Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota
Last inspected:
2881 Clark Rd Ste 25, Sarasota, FL 34231Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota has been inspected 14 times since 2021, accumulating 100 violations with an average of 7.1 per inspection, significantly above Florida's statewide average of 5.2. High-priority violations appear consistently across inspections, particularly handwashing procedures, food contact surface sanitation, allergen awareness, time as a control for potentially hazardous foods, and proper cooking temperatures. A Warning was issued on May 22, 2023 after 11 violations were documented, and extensions were granted during the June 2023 inspection cycle before compliance was achieved. The facility has not experienced an emergency closure. A fire safety violation was documented on August 9, 2024, when the rear exit door was found locked during operating hours. The most recent inspection on September 26, 2025 resulted in 12 violations with one high-priority finding for time as control and the disposition "Inspection Completed - No Further Action."
Summary generated from Florida DBPR public inspection records.
Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota: Comparison to Sarasota County Averages
Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota: Fire Safety & Life Safety Violations (1)
— 1 fire violation
— Routine - Food · Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota: Full Inspection History — DBPR (14)
— 1 inspection4 violations · 2 high priority
— Routine - Food· 4 violations (2 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 1 inspection7 violations · 3 high priority
— Routine - Food· 7 violations (3 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 4 inspections26 violations · 14 high priority
— Food-Licensing Inspection· 0 violations · Inspection Completed - No Further Action
No violations recorded for this inspection.
— Routine - Food· 7 violations (4 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 8 violations (4 high priority)· Call Back - Extension given, pending
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 11 violations (6 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 1 inspection12 violations · 7 high priority
— Routine - Food· 12 violations (7 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 1 inspection7 violations · 5 high priority
— Routine - Food· 7 violations (5 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 1 inspection7 violations · 5 high priority
— Routine - Food· 7 violations (5 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 1 inspection2 violations · 1 high priority
— Routine - Food· 2 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 1 inspection5 violations · 4 high priority
— Routine - Food· 5 violations (4 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 1 inspection2 violations · 1 high priority
— Routine - Food· 2 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
— 2 inspections3 violations · 1 high priority
— Routine - Food· 3 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 0 violations · Call Back - Complied
No violations recorded for this inspection.
Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota: Frequently Asked Questions
- When was Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota last inspected?
- Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota was last inspected by Florida DBPR on September 26, 2025. The result was: Inspection Completed - No Further Action.
- What are the most common violations at Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota?
- The most frequently cited violations at Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota are: Food contact surfaces, Allergen awareness, Proper ventilation.
- How many health inspections has Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota had?
- Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota has had 14 inspections on record with Florida DBPR, averaging 7.1 violations per inspection, above the statewide average of 5.2.
- What did the most recent inspection of Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota find?
- Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota was most recently inspected on September 26, 2025 with 4 violation(s), including 1 high-priority violation(s). Disposition: Inspection Completed - No Further Action.
- Has Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota ever been shut down?
- No, Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota has no emergency closures on record with Florida DBPR.
- What does Florida violation V21 (Time as control) mean?
- Violation 21 (Time as control) is classified as a high priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/21.
- What does Florida violation V25 (Allergen awareness) mean?
- Violation 25 (Allergen awareness) is classified as a high priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/25.
- What does Florida violation V35 (Single-use items) mean?
- Violation 35 (Single-use items) is classified as a intermediate priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/35.
- Has Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota had any fire safety violations?
- Yes, Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida in Sarasota has 1 fire safety violation(s) on record from Florida state fire inspections.
Nearby Establishments to Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida
Poor Inspection Records Near Sarasota
Stories You May Have Missed Sarasota
Sarasota Kwik Stop Cited for 13 Violations, Boiled Peanuts Pulled in March Inspection
A March 2026 FDACS inspection of a Sarasota Kwik Stop found boiled peanuts held below safe temperature and a stop sale o…
Editorial Standards & Data Oversight
Data Source: This report is based on official public inspection records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI to synthesize complex regulatory data, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Disclaimer: All data reflects official state records at time of publication. Facilities may have since corrected cited violations, resolved enforcement actions, or changed ownership.
Editor: All content reviewed and verified by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., Nationally Registered EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
This page is maintained by FloridaFoodSafety.org and is not affiliated with Rita's Italian Ice of Southwest Florida. How we collect and verify this data.