Bell's Lane Kitchen
1949 UPPER WATER, HALIFAX · Food Establishment
Inspection summary
Bell's Lane Kitchen has been inspected 5 times by Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program) since January 14, 2025. The most recent inspection, on January 29, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.
2 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 1 infraction recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Protecting food from contamination and Handwashing and staff hygiene.
Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk
Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.
Recorded 6 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 27, 2025. For example:
29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 4 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 27, 2025. For example:
23(1)(a) All equipment and utensils used to process, prepare, store, serve, sell or display food must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to (a) protect food from contamination;
Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk
Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 27, 2025. For example:
27(a) A food establishment must develop and demonstrate policies and procedures for personnel that ensure that a person entering a food handling area or engaging in an operation in a food establishment who comes into contact with food meets all of the following: (a) the person is clean and sanitary and shows good personal hygiene;
PestsHigher risk
Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.
Recorded once on January 14, 2025. For example:
29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done: (b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
Permits, records and postingLower risk
Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.
Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on January 29, 2026. For example:
9(a) An operator must renew a permit, other than a temporary permit, on or before the expiry date by submitting a completed renewal application to the Minister on a form approved by the Administrator together with all of the following: (a) the applicable fee prescribed in Section 5;
About this data
These results come from Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change (Food Safety Program), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
5 inspections
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 9(a) An operator must renew a permit, other than a temporary permit, on or before the expiry date by submitting a completed renewal application to the Minister on a form approved by the Administrator together with all of the following: (a) the applicable fee prescribed in Section 5;
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
7 infractions
- 23(1)(a) All equipment and utensils used to process, prepare, store, serve, sell or display food must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to
(a) protect food from contamination;
- Ensure drain plug for prep sink by freezer is stored in a sanitary manner.
- 23(1)(a) All equipment and utensils used to process, prepare, store, serve, sell or display food must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to
(a) protect food from contamination;
- Ensure serving spoons at salad bar are stored in a manner that prevents the handle from coming into contact with food items to prevent contamination.
- 27(a) A food establishment must develop and demonstrate policies and procedures for personnel that ensure that a person entering a food handling area or engaging in an operation in a food establishment who comes into contact with food meets all of the following:
(a) the person is clean and sanitary and shows good personal hygiene;
- Ensure employee hands are always washed before wearing gloves, when changing gloves and after removing gloves.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- Ensure dishwasher detergent is restocked once empty.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- Clean and disinfect all areas affected by rodent droppings.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- Clean and sanitize containers where clean utensils are stored next to dishwasher. Ensure containers are maintained in a sanitary manner.
- 47(2)(a) An operator must
(a) provide adequate food safety information to enable the purchaser to handle, store, process, prepare or display the food safely; and
- Add dates to pre-made food items in convenience store, such as 'prepared on' date.
- 23(1)(a) All equipment and utensils used to process, prepare, store, serve, sell or display food must be designed, constructed, installed and maintained to
(a) protect food from contamination;
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
9 infractions
- 19(2)(b) A food establishment must provide all of the following in accordance with applicable legislation or as considered acceptable by the Administrator:
(b) adequately designed and appropriately located hand-washing facilities;
- Ensure there is a dedicated hand sink in the American/Mediterranean prep line as per the approved floor plan that was submitted.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- Observed old food debris on meat slicer. Meat slicer must be dismantled and cleaned and sanitized according to manufacturer instructions after every use.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- Observed used spoons at coffee station stored in dipper well while it was turned off. Ensure dipper well in coffee area is turned on and operating at all times. Dipper well was turned on during inspection.
- 29(2)(a) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(a) the food establishment and equipment are maintained, cleaned and sanitized;
- A deep clean is required of kitchen and storage areas.
- 29(2)(b) A maintenance, cleaning and sanitation program must include procedures to ensure that all of the following are done:
(b) insects, rodents and other pests are controlled;
- A build-up of rodent droppings observed throughout the entirety of the facility (including but not limited to under food processing equipment, shelving units and food prep tables, etc.). Clean and disinfect all areas affected by rodent droppings.
- 34 An operator must ensure that a food establishment is operated so that all food and food ingredients are processed, manufactured, handled, prepared, packaged, served, sold, offered for sale or distribution free of charge, dispensed, displayed and stored in a manner that prevents contamination and adulteration.
- The chicken from the shawarma cone must undergo a secondary cook step prior to storing in hot holding unit to ensure it is thoroughly cooked.
- 37(1) If directed by an inspector, a food establishment must maintain records that demonstrate the quality assurance system used to ensure food safety in the processing or preparation of a food.
- Temperature logs are not being maintained. Ensure temperature logs are maintained and kept up-to-date.
- 48(1) An operator must ensure that all food is stored and transported under conditions that do all of the following:
a) protect the food from contamination,
b) provide an environment that adequately controls contamination,
c) protect the food from damage likely to make the food inedible.
- Observed soiled utensils stored amongst clean utensils. Ensure all utensils are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized prior to storing. Utensils were moved to dishwashing area during inspection.
- 9(a) An operator must renew a permit, other than a temporary permit, on or before the expiry date by submitting a completed renewal application to the Minister on a form approved by the Administrator together with all of the following:
(a) the applicable fee prescribed in Section 5;
- Eating Establishment Permit has expired. Ensure permit is renewed.
- 19(2)(b) A food establishment must provide all of the following in accordance with applicable legislation or as considered acceptable by the Administrator:
(b) adequately designed and appropriately located hand-washing facilities;
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