Gong Cha
107 JAMES ST.N, HAMILTON · Restaurant
Inspection summary
Gong Cha has been inspected 11 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since March 9, 2022. The most recent inspection, on April 28, 2026, recorded 3 infractions.
5 of 11 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 3 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination and Cleaning and sanitizing.
Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.
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 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on April 28, 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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 8, 2024. For example:
Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 28, 2026. For example:
Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 28, 2026. For example:
Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
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 once on August 22, 2025. For example:
Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
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.
11 inspections
- Routine Inspection
3 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 handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
- Ensure food handlers wash hands as often as necessary
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
- Illumination maintained in food premise as prescribed in Ontario Regulation 332/12 (Building Code)
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Cloths and towels maintained in clean, good repair and not used for other purposes
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Protect food from contamination and adulteration
- Routine Inspection
4 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
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
- Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
- Provide sufficient detergent or chemicals for washing or sanitizing
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Cover all food in storage
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
- Provide hand washing basin in a convenient location in the food preparation area
- Provide hand washing basin in food preparation area
- Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
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