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Mohawk Student Association - The Cellar Kitchen/ The Cellar Take-Out / Bar

135 Fennell Ave W, Hamilton ON L8N 3T2 · Food Take Out

Official record from Hamilton →

Inspection summary

Mohawk Student Association - The Cellar Kitchen/ The Cellar Take-Out / Bar has been inspected 13 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since April 4, 2022. The most recent inspection, on May 6, 2026, recorded 4 infractions.

4 of 13 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 2 inspections with 6 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Protecting food from contamination.

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 8 times across 7 separate inspections, most recently on May 6, 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 6 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 29, 2025. For example: Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer

  • 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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on May 6, 2026. For example: Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner

  • 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 once on May 6, 2026. For example: Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers

  • 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 March 19, 2024. 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.

13 inspections

  1. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
    • Separate hand washing basin provided for food handlers
    • 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
  2. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, 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
  3. Routine Inspection

    1 infraction

    • Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
  4. Routine Inspection

    3 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
    • 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 food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
    • 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
  5. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  6. Routine Inspection

    2 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
      • Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
  7. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  8. Routine Inspection

    5 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
      • 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 are cleaned and sanitized
    • 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
    • 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
  9. Routine Inspection

    0 infractions

  10. Routine Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 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
  11. Re-inspection

    0 infractions

  12. Routine Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 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 floors are kept clean and in good repair
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Maintain and arrange equipment to permit a clean and sanitary condition
    • Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
      • Chlorine sanitizer concentration must be at least 100 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
      • Quaternary ammonium compound must be at least 200 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
    • Refrigeration and hot-holding equipment maintained
      • Provide easily readable thermometer in refrigeration or hot-holding equipment
  13. Routine Inspection

    2 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
    • Furniture, equipment and appliances in food handling and storage rooms arranged and constructed to permit a clean and sanitary environment
      • Maintain and arrange equipment to permit a clean and sanitary condition

Nearby inspected facilities

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