Franco's Italian Restaurant
Last inspected: Mar 31, 2026
61
Score
Franco's Italian Restaurant has been inspected six times since 2022. Inspectors last stopped by on Mar 31, 2026. When a facility lands in medium risk territory, it usually means a mixed inspection result.
Things have been moving the wrong way, with the rolling count rising from around three violations to closer to nine violations per visit.
“Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting” comes up most often, recorded four times in the inspection record.
By comparison, the average Ocala facility scores 78, putting Franco's Italian Restaurant on the weaker side. On the whole, the file is mixed but not concerning.
6
Inspections
2
Critical latest
0
Major latest
4
Minor latest
Inspection History
Mar 31, 2026
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. At the cook line, Alfredo 94F and 80F, Manager placed on time, sauce made at 10:45Am will be discarded at 2:45. **Corrective Action Taken**
03B-01-6
High Priority - Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. At the server station, female employee touches with barre hand cut lettuce with bare hands, inspector instructed to removed the piece of lettuce, wash hands and use gloves **Corrective Action Taken**
09-01-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drink on top of ice machine, employee moved. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee purses on top of cans at the bar area, manager moved. **Repeat Violation**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Cleaned stacked containers and cups stored above triple sink.
24-08-4
Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. To go containers not inverted at the prep area, manager inverted. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
25-05-4
61
Oct 15, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 4 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. At the pizza station, ricotta cheese 54F, Employee voluntarily discarded. At the cook line, eggplant 53F, Manager voluntarily discarded.
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. At the cook line, sausage 120F, chicken gravy 108F, beef broth 109F, chicken broth 107F, soup 122 and 92F manager moved to the line and reheated to 165F. **Corrected On-Site**
03B-01-6
Intermediate - Food manager certification expired. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ For two male managers, (05/29/2025).
53A-03-7
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for employee hired more than 60 days ago. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. For one female employee.
53B-02-5
Intermediate - No written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to hold time/temperature control for safety food. No documents on site.
03F-10-5
Intermediate - Required employee training provided by a third-party employee training program and operator unable to provide original certificate for employees trained. For three employees
53B-09-4
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. At the pizza station, sign blocked by soap dispenser.
31B-04-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Single service not inverted, manager inverted. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
Basic - Stored food not covered. In walk-in cooler soup not covered, manager cover. **Corrected On-Site**
08B-12-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Cleaned stacked container, above dish machine, manager moved. **Corrective Action Taken**
24-08-4
41
May 9, 2025
Routine - Food
6 critical violations. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 12 violations
High Priority - Container of medicine improperly stored. Bottle of alka seltzer on prep table by vegetable cutter. Employee moved bottle. **Corrected On-Site**
41-07-4
High Priority - Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Employee pulled down back of shirt with hand then touched clean utensils handle on cooks line, after changing gloves inspector spoke to employee about washing hands before changing gloves.
12A-28-4
High Priority - Live, small flying insects found. Approximately 3 flies in outside storage shed with door open, operator closed door to prevent flies from going into storage shed.
35A-02-7
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. cheesecake (46,47F - Cold Holding); cheese (47F - Cold Holding) items in cooler at wait station the cooler had been bumped up warmer a few minutes prior while employee cleaned cooler, cooler was dropped back down and retested cheesecake at 41 and cheese at 45. chicken (47F - Cold Holding); Philly meat (51F - Cold Holding) items in cooler on cooks line used for a catering, items placed back in cooler after being sat out of cooler, operator placed ice packs on food retested at below 41F. **Corrective Action Taken**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Fresh garlic and oil mixture on cooks line no time mark.
03F-02-5
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Sanitizer chemical container on shelf next to canned tomatoes operator moved chemical to chemical shelf. **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
Intermediate - Establishment conducts non-continuous cooking of raw animal foods without written procedures approved by the division. Chicken cordon bleu in walk in cooler, the chicken is first cooked to 135F kept in walk in cooler then when ordered it is finished at 165F.
03C-89-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting boards on cooks line stained.
22-02-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee beverage on prep table next to vegetable cutter. Employee moved item. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Plastic containers of shelf in dish area.
24-08-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee phone on prep table by vegetable cutter. Employee moved. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Cutting board on cooks line with cut marks.
14-11-5
27
Jul 8, 2024
Food-Licensing Inspection
No violations found.
100
Mar 8, 2023
Routine - Food
2 major violations. 5 minor violations.
View 7 violations
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Blade of can opener on prep table across from three compartment sink. White cutting board stored in dish area. **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. No written procedure available. Inspector provided operator with written procedure. **Corrective Action Taken**
11-27-4
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Pans stored on shelf above three compartment sink. Containers stored on shelf in dry storage area.
24-08-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Fan covers in walk-in cooler.
23-03-4
Basic - Standing water in floor ice machine drain draining very slowly. Ice machine located in pizza prep area.
29-19-4
Basic - Accumulation of lime scale on the inside of the dishmachine. Dish machine located next to three compartment sink.
16-23-4
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Container of Haagan Daas ice cream in reach-in freezer across from back door. Owner removed ice cream from freezer. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
08B-49-4
64
Sep 27, 2022
Routine - Food
1 minor violation.
View 1 violation
Required Records Available; Shellstock Tags/Labels
FL-14
95
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Franco's Italian Restaurant last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Franco's Italian Restaurant on file is from Mar 31, 2026. The public record contains six inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Franco's Italian Restaurant?
Across the inspection record, “equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Franco's Italian Restaurant.
How does Franco's Italian Restaurant compare to other restaurants in Ocala?
Franco's Italian Restaurant most recently scored 61 out of 100, which is lower than the Ocala average of 78.
Has Franco's Italian Restaurant's inspection record improved over time?
No. Recent inspections at Franco's Italian Restaurant have averaged around nine violations per visit, up from roughly three earlier in the record.
What does a medium risk rating mean?
A medium risk rating at Franco's Italian Restaurant means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.
How often is Franco's Italian Restaurant inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Franco's Italian Restaurant is inspected around two times per year on average.
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