Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe

900 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607

Café / Breakfast

Last inspected: Aug 13, 2025

Score

Low Risk

Across the available record, Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe has five inspections on file, the first dated 2017. Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe was last inspected on Aug 13, 2025. When a facility lands in the low risk tier, it usually means nothing alarming showed up at the most recent visit.

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

“Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” comes up most often, recorded two times in the inspection record.

Compared to the broader Chicago restaurant scene, where the average is 81, this is a stronger showing. The full picture is one of consistent compliance.

Inspections

Critical latest

Major latest

Minor latest

Inspection History

Aug 13, 2025

Routine

1 minor violation.

View 1 violation

Food properly labeled; original container

Inspector notes: OBSERVED NO LABELS ON PREPACKAGED SANDWICHES AND OTHER GRAB AND GO ITEMS IN THE DISPLAY COOLER. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO LABEL ALL PREPACKAGED FOODS WITH INGREDIENT LABELS, NET CONTENTS AND NAME AND ADDRESS OF MANUFACTURER.

Nov 1, 2024

Complaint

3 minor violations.

View 3 violations

Personal cleanliness

Inspector notes: OBSERVED FOOD HANDLERS PREPPING FOOD WITHOUT HAIR RESTRAINTS. INSTRUCTED PERSON IN CHARGE THAT ALL FOOD HANDLERS MUST WEAR A HAIR RESTRAINT.

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

Inspector notes: OBSERVED MILK CRATES BEING USED AS SHELVING THROUGHOUT THE PREP AND STORAGE AREAS. MUST REMOVE AND PROVIDE SHELVING THAT IS 6" OFF THE FLOOR AND PROVIDES FLOOR ACCESSIBILITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FACILITY CLEANING.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: OBSERVED LOOSE DEBRIS, DIRT AND DUST BUILDUP ON THE FLOORS AND CORNERS THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. INSTRUCTED TO DETAIL CLEAN AND INCREASE CLEANING FREQUENCY OF FLOORS. MUST MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.

May 12, 2020

Routine

2 major violations.

View 2 violations

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.

Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

Inspector notes: FOUND A CLEAN UP PROCEDURE AND KIT ON PREMISES BUT NO DISINFECTANT TO KILL NOROVIRUS; INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE. MUST PROVIDE A DISINFECTANT THAT WILL KILL NOROVIRUS FOR THE VOMIT AND DIARRHEA CLEAN UP KIT. ADDITIONAL TIME GRANTED. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005. A CITATION WILL BE ISSUED IF VIOLATION NOT CORRECTED.

Aug 21, 2018

Routine

2 major violations. 4 minor violations.

View 6 violations

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

Inspector notes: 2.102.14(A)(A) NO EMPLOYEE HEALTH POLICY AVAILABLE ON-SITE DURING THE INSPECTION FOR REVIEW. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE FORM 1B OR SIMILAR DOCUMENTS USED TO DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-012(A)

Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

Inspector notes: 2.501.11 NO CLEAN-UP KIT AVAILABLE ON-SITE DURING THE INSPECTION FOR REVIEW. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE THE KIT AND THE PROCEDURES FOR EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW WHEN RESPONDING TO VOMITING OR DIARRHEAL EVENTS THAT INVOLVE THE DISCHARGE OF FECAL OR VOMITUS MATTER ONTO SURFACES IN THE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT. PRIORITY FOUNDATION 7-38-005 NO CITATION ISSUED.

Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

Inspector notes: 3.307.11 MUST PROVIDE A SPLASH GUARD BETWEEN THE HAND SINK AND THE ESPRESSO MACHINE ON THE COUNTER BEHIND THE FRONT SERVICE COUNTER. INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN.

Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

Inspector notes: 6.501.114 MUST ORGANIZE CLUTTER INSIDE THE DISH ROOM AREA. ELEVATE ITEMS 6" OFF FLOORS TO PREVENT RODENT HARBORAGE, AND MAINTAIN.

Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

Inspector notes: 6.303.11 MUST REPLACE BURNED OUT LIGHT IN THE DISH ROOM AREA, INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN.

All food employees have food handler training

Inspector notes: 2.102.13 FOOD HANDLER REQUIREMENTS NOT MET. INFORMATION PROVIDED.

Jun 22, 2017

License

No violations found.

100

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe on file is from Aug 13, 2025. The public record contains five inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe?

Across the inspection record, “physical facilities installed, maintained & clean” has been cited two times, more than any other issue at Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe.

Has Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe's inspection record improved over time?

Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe have averaged around two violations per visit across the recent record.

What does a low risk rating mean?

A low risk rating at Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe 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 Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, Theoharis Coffee Company — Ground up Cafe is inspected about once every two years on average.

Nearby Restaurants

Kingsbaker Cafe

900 W Van Buren St

Score: 100 — Low Risk

Explore More

→ All locations in Chicago → Café / Breakfast restaurants in Chicago