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Calabar Kitchen

10 2 King St W, Hamilton ON L8P 1A1 · Food Take Out

Official record from Hamilton →

Inspection summary

Calabar Kitchen has been inspected 17 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since April 25, 2022. The most recent inspection, on September 30, 2026, recorded 4 infractions.

3 of 17 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 6 inspections with 21 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing 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.

  • 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 17 times across 11 separate inspections, most recently on September 30, 2026. For example: Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner

  • 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 13 times across 11 separate inspections, most recently on June 30, 2026. For example: Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed

  • 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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on June 30, 2026. For example: Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers

  • Food temperature controlHigher risk

    Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

    Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on June 30, 2026. For example: Hot holding: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating

  • 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 7 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on September 30, 2026. For example: Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes

About this data

These results come from City of Hamilton Public Health Services, 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.

17 inspections

  1. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
      • Change sanitizing solution for wiping cloths at a minimum of every 2 hours, or as often as necessary, to maintain the solution clean and sanitary at all times
      • Ensure wiping cloths are kept in a sanitizing solution when not in use
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Store food off the floor to prevent contamination
    • Certified food handler present in the food service premise
      • Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation
  2. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
      • Provide soap in a dispenser at hand basin in the food preparation area
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
    • Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
      • Change sanitizing solution for wiping cloths at a minimum of every 2 hours, or as often as necessary, to maintain the solution clean and sanitary at all times
      • Ensure wiping cloths are kept in a sanitizing solution when not in use
      • Keep cloths clean, in good repair, and restricted to a single task
    • Hot holding: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
  3. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  4. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Maintain ventilation system to ensure elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Maintain ventilation system in manner not permitting health hazard
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
    • Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
      • Change sanitizing solution for wiping cloths at a minimum of every 2 hours, or as often as necessary, to maintain the solution clean and sanitary at all times
      • Ensure wiping cloths are kept in a sanitizing solution when not in use
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
  5. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Routine Inspection

    8 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
    • Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
      • Ensure wiping cloths are kept in a sanitizing solution when not in use
    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
      • Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
    • Multi-service articles and food contact surfaces cleaned and sanitized after each use and following operations where contamination may have occurred
    • Food in storage protected from contamination
  7. Routine Inspection

    3 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
    • Hot holding: minimum of 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
      • Ensure food is held above 60°C (140°F) after cooking / rapid re-heating
  8. Routine Inspection

    3 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of the premises
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
  9. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
      • Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
      • Provide sufficient detergent or chemicals for washing or sanitizing
    • Food in storage protected from contamination
      • Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
  10. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
      • Provide soap in a dispenser at hand basin in the food preparation area
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
      • Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Store raw foods separate and below cooked / ready-to-eat foods
    • Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure food handlers wash hands as often as necessary
  11. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
      • Ensure hand washing basin is unobstructed and accessible for hand washing
    • Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
      • Provide soap in a dispenser at hand basin in the food preparation area
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Thaw all hazardous foods maintaining a temperature of 4°C (40°F) or less
  12. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
  13. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Store raw foods separate and below cooked / ready-to-eat foods
    • Food in storage protected from contamination
      • Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
  14. Routine Inspection

    0 infractions

  15. Routine Inspection

    3 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Cleaning required around, under, and behind kitchen equipment, counters, and baseboards
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • Food in storage protected from contamination
      • Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
  16. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
      • Provide soap in a dispenser at hand basin in the food preparation area
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
  17. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
    • Certified food handler present in the food service premise
      • Ensure certified food handler or supervisor is present during all hours of operation

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