SABINE CAFE
5307 BALLARD AVE NW, SEATTLE, WA 98107 · Restaurant (Seating 151-250)
Inspection summary
SABINE CAFE has been inspected 9 times by Public Health – Seattle & King County since November 24, 2020. The most recent inspection, on March 10, 2026, found no infractions.
1 of 9 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: Food temperature control, Cleaning and sanitizing 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.
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 4 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on June 17, 2024. For example:
1600 - Proper cooling procedure
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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on January 12, 2024. For example:
3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on January 12, 2024. For example:
1500 - Proper preparation of raw shell eggs
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 November 24, 2020. For example:
0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 17, 2024. For example:
4300 - Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean
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.
9 inspections
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 5000 - Posting of permit; mobile establishment name easily visible
- BLUE
- 5000 - Posting of permit; mobile establishment name easily visible
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 4300 - Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean
- BLUE
- 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
- RED
- 4300 - Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
- BLUE
- 1500 - Proper preparation of raw shell eggs
- RED
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 4200 - Food-contact surfaces maintained, cleaned, sanitized
- BLUE
- 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures; greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (7 degrees Celsius (C))
- RED
- 4200 - Food-contact surfaces maintained, cleaned, sanitized
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
- RED
- 1600 - Proper cooling procedure
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
2 infractions
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
- BLUE
- 3800 - Utensils, equipment, linens properly stored, used, handled
- BLUE
- 3400 - Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration
- Routine Inspection/Field Review
1 infraction
- 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
- BLUE
- 3300 - Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display
- Consultation/Education - Field
4 infractions
- 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
- RED
- 2700 - Variance obtained for specialized processing ...
- RED
- 1400 - Raw meats below and away from ready to eat food; species separated
- RED
- 2110 - Proper cold holding temperatures (greater than 45° F)
- RED
- 0600 - Adequate handwashing facilities
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