Mei in St Petersburg
Last inspected:
320 3 St S, St Petersburg, FL 33701Bento Cafe in St. Petersburg operated as a permanent food service establishment with 70 seats across 24 inspections dating from 2016 to November 2025, accumulating 213 violations—an average of 8.9 per inspection, significantly above Florida's statewide average of 5.2. The facility recorded no emergency closures but faced escalating enforcement in 2025: two consecutive routine inspections in October and November each documented 33 violations including repeated high-priority citations for employee health reporting, food contact surface sanitation, proper cooking temperatures, and chemical storage, resulting in administrative complaint recommendations on both dates. Prior to 2025, compliance patterns were more variable—a March 2025 inspection yielded only 3 violations and Call Back - Complied status, but April and August 2024 inspections each documented 8–9 violations and Warning Issued dispositions. High-priority violations for employee health reporting appeared in 6 of the 8 most recent inspections; shell stock requirements and consumer advisory violations were also recurring findings. Food contact surface sanitation was cited as high-priority in at least 5 inspections. A single disciplinary action resulted in a $200 fine. The most recent inspection on November 3, 2025 documented 33 violations and resulted in an administrative complaint recommendation.
Summary generated from Florida DBPR public inspection records.
Mei in St Petersburg: Comparison to Pinellas County Averages
Mei in St Petersburg: Fines & Disciplinary Actions (2)
Total fines on record: $400.00
| Action Date | Case Number | Fine | Violation Date | Enforcement Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3--2025086509 | $200.00 | Oct 23, 2025 | Miami (Doral) | |
| 3--2019052310 | $200.00 | Aug 20, 2019 | Fort Lauderdale |
Mei in St Petersburg: Fire Safety & Life Safety Violations (1)
— 1 fire violation
— Routine - Food · 45-05-4 · Inspection Completed - No Further Action
Mei in St Petersburg: Full Inspection History — DBPR (25)
— 1 inspection4 violations · 3 high priority
— Routine - Food· 4 violations (3 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 4 inspections31 violations · 23 high priority
— Routine - Food· 11 violations (8 high priority)· Call Back - Admin. complaint recommended
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 11 violations (8 high priority)· Administrative complaint recommended
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 3 violations (2 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 6 violations (5 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 3 inspections19 violations · 13 high priority
— Routine - Food· 9 violations (5 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 2 violations (2 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
— Routine - Food· 8 violations (6 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 3 inspections17 violations · 12 high priority
— Routine - Food· 9 violations (6 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 1 violations (1 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
High Priority Violations
— Routine - Food· 7 violations (5 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 3 inspections29 violations · 21 high priority
— Routine - Food· 10 violations (6 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 4 violations (3 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 15 violations (12 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 2 inspections13 violations · 10 high priority
— Routine - Food· 4 violations (3 high priority)· Call Back - Complied
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 9 violations (7 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 4 inspections21 violations · 11 high priority
— Routine - Food· 3 violations (2 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 2 violations · Call Back - Complied
— Routine - Food· 8 violations (5 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— Routine - Food· 8 violations (4 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— 2 inspections18 violations · 13 high priority
— Routine - Food· 5 violations (4 high priority)· Call Back - Admin. complaint recommended
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
— Routine - Food· 13 violations (9 high priority)· Warning Issued
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Basic Violations
— 3 inspections8 violations · 7 high priority
— Complaint Full· 0 violations · Call Back - Complied
No violations recorded for this inspection.
— Complaint Full· 6 violations (6 high priority)· Warning Issued
— Food-Licensing Inspection· 2 violations (1 high priority)· Inspection Completed - No Further Action
High Priority Violations
Intermediate Violations
Mei in St Petersburg: Frequently Asked Questions
- When was Mei in St Petersburg last inspected?
- Mei in St Petersburg was last inspected by Florida DBPR on May 26, 2026. The result was: Inspection Completed - No Further Action.
- What are the most common violations at Mei in St Petersburg?
- The most frequently cited violations at Mei in St Petersburg are: Consumer advisory, Employee health reporting, Shell stock requirements.
- How many health inspections has Mei in St Petersburg had?
- Mei in St Petersburg has had 25 inspections on record with Florida DBPR, averaging 8.7 violations per inspection, above the statewide average of 5.2.
- What did the most recent inspection of Mei in St Petersburg find?
- Mei in St Petersburg was most recently inspected on May 26, 2026 with 4 violation(s). Disposition: Inspection Completed - No Further Action.
- Has Mei in St Petersburg ever been shut down?
- No, Mei in St Petersburg has no emergency closures on record with Florida DBPR.
- What does Florida violation V01 (Management awareness) mean?
- Violation 01 (Management awareness) is classified as a high priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/01.
- What does Florida violation V08 (Proper hand/arm washing) mean?
- Violation 08 (Proper hand/arm washing) is classified as a high priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/08.
- What does Florida violation V22 (Consumer advisory) mean?
- Violation 22 (Consumer advisory) is classified as a high priority violation under Florida DBPR food safety regulations. See the full explanation at floridafoodsafety.org/violation/22.
- Has Mei in St Petersburg had any fire safety violations?
- Yes, Mei in St Petersburg has 1 fire safety violation(s) on record from Florida state fire inspections.
- Has Mei in St Petersburg faced any disciplinary actions?
- Yes, Mei in St Petersburg has 2 disciplinary action(s) on record with Florida DBPR totaling $400.00 in fines.
- How much has Mei in St Petersburg been fined?
- Mei in St Petersburg has been fined a total of $400.00 across 2 disciplinary action(s) on record with Florida DBPR.
- Has Mei in St Petersburg operated under other names?
- Yes, this location previously operated as: Bento Cafe (2022).
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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 Mei. How we collect and verify this data.