Iskender's Turkish Cuisine & Lounge
4 466 Merritt St, St. Catharines ON L2P 1P3 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
Iskender's Turkish Cuisine & Lounge has been inspected 3 times by Niagara Region Public Health since April 16, 2026. The most recent inspection, on October 3, 2026, recorded 2 infractions.
None of the 3 inspections on record were free of infractions. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 7 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Handwashing and staff hygiene, Protecting food from contamination and Food temperature control.
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on October 3, 2026. For example:
Handwashing stations are maintained and kept adequately supplied.
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 across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 12, 2026. For example:
Raw food is separate from cooked and/or ready-to-eat foods during storage and handling.
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 once on October 3, 2026. For example:
Equipment used for refrigeration or hot holding contain accurate indicating thermometers.
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 once on April 16, 2026. For example:
Toxic and poisonous substances are labelled and stored separately from food.
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 once on April 16, 2026. For example:
Floors, walls and ceiling are well maintained and in good repair.
About this data
These results come from Niagara Region Public 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.
3 inspections
- Routine Inspection
2 infractions
- Equipment used for refrigeration or hot holding contain accurate indicating thermometers.
- Handwashing stations are maintained and kept adequately supplied.
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Raw food is separate from cooked and/or ready-to-eat foods during storage and handling.
- Routine Inspection
4 infractions
- Toxic and poisonous substances are labelled and stored separately from food.
- Food is protected from potential contamination (e.g. food covered, labelled, off floor, sneeze guard).
- Prohibited use of tobacco/smoking.
- Floors, walls and ceiling are well maintained and in good repair.
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