Soloway Coffee
Last inspected: Mar 7, 2025
78
Score
Soloway Coffee has been inspected four times since 2024. On Mar 7, 2025, the health department conducted the most recent visit. Low risk indicates the latest report didn't flag anything that would worry the average customer.
Performance has remained roughly level over recent inspections, averaging near five violations each time.
Across the inspection history, “contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display” is the issue that surfaces most often, recorded five times.
Compared to other Chicago restaurants (averaging 81), there's room to close the gap. Overall, the inspection record reads well.
4
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
5
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 7, 2025
Complaint
5 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED BOXES OF FOOD ITEMS AND BOXES OF OIL STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE UPSTAIRS DRY STORAGE AREA AND THROUGHOUT BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ELEVATE ALL ITEMS AT LEAST 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.
39
Personal cleanliness
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEES AT TIME OF INSPECTION WEARING ANY EFFECTIVE HAIR RESTRAINTS OR BEARD COVER FOR ONE EMPLOYEE WITH A LARGE BEARD. INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES WORKING THROUGHOUT THE KITCHEN MUST WEAR EFFECTIVE HAIR AND BEARD RESTRAINTS.
40
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS STORED BENEATH UNPROTECTED/NOT SHIELDED WASTEWATER AND SEWER LINES IN THE BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREA ALONG TWO WALLS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SHIELDING OR MOVE ALL FOOD ITEMS AND STORAGE BINS FROM BELOW ANY UNPROTECTED SEWER AND WASTEWATER LINES.
44
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: MIXING BOWLS IN THE PREP AREA STORAGE RACKS MUST BE STORED INVERTED.
44
Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used
Inspector notes: MUST NOT USE MILK CRATES AS A MEANS OF ELEVATION FOR STORED ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE BASEMENT.
47
78
Jan 2, 2025
Routine
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Personal cleanliness
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEES AT TIME OF INSPECTION WEARING ANY EFFECTIVE HAIR RESTRAINTS OR BEARD COVER FOR ONE EMPLOYEE WITH A LARGE BEARD. INSTRUCTED MANAGER THAT ALL FOOD HANDLING EMPLOYEES WORKING THROUGHOUT THE KITCHEN MUST WEAR EFFECTIVE HAIR AND BEARD RESTRAINTS.
40
Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried, & handled
Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD SERVICE EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS STORED BENEATH UNPROTECTED/NOT SHIELDED WASTEWATER AND SEWER LINES IN THE BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREA ALONG TWO WALLS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SHIELDING OR MOVE ALL FOOD ITEMS AND STORAGE BINS FROM BELOW ANY UNPROTECTED SEWER AND WASTEWATER LINES.
44
Allergen training as required
Inspector notes: OBSERVED 3 CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS WITHOUT ALLERGEN TRAINING AT TIME OF INSPECTION. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ENSURE EVERY CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER MAINTAINS ALLERGEN TRAINING AND PROOF OF COMPLETION.
58
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED BOXES OF FOOD ITEMS AND BOXES OF OIL STORED ON THE FLOOR IN THE UPSTAIRS DRY STORAGE AREA AND THROUGHOUT BASEMENT DRY STORAGE AREAS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO ELEVATE ALL ITEMS AT LEAST 6 INCHES OFF THE FLOOR.
39
82
Jan 12, 2024
Reinspection
2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY THAT INCLUDES A SIGNED ACKOWLEDGEMENT FROM EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010, NO CITATION ISSUED.
3
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO PROCEDURE ON PLACE FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS.INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROCEDURE AND NECESSARY SUPPLIES EFFECTIVE AGAINST NOROVIRUS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005, NO CITATION ISSUED.
5
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: MISSING SPLASHGUARD IN BETWEEN HAND WASHING SINK AND FRONT PREP TABLE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
39
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: MUST PROVIDE DRAIN BOARD ABOVE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK TO DRAIN AND AIR DRY UTENSILS.
48
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE FOR COFFEE EXPRESSO MACHINE LOCATED AT FRONT COFFEE STATION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A BACKFLOW PREVENTOR DEVICE. MUST B E LOCATED SO THAT CAN BE SERVICE AND MAINTAINED.
51
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED UNUSED UPRIGHT 2-DOOR REFRIGERATOR IN REAR FOOD STORAGE AREA. MUST REPAIR COOLER OR REMOVED FROM PREMISES.
55
67
Jan 10, 2024
License
1 critical violation. 3 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 8 violations
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO PERMANENT SNEEZEGUARD PROVIDED AROUND THE FRONT COUNTER COFFEE FOOD PREPARATION AREA. INSTRUCTED TO INSTALL A BARRIER TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION BY THE PUBLIC. PRIORITY VIOLATION 7-38-005, NO CITATION ISSUED.
39
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO QUATERNARY CHEMICAL TEST STRIPS ON SITE FOR THE QUATERNARY SANITIZER AT THE 30 COMPARTMENT SINK AND LOW TEMPERATURE DISH WASHING MACHINE. MUST PROVIDE CHEMICAL TEST STRIPS TO MONITOR SANITIZING LEVELS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. NO ITATION ISSUED.
48
Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON SITE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY THAT INCLUDES A SIGNED ACKOWLEDGEMENT FROM EACH EMPLOYEE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010, NO CITATION ISSUED.
3
Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO PROCEDURE ON PLACE FOR RESPONDING TO VOMITING AND DIARRHEAL EVENTS.INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE PROCEDURE AND NECESSARY SUPPLIES EFFECTIVE AGAINST NOROVIRUS. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION. 7-38-005, NO CITATION ISSUED.
5
Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display
Inspector notes: MISSING SPLASHGUARD IN BETWEEN HAND WASHING SINK AND FRONT PREP TABLE. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN.
39
Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips
Inspector notes: MUST PROVIDE DRAIN BOARD ABOVE 3-COMPARTMENT SINK TO DRAIN AND AIR DRY UTENSILS.
48
Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE FOR COFFEE EXPRESSO MACHINE LOCATED AT FRONT COFFEE STATION. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE A BACKFLOW PREVENTOR DEVICE. MUST B E LOCATED SO THAT CAN BE SERVICE AND MAINTAINED.
51
Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean
Inspector notes: OBSERVED UNUSED UPRIGHT 2-DOOR REFRIGERATOR IN REAR FOOD STORAGE AREA. MUST REPAIR COOLER OR REMOVED FROM PREMISES.
55
52
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Soloway Coffee last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Soloway Coffee on file is from Mar 7, 2025. The public record contains four inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Soloway Coffee?
Across the inspection record, “contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display” has been cited five times, more than any other issue at Soloway Coffee.
Has Soloway Coffee's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Soloway Coffee have averaged around five violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Soloway Coffee means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.
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