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BREAKTHROUGH, THE BRIDGE CAFE

3219 W CARROLL AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60624 · Restaurant

Inspection summary

BREAKTHROUGH, THE BRIDGE CAFE has been inspected 10 times by Chicago Department of Public Health since March 16, 2015. The most recent inspection, on March 13, 2023, found no infractions.

2 of 10 inspections on record found no infractions at all. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Chemicals and toxic substances and Handwashing and staff hygiene.

The number of infractions per inspection has stayed roughly the same over time.

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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 21, 2022. For example: NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN

  • Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk

    Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.

    Recorded once on January 30, 2018. For example: DISH MACHINES: PROVIDED WITH ACCURATE THERMOMETERS, CHEMICAL TEST KITS AND SUITABLE GAUGE COCK

  • 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 once on April 8, 2016. For example: APPROPRIATE METHOD OF HANDLING OF FOOD (ICE) HAIR RESTRAINTS AND CLEAN APPAREL WORN

  • Building, plumbing and upkeepLower risk

    Floors, walls and ceilings must be smooth and clean, with working lighting, ventilation, plumbing, hot and cold water, and washrooms. These are rarely an immediate food-safety risk on their own, but persistent problems can lead to pest or sanitation issues.

    Recorded 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on September 21, 2022. For example: PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN

  • Equipment and utensilsLower risk

    Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.

    Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on May 12, 2017. For example: WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS

About this data

These results come from Chicago Department of Public Health, 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.

10 inspections

  1. Canvass

    0 infractions

  2. Canvass

    2 infractions

    • 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
      • OBSERVED WALK IN COOLING UNIT WITH A BUILD UP OF DIRT AND DEBRIS UNDER THE SHELVING UNITS. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • OBSERVED A BUILD UP OF DIRT AND STAINS ON THE FLOORS ALONG THE WALLS UNDER AND AROUND THE COOKING EQUIPMENT AND NON COOKING EQUIPMENT, UNDER DISH WASHING MACHINE AS WELL. INSTRUCTED TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN ALL AREAS.
  3. Canvass

    2 infractions

    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • OBSERVED DRIED FOOD DEBRIS UNDERNEATH ALL HEAVY EQUIPMENT IN THE REAR PREP AREA ON FLOORS. INSTRUCTED RO REMOVE AND MAINTAIN.
    • 58. ALLERGEN TRAINING AS REQUIRED
      • OBSERVED CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGER WITHOUT ALLERGEN TRAINING CERTIFICATE ON SITE FOR REVIEW. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN FOR ALL CITY OF CHICAGO CERTIFIED MANAGER CERTIFICATE HOLDERS.
  4. Canvass

    1 infraction

    • 48. WAREWASHING FACILITIES: INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & USED; TEST STRIPS
      • NO TEMPERATURE MEASURING DEVICE ON SITE FOR HIGH TEMP DISHWASHER. INSTRUCTED TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN. PRIORITY FOUNDATION VIOLATION 7-38-005
  5. Canvass

    2 infractions

    • 49. NON-FOOD/FOOD CONTACT SURFACES CLEAN
      • MUST REMOVE ICE AND CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE.
    • 55. PHYSICAL FACILITIES INSTALLED, MAINTAINED & CLEAN
      • FLOORS NEED CLEANING UNDERNEATH THE COOKING EQUIPMENT TO REMOVE SPILLS AND/OR DEBRIS.
  6. Canvass Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  7. Canvass

    1 infraction

    • 22. DISH MACHINES: PROVIDED WITH ACCURATE THERMOMETERS, CHEMICAL TEST KITS AND SUITABLE GAUGE COCK
      • THE FINAL RINSE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE HIGH TEMPERATURE DISHMACHINE IS NOT OPERATIONAL. MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTED TO REPAIR. SERIOUS VIOLATION 7-38-030.
  8. Canvass

    2 infractions

    • 34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
      • FLOORS NEED CLEANING IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS TO REMOVE SPILL AND/OR DEBRIS: WALK IN FREEZER,UNDERNEATH THE DISHWASHER AND AROUND COOKING EQUIPMENT.
    • 35. WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS
      • WALLS NEED CLEANING BEHIND THE DISHWASHER TO REMOVE DEBRIS.
  9. Complaint

    4 infractions

    • 33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
      • CLEAN THE FOLLOWING: INTERIORS OF THE OVENS AND ICE MACHINE IN MAIN FOOD PREP AREA AND TOASTER OVEN IN FRONT CAFE PREP AREA. CLEAN THE SHELVES UNDERNEATH THE PREP TABLES IN THE MAIN FOOD PREP AREA, AND THE 1 COMPARTMENT SINK IN FRONT CAFE PREP AREA.
    • 34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
      • DETAIL CLEAN FLOORS THTOUGHOUT IN BETWEEN LARGE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN THE MAIN FOOD PREP AREA(FOOD DEBRIS).
    • 42. APPROPRIATE METHOD OF HANDLING OF FOOD (ICE) HAIR RESTRAINTS AND CLEAN APPAREL WORN
      • ALL EMPLOYEES REGARDLESS OF TITLE THAT HANDLE OPEN FOODS MUST WEAR HAIR RESTRAINTS.
    • 45. FOOD HANDLER REQUIREMENTS MET
      • Any food handler working in the City of Chicago, unless that person has a valid Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate is required to meet the food handler training requirement. If someone working in a facility that is not a food handler on a regular basis, but fills in as a food handler when needed, they too must have food handler training.
  10. License

    2 infractions

    • 34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
      • DETAIL CLEAN THE FLOOR OF THE WALK-IN FREEZER.
    • 38. VENTILATION: ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT VENTED AS REQUIRED: PLUMBING: INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED
      • REPAIR THE DRAIN LINE WATER LEAK BELOW THE EXPOSED HANDSINK IN THE COFFEE PREP AREA.

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