Happy Thyme Cafe
3904 W 51st Ave, Vancouver BC V6N 3W1 · Food Service Establishment 1
Inspection summary
Happy Thyme Cafe has been inspected 15 times by Vancouver Coastal Health since September 22, 2015. The most recent inspection, on July 29, 2026, found no infractions.
6 of 15 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, Protecting food from contamination and Food temperature control.
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 12 times across 8 separate inspections, most recently on June 6, 2025. For example:
All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
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 June 6, 2025. For example:
Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
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 5 times across 5 separate inspections, most recently on June 19, 2024. For example:
Potentially hazardous food is cooled in a manner that makes it safe to eat.
Food source, labelling and allergensHigher risk
Food must come from approved suppliers, stay in labelled containers and be thrown out when it is spoiled or damaged, such as dented or swollen cans. Labelling matters for allergies: an unlabelled container can hide an allergen.
Recorded once on March 22, 2018. For example:
Food on the premises is obtained from an approved source.
Permits, records and postingLower risk
Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.
Recorded 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on June 6, 2025. For example:
Operator of a food service establishment has developed, maintained, and followed approved written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur.
About this data
These results come from Vancouver Coastal 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.
15 inspections
- Routine
0 infractions
- Routine
3 infractions
- Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
- Food is not protected from contamination during transportation, display, storage or preparation.
- All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
- Sanitizing solution is not present or at an improper concentration.
- Operator of a food service establishment has developed, maintained, and followed approved written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur.
- Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
- Routine Follow-up
1 infraction
- An operator of a food service establishment must develop, maintain, and follow written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur in the operation of the establishment.
- Routine
7 infractions
- Operation and maintenance of premises is in accordance with approved floor plans and specifications.
- Premises is not in adequate repair or in sanitary condition.
- Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
- Food is stored in a manner that promotes cross contamination.
- Food is not protected from contamination during transportation, display, storage or preparation.
- Potentially hazardous food is cooled in a manner that makes it safe to eat.
- Potentially hazardous food is not cooled using appropriate equipment and/or approved methods.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- Equipment, utensils and/or food contact surfaces are not maintained/used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
- Mechanical dishwasher does not provide sufficient washing and/or sanitizing action to remove contamination.
- An operator of a food service establishment must develop, maintain, and follow written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur in the operation of the establishment.
- Temperature records are not being used to monitor critical limits.
- An accurate thermometer is not provided for temperature monitoring.
- A food service establishment must have written procedures to ensure the safe and sanitary operation of the establishment.
- Sanitizer levels are not being monitored and recorded.
- Operation and maintenance of premises is in accordance with approved floor plans and specifications.
- Routine
0 infractions
- Routine Follow-up
0 infractions
- Routine
2 infractions
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- Equipment, utensils and/or food contact surfaces are not in a condition that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
- Sanitizing solution is not present or at insufficient concentration.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- Routine
0 infractions
- Routine
3 infractions
- Potentially hazardous food is at a refrigerated temperature that keeps it safe to eat.
- Potentially hazardous food is not stored, displayed or transported at a temperature of 4°C or below.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
- Sanitizing solution is not present or at insufficient concentration.
- Potentially hazardous food is at a refrigerated temperature that keeps it safe to eat.
- Routine
3 infractions
- A Certified food safety training course has been taken by the operator and food handlers of the food service establishment.
- Owner/Operator does not hold a valid FOODSAFE or equivalent certificate.
- Potentially hazardous food is at a refrigerated temperature that keeps it safe to eat.
- Potentially hazardous food is not stored, displayed or transported at a temperature of 4°C or below.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- A Certified food safety training course has been taken by the operator and food handlers of the food service establishment.
- Routine Follow-up
0 infractions
- Routine
5 infractions
- Food on the premises is obtained from an approved source.
- The operator cannot provide evidence to support that food is from an approved source.
- Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
- Food is not stored off of floor.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.
- Sanitizing solution is not present or at insufficient concentration.
- An operator of a food service establishment must develop, maintain, and follow written procedures to ensure that a health hazard does not occur in the operation of the establishment.
- Food on the premises is obtained from an approved source.
- Routine
3 infractions
- A Certified food safety training course has been taken by the operator and food handlers of the food service establishment.
- Potentially hazardous food is cooked/reheated in a manner that makes it safe to eat.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- Routine
0 infractions
- Routine
4 infractions
- Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.
- Potentially hazardous food is at a refrigerated temperature that keeps it safe to eat.
- The premises and all equipment, utensils, and food contact surfaces are maintained in good condition and used in a manner that ensures safe and sanitary food handling.
- Each employee washes their hands as often as necessary to prevent the contamination of food.
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