections on record and was already cited for three high-severity violations, including no allergen awareness. Maman, also on S. Rosemary Avenue, has seven prior inspections and drew violations for illness reporting and handwashing this week. Sour Seed Bagels on Fern Street has 11 prior inspections, and this week's record includes food from an unapproved source alongside a food contamination citation.
Jon Smith Subs on S. Dixie Highway has 19 prior inspections and this week drew a violation for no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff. Food allergies affect roughly 32 million Americans, and a facility with nearly two dozen inspections on record that still cannot demonstrate basic allergen knowledge presents a specific and documented risk to customers with serious food allergies.
Wing Stop on S. Military Trail has 23 prior inspections. This week's intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal, alongside high-severity citations for shellfish records and food contact surfaces, was unresolved at the time the inspection report was filed.
