EMPANADA LOCA BEER GARDEN

Inspection summary

EMPANADA LOCA BEER GARDEN has been inspected 4 times by NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) since June 9, 2022. The most recent inspection, on November 19, 2024, recorded 4 infractions.

None of the 4 inspections on record were free of infractions. No inspections are on record from the past 12 months. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.

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.

• 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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on November 19, 2024. For example: No hand washing facility in or adjacent to toilet room or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service or ware washing area. Hand washing facility not accessible, obstructed or used for non-hand washing purposes. No hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure. No soap or acceptable hand-drying device.

• 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 once on November 19, 2024. For example: No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers.

• 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 once on June 9, 2022. For example: Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

• Food safety training and certificationLower risk

  Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.

  Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on November 19, 2024. For example: Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

• Other findingsLower risk

  Findings that do not fit the categories above, such as follow-ups that confirm an earlier violation was corrected, or requirements specific to this type of facility.

  Recorded once on June 22, 2022. For example: Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.

About this data

These results come from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), 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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