COWABUNGA + PIZZERIA

Inspection summary

COWABUNGA + PIZZERIA has been inspected 8 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since February 14, 2023. The most recent inspection, on February 24, 2026, found no infractions.

2 of 8 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 0 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Protecting food from contamination.

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 5 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 26, 2025. For example: Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer

• 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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on September 26, 2025. For example: Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer

• 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 2 times on August 8, 2024. For example: Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner

• 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 August 8, 2024. For example: Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers

• 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 31, 2025. For example: Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests

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.

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