NORTH HILL ESPRESSO
20738 1ST AVE S, DES MOINES, WA 98198 · Restaurant (Seating 0-12)
Inspection summary
NORTH HILL ESPRESSO has been inspected 16 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since February 1, 2012. The most recent inspection, on January 8, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.
12 of 16 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 1 infraction recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Protecting food from contamination and Handwashing and staff hygiene.
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 once on January 8, 2026. For example:
4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
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 once on January 22, 2015. For example:
3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
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 January 22, 2015. For example:
0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
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 once on January 23, 2014. For example:
0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
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 February 1, 2012. For example:
3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
About this data
These results come from Public Health – Seattle & King County, 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.
16 inspections
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- BLUE
- 4100 - Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Return Inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
- BLUE
- 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
- RED
- 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
- RED
- 0200 - Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
- BLUE
- 4900 - Adequate ventilation; lighting; designated area...
- BLUE
- 3700 - In-use utensils properly stored
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