Sweet Cafe Chicago

243 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616

Café / Breakfast

Last inspected: May 14, 2024

Score

Medium Risk

The inspection history at Sweet Cafe Chicago is still short, with only two visits logged. Inspectors last stopped by on May 14, 2024. When a facility lands in medium risk territory, it usually means a mixed inspection result.

The picture has gotten worse over the last few visits, with the average climbing from around seven violations to closer to nine violations.

The most common issue across all inspections has been “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean”, showing up three times.

By comparison, the average Chicago facility scores 81, putting Sweet Cafe Chicago on the weaker side. The record is unremarkable in either direction.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

May 14, 2024

Routine

9 minor violations.

View 9 violations

Wiping cloths: properly used & stored

Inspector notes: OBSERVED WIPING TOWELS NOT PROPERLY STORED IN SANITIZING SOLUTION WHEN NOT IN USE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO STORE WIPING CLOTHS IN SANITIZING SOLUTION (MUST BE AT THE REQUIRED PPM) WHEN NOT IN USE. MAINTAIN.

Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE RUBBER GASKET ON THE PREP COOLER IN FRONT OF THE COOKING EQUIPMENT IN POOR REPAIR. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO REPAIR/REPLACE RUBBER GASKET AND MAINTAIN.

Food & non-food contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE CAN OPENER IN THE BASEMENT PREP AREA WITH FOOD AND DIRT BUILD UP. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN CAN OPENER.

Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE TRASH RECEPTACLE IN THE UNISEX TOILET ROOM WITH NO LID. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO PROVIDE A TRASH RECEPTACLE WITH A LID AND MAINTAIN.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THEINTERIOR OF THE FLOOR DRAINS AND FLOORS IN THE CORNERS, UNDER/AROUND ALL HEAVY EQUIPMENT, SINKS AND STORAGE RACKS IN THE BASEMENT AND 1ST FL PREP AREA WITH FOOD, DIRT AND DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN FLOORS THROUGHOUT.

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: OBSERVED AN EMPLOYEE ON SITE WITH NO FOOD HANDLER TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO HAVE EMPLOYEE OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN A CURRENT CERTIFICATE AT ALL TIMES.

Allergen training as required

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE CFM WITH NO ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE. INSTRUCTED TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN A CURRENT CERTIFICATE.

Non-food/food contact surfaces clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED THE RUBBER GASKETS AND THE LOWER SURFACES OF ALL OF THE COOLERS/FREEZERS WITH FOOD, DIRT AND DEBRIS. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL.

Personal cleanliness

Inspector notes: OBSERVED EMPLOYEES NOT WEARING A HAIR RESTRAINT WHEN IN THE FOOD PREP AREA. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO HAVE ANYONE IN THE FOOD PREP AREA TO WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT. MAINTAIN SAME.

Jul 20, 2023

License

2 major violations. 5 minor violations.

View 7 violations

Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

Inspector notes: NO VOMIT AND DIARRHEA KIT ON PREMISES AS REQUIRED; MUST PROVIDE. INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE THAT A VOMIT AND DIARRHEA KIT MUST BE ON PREMISES TO USE IN CASE OF A VOMIT AND DIARRHEAL INCIDENT ON PREMISES. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005.

Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

Inspector notes: NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY ON PREMISES AS REQUIRED; MUST PROVIDE. INSTRUCTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION OF EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT ANY ILLNESS TRANSMISSIBLE THROUGH FOOD. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-010.

Food properly labeled; original container

Inspector notes: FOUND BULK STORAGE CONTAINERS NOT LABELED WITH NAME OF PRODUCT INSIDE OF CONTAINER; INSTRUCTED TO LABEL CONTAINERS IN BASEMENT PREP AREA.

Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

Inspector notes: FOUND AN ICE MACHINE ON PREMISES IN THE BASEMENT THAT WAS NOT CONNECTED TO A WATER LINE OR PLUGGED IN. INSTRUCTED THAT IF ICE MACHINE WILL BE USED THAT IT MUST BE CONNECTED TO A WATER LINE AND HAVE A BACKFLOW DEVICE INSTALLED AS WELL.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED A SMALL HOLE IN THE WALL IN THE BASEMENT BY THE DEEP FREEZERS; INSTRUCTED TO SEAL HOLE IN WALL.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED SOME AREAS OF THE WALL BASE IN THE BASEMENT AREA NOT COVED; INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE WALL COVING AT THE BASE OF THE WALL IN THE BASEMENT WHERE NEEDED.

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: INSTRUCTED THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS NEED THE REQUIRED FOOD HANDLER TRAINING.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sweet Cafe Chicago last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Sweet Cafe Chicago on file is from May 14, 2024. The public record contains two inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Sweet Cafe Chicago?

Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Sweet Cafe Chicago.

Has Sweet Cafe Chicago's inspection record improved over time?

No. Recent inspections at Sweet Cafe Chicago have averaged around nine violations per visit, up from roughly seven earlier in the record.

What does a medium risk rating mean?

A medium risk rating at Sweet Cafe Chicago means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.

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