Lena's Cafe
Last inspected: Nov 24, 2025
90
Score
The health department has logged 10 inspections at Lena's Cafe, the earliest from 2022. The most recent visit was on Nov 24, 2025. A low risk rating suggests inspectors haven't found much to be concerned about lately.
Recent inspections have turned up roughly the same number of issues each time, hovering near four violations per visit.
“Commercially processed ready-to-eat” accounts for the largest share of issues, appearing three times across the record.
That puts the facility ahead of the local pack: the average Melbourne restaurant scores 84. The record reflects steady performance over time.
10
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
2
Minor latest
Inspection History
Nov 24, 2025
Routine - Food
2 minor violations.
View 2 violations
Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Some dust build up on ceiling vents in kitchen.
36-34-5
Basic - Cove molding at floor/wall juncture broken/missing. Cove molding in banquet waitstaff area going into kitchen area.
36-03-4
90
Jun 6, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 1 major violation. 2 minor violations.
View 4 violations
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Marinara opened on 5/18, today is 6/6. Cook discarded product. **Corrected On-Site**
02C-01-5
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Sour cream undetermined when it was opened not date marked. Cook states it was opened last Sunday.
02C-03-5
Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Cook has not hat or hair net. Manager provided hat **Corrected On-Site**
13-03-4
Basic - Light not functioning. One light not functioning in kitchen. Manager put work order in for lights. **Corrective Action Taken**
36-62-4
70
Sep 20, 2024
Routine - Food
2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. On the daily special menu does not have consumer advisory on poached eggs. **Corrected On-Site**
02B-01-5
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Half and half opened a few days ago not date marked. **Corrected On-Site**
02C-03-5
Basic - Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. 3 pc of mahi
06-09-1
Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Chef replaced board. **Corrected On-Site**
14-09-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. **Corrected On-Site**
22-08-4
Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
29-49-6
67
Apr 30, 2024
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Apr 22, 2024
Routine - Food
3 major violations. 1 minor violation.
View 4 violations
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board on roll top cooler on cookline is stained and cut marks no longer cleanable. - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-22: **Time Extended**
22-02-4
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Handwash sink missing in warewashing or food preparation area. Handwash sink on cookline has no running water, and pvc pipe has been cut off underneath sink. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-22: **Time Extended**
31A-07-4
Intermediate - - From initial inspection : Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator is vacuum sealing raw meat for burgers and held longer than 48hrs. Beef was packaged on April 8th, today is April 11. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-22: **Time Extended**
03G-50-1
Basic - - From initial inspection : Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. No Handwash sign at handsink on cookline. - From follow-up inspection 2024-04-22: **Time Extended**
31B-04-4
70
Apr 11, 2024
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 5 major violations. 3 minor violations.
View 9 violations
High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken over raw fish in 2 door reach in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-20-5
Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. No soap at Handwash sink on cook line.
31B-03-4
Intermediate - Handwash sink missing in warewashing or food preparation area. Handwash sink on cookline has no running water, and pvc pipe has been cut off underneath sink. **Warning**
31A-07-4
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Cutting board on roll top cooler on cookline is stained and cut marks no longer cleanable.
22-02-4
Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. No paper towels at Handwash sink on cookline
31B-02-4
Intermediate - Operator is doing a special process, conducting reduced oxygen packaging, cooking time/temperature control for safety food to a time and temperature combination lesser than those in the Food Code or operating a molluscan shellfish tank for human consumption without a HACCP plan approved by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants. Operator is vacuum sealing raw meat for burgers and held longer than 48hrs. Beef was packaged on April 8th, today is April 11. **Warning**
03G-50-1
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. No Handwash sign at handsink on cookline.
31B-04-4
Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Shelves below cook line are soiled with food debris **Corrected On-Site**
23-03-4
Basic - Ripped/worn tin foil used as shelf cover. Shelves under cookline table are torn **Corrected On-Site**
14-20-4
45
Nov 16, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 1 major violation. 2 minor violations.
View 5 violations
High Priority - Raw shrimp stored over cooked chicken in reach-in freezer **Corrected On-Site**
08A-02-6
High Priority - Cut tomatoes at 59F- Chef stated they had been cut within 2 hours, suggested rapid chill and he moved them to walk-in cooler. **Corrected On-Site**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Employee working under 60 days, had not signed an employee reporting agreement, emailed to the operator. **Corrected On-Site**
11-26-1
Basic - Equipment in poor repair; gaskets on reach-in cooler on the cook-line damaged and not creating full seal, operator stated the cooler is on the maintenance list. **Corrective Action Taken**
14-11-5
Basic - Straws provided for customer self-service not individually wrapped or in an approved dispenser.
25-27-4
61
Jun 14, 2023
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Jun 12, 2023
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 3 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 8 violations
High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Spray bottle of peroxide with spices **Corrected On-Site**
41-10-4
High Priority - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. Short ribs dated 4-16, operator pulled from freezer yesterday
02C-01-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. shredded cheese (51F - Cold Holding); liquid egg (52F - Cold Holding); cut melon (46F - Cold Holding); Canadian bacon (42-51F - Cold Holding) Operator placed on cook line at 8am, found at 930, suggested rapid chill, operator added ice. Retemp of items- melon 43F, shredded cheese 43F, Canadian bacon 46F, pooled eggs 48F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
03A-02-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener blade left over debris **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
22-02-4
Intermediate - Menu does not identify which items contain raw or undercooked animal foods covered by the consumer advisory. Benedict with poached eggs no asterisk for denoting undercooked food. Operator began adding asterisks to menus. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation**
02B-01-5
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Unlabeled spray bottle **Corrected On-Site**
41-17-4
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed uncut veggies and fruit over pastries and other ready to eat foods in walk-in cooler. **Repeat Violation**
08B-17-4
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. **Repeat Violation**
35B-01-4
43
Aug 19, 2022
Routine - Food
4 major violations. 7 minor violations.
View 11 violations
Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Milk. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
02C-03-5
Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener blade
22-02-4
Intermediate - No written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to hold time/temperature control for safety food. Printed and filled out **Corrected On-Site**
03F-10-5
Intermediate - Raw/undercooked animal food offered and establishment has no written consumer advisory. Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service. No consumer Advisory on special menus. Eggs Benedict operator correcting **Corrective Action Taken**
02B-02-5
Basic - Employee personal food not properly identified and segregated from food to be served to the public. Employee fish in cooler not identified. Educated **Corrected On-Site**
08B-49-4
Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside.
35B-01-4
Basic - Food stored on floor. Rice and flour **Corrected On-Site**
08B-38-4
Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. **Corrected On-Site**
22-08-4
Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Inside bar **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
31B-04-4
Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Unwashed onions over ready to eat foods. Walk in cooler **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
08B-17-4
Basic - Cloth used as a food-contact surface. Wiping cloths on bottom of reach in cooler **Corrected On-Site**
21-05-5
47
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Lena's Cafe last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Lena's Cafe on file is from Nov 24, 2025. The public record contains 10 inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Lena's Cafe?
Across the inspection record, “commercially processed ready-to-eat” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at Lena's Cafe.
How does Lena's Cafe compare to other restaurants in Melbourne?
Lena's Cafe most recently scored 90 out of 100, which is higher than the Melbourne average of 84.
Has Lena's Cafe's inspection record improved over time?
Results have been roughly steady. Inspections at Lena's Cafe have averaged around four violations per visit across the recent record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Lena's 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 Lena's Cafe inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Lena's Cafe is inspected around three times per year on average.
Nearby Restaurants