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Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar

2901 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Café / Breakfast
Last inspected: Aug 19, 2025
82
Score
Low Risk

Inspectors have visited Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar six times, with records going back to 2019. The most recent visit was on Aug 19, 2025. Low risk means the most recent visit produced few or no significant findings.

Recent inspections have turned up roughly the same number of issues each time, hovering near three violations per visit.

When inspectors have written things up, “contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display” has been the most frequent reason, cited four times.

Compared to the broader Chicago restaurant scene, this is about average. There isn't much in the file that would give a customer pause.

6
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
4
Minor latest
Inspection History
Aug 19, 2025
Reinspection
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Toxic substances properly identified, stored, & used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED EMPLOYEE PERSONAL CARE ITEMS STORED ON SHELF ABOVE SINGLE-SERVICE ARTICLES (NAPKINS, INDIVIDUALLY-WRAPPED PLASTICWARE). INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE DESIGNATED AREA FOR THE STORAGE OF EMPLOYEE PERSONAL CARE ITEMS THAT DOES NOT POSE RISK OF CONTAMINATION OF FOOD, CLEAN EQUIPMENT, OR UTENSILS AND MAINTAIN.
28
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: OBSERVED BULK DRY FOOD CONTAINERS IN THE FRONT COFFEE BAR AREA NOT LABELED WITH THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD STORED. INSTRUCTED TO LABEL ALL BULK DRY FOOD CONTAINERS WITH THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD STORED AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
37
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED DRY TEA BAGS STORED IN ORIGINAL BOX DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE SMALL STORAGE CLOSET. INSTRUCTED TO RELOCATE TEA BAGS AND STORE ALL FOOD AT LEAST 6 INCHES ABOVE THE FLOOR IN ORIGINAL CONTAINERS AND MAINTAIN.
39
Sewage & waste water properly disposed
Inspector notes: OBSERVED WATER HEATER CONDENSATE WATER COLLECTION DISH NOT PROPERLY ROUTED DIRECTLY TO FLOOR DRAIN IN THE REAR BOILER ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO ROUTE ALL WASTE WATER DIRECTLY TO POINT OF DISCHARGE INTO PLUMBING SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN.
52
82
Aug 11, 2025
Complaint
1 major violation. 4 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO CHLORINE CHEMICAL SANITIZER CONCENTRATION TEST KIT PROVIDED ON-SITE FOR USE WITH THE LOW-TEMPERATURE DISH MACHINE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AT LEAST ONE CHEMICAL SANITIZER CONCENTRATION TEST KIT FOR ALL CHEMICAL SANITIZERS USED IN FOOD OPERATIONS ON-SITE AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005 CITATION ISSUED.
48
Toxic substances properly identified, stored, & used
Inspector notes: OBSERVED EMPLOYEE PERSONAL CARE ITEMS STORED ON SHELF ABOVE SINGLE-SERVICE ARTICLES (NAPKINS, INDIVIDUALLY-WRAPPED PLASTICWARE). INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE DESIGNATED AREA FOR THE STORAGE OF EMPLOYEE PERSONAL CARE ITEMS THAT DOES NOT POSE RISK OF CONTAMINATION OF FOOD, CLEAN EQUIPMENT, OR UTENSILS AND MAINTAIN.
28
Food properly labeled; original container
Inspector notes: OBSERVED BULK DRY FOOD CONTAINERS IN THE FRONT COFFEE BAR AREA NOT LABELED WITH THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD STORED. INSTRUCTED TO LABEL ALL BULK DRY FOOD CONTAINERS WITH THE COMMON NAME OF THE FOOD STORED AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
37
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED DRY TEA BAGS STORED IN ORIGINAL BOX DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE SMALL STORAGE CLOSET. INSTRUCTED TO RELOCATE TEA BAGS AND STORE ALL FOOD AT LEAST 6 INCHES ABOVE THE FLOOR IN ORIGINAL CONTAINERS AND MAINTAIN.
39
Sewage & waste water properly disposed
Inspector notes: OBSERVED WATER HEATER CONDENSATE WATER COLLECTION DISH NOT PROPERLY ROUTED DIRECTLY TO FLOOR DRAIN IN THE REAR BOILER ROOM. INSTRUCTED TO ROUTE ALL WASTE WATER DIRECTLY TO POINT OF DISCHARGE INTO PLUMBING SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN.
52
74
Dec 6, 2024
Routine
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
All food employees have food handler training
Inspector notes: OBSERVED MULTIPLE FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES WITH EXPIRED FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO RENEW EXPIRED FOOD HANDLER CERTIFICATES TO COMPLY WITH IDPH FOOD HANDLER REQUIREMENTS.
57
95
May 9, 2022
Routine
5 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized
Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN INTERIOR SURFACES OF ICE MACHINE WITH MINIMAL CALCIUM BUILD-UP.
16
Insects, rodents, & animals not present
Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO RODENT PROOF BOTTOM OF BASEMENT DOOR LEADING TO ANOTHER BUSINESS.
38
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO PROPERLY STORE FOOD ITEMS 6" OFF THE FLOOR FOR EASY ACCESS ON CLEANING. NO MILK CRATES.
39
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO DEFROST REACH-IN FREEZER WITH HEAVY ICE ACCUMULATION IN PREP AREA.
47
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN FLOORS ALONG THE WALLS AND IN ALL CORNERS IN BASEMENT STORAGE AREA.
55
78
Dec 24, 2019
Reinspection
1 major violation.
View 1 violation
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: FOUND NO DISINFECTANT RATED FOR NOROVIRUS INSIDE VOMIT SPILL KIT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION. NO CITATION ISSUED. 7-38-005. MUST PROVIDE.
5
90
Dec 23, 2019
License
1 critical violation. 1 major violation.
View 2 violations
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: FOUND NO FOOD GUARDS FOR BAR/3COMPARTMENT SINK AREAS.PRIORITY VIOLATION. NO CITATION ISSUED. 7-38-005. MUST PROVIDE.
39
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: FOUND NO DISINFECTANT RATED FOR NOROVIRUS INSIDE VOMIT SPILL KIT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION. NO CITATION ISSUED. 7-38-005. MUST PROVIDE.
5
78

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar on file is from Aug 19, 2025. The public record contains six inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar?

Across the inspection record, “contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar.

Has Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar's inspection record improved over time?

Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar have averaged around three violations per visit across the recent record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.

How often is Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Caravanserai Coffee Bar — Dark Matter/Caravanserai Coffee Bar is inspected roughly once per year on average.

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