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INDIAN SPICE

647 UPPER JAMES ST, HAMILTON · Restaurant

Official record from Hamilton →

Inspection summary

INDIAN SPICE has been inspected 21 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since February 11, 2022. The most recent inspection, on October 1, 2026, found no infractions.

5 of 21 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 4 inspections with 16 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Food temperature control.

Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.

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 18 times across 11 separate inspections, most recently on September 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 17 times across 11 separate inspections, most recently on September 28, 2026. For example: Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed

  • 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 7 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on February 19, 2026. For example: Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less

  • 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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on September 28, 2026. For example: Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests

  • Chemicals and toxic substancesHigher risk

    Cleaning products, sanitizers and pesticides must be labelled and stored away from food and food-contact surfaces. Inspectors flag chemicals that could end up in food, as well as pest treatments applied without proper supervision.

    Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on February 19, 2026. For example: Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation

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.

21 inspections

  1. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  2. Routine Inspection

    6 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
      • Provide paper towels in a dispenser at hand basin in food preparation area
    • 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
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
    • Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
      • Cover all food in storage
      • Store food off the floor to prevent contamination
  3. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
    • Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
      • Provide tightly sealed entrances and / or screened entrances to prevent the entry of insects, birds, rodents, and other pests
    • Multi-service articles and food contact surfaces cleaned and sanitized after each use and following operations where contamination may have occurred
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Cover all food in storage
      • Store food off the floor to prevent contamination
  4. Routine Inspection

    5 infractions

    • 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
    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in compartment away from food or food working surfaces or utensils
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
  5. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Routine Inspection

    6 infractions

    • 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
    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Collect and remove garbage and waste as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • 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
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
    • Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
      • Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
  7. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  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
    • 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 equipment, utensils, and multi-service articles are suitable for intended purposes (food-grade)
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
  9. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
  10. Routine Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 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
  11. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  12. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Collect and remove garbage and waste as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions
  13. Routine Inspection

    7 infractions

    • The premises is operated and maintained free from potential/immediate health hazards
      • Maintain premise free from conditions that may, be a health hazard, adversely affecting the sanitary operation of the premises
    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Dispose of liquid waste in a sanitary manner
    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
      • Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
    • Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
      • Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
  14. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Collect and remove garbage and waste as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions
  15. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  16. Routine Inspection

    10 infractions

    • The premises is operated and maintained free from potential/immediate health hazards
      • Maintain premise free from conditions that may, be a health hazard, adversely affecting the sanitary operation of the premises
    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure ceilings 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
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles in good repair
      • Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
    • Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
      • Collect and remove garbage and waste as necessary to maintain sanitary conditions
    • 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
      • Keep cloths clean, in good repair, and restricted to a single task
    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
      • Ensure manual dishwashing includes the three steps: wash, rinse, and sanitize
    • Toxic or poisonous substances required for maintenance in food premises are stored and handled as prescribed in the regulation
      • Store toxic/poisonous substances in container bearing identifying labels
    • Maintenance of sanitary facilities
      • Maintain sanitary facility clean and in good repair
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
      • Store food off the floor to prevent contamination
    • Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
      • Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
  17. 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
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
  18. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
      • Ensure ceilings are kept clean and in good repair
  19. Routine Inspection

    7 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
    • Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
    • 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
      • Provide sanitizing solution for wiping cloths/rinsing large utensils/rinsing food contact surfaces
    • Manual dishwashing: Wash, rinse, sanitize technique
    • Multi-service articles and food contact surfaces cleaned and sanitized after each use and following operations where contamination may have occurred
      • Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces or equipment as often as necessary
    • Food protected from contamination or adulteration
      • Protect food from contamination and adulteration
      • Cover all food in storage
      • Handle raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods, on separate preparation surfaces, and with separate utensils to prevent contamination
      • Store raw foods separate and below cooked / ready-to-eat foods
  20. Re-inspection

    1 infraction

    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
  21. Routine Inspection

    10 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 floors, walls, and ceilings are tight, smooth, and non-absorbent
      • Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
    • Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Maintain and arrange furniture to permit a clean and sanitary condition
      • Maintain and arrange appliances to permit a clean and sanitary condition
      • Remove all materials not associated with the daily operation of the premises
    • Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
      • Ventilation system requires thorough cleaning
    • Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
      • Contact licensed pest control operator for insect / rodent / pest treatment and control
      • Evidence of minor insect / rodent activity
    • Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
      • Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
    • 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
    • Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
      • Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
    • Food in storage protected from contamination
      • Ensure racks, shelves or pallets are clean and designed to protect against contamination
    • 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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