THE WORKS GOURMET CRAFT BURGER AND BEER
1405 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9B 1K2 · Restaurant
Inspection summary
THE WORKS GOURMET CRAFT BURGER AND BEER has been inspected 27 times by City of Hamilton Public Health Services since March 25, 2022. The most recent inspection, on September 29, 2026, found no infractions.
4 of 27 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 4 inspections with 5 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Cleaning and sanitizing and Food temperature control.
Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.
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 23 times across 19 separate inspections, most recently on September 23, 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 15 times across 13 separate inspections, most recently on September 30, 2025. 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 May 12, 2025. For example:
Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
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 September 23, 2026. For example:
Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 19, 2024. For example:
Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
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.
27 inspections
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
2 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
- Routine Inspection
3 infractions
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Single service containers and articles kept free from contamination
- Ventilation is maintained to ensure the elimination of odours, fumes, vapours, smoke, or excessive heat
- Routine Inspection
0 infractions
- 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 in good repair
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- 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 in good repair
- 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
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- 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
- Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
- Routine Inspection
10 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
- Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
- 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
- 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
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- 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
- Maintenance of sanitary facilities
- Equip sanitary facility with liquid soap in a dispenser
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Protect food from contamination and adulteration
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Adjust or repair the refrigeration unit immediately. Do not store any hazardous foods in the unit until it is able to maintain hazardous foods at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Ensure all hazardous foods are stored at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Food handlers who come into contact with food/utensils shall do so in a sanitary manner
- Ensure food handlers confine hair while handling food
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
4 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
- Ensure equipment, utensils, and multi-service articles are suitable for intended purposes (food-grade)
- Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
- 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
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Protect food from contamination and adulteration
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
9 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
- Hand washing basin with supplies of soap and paper towels in dispensers
- Provide soap in a dispenser at hand basin in the food preparation area
- 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)
- Ensure food contact equipment and utensils are free from cracks, crevices and open seams
- Ensure ventilation system/exhaust hood/filters/canopy is maintained in a clean and sanitary manner
- 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
- 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
- Testing reagent used to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Provide and use test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizer
- Mechanical dishwashing: Wash / rinse water clean, water temperature, timing cycles, sanitizer
- Iodine concentration must be at least 25 parts per million at 24°C or greater for at least 45 seconds
- 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
- Protect food from contamination and adulteration
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
4 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
- 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
- Food protected from contamination or adulteration
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Thaw all hazardous foods maintaining a temperature of 4°C (40°F) or less
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- 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
- Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles and all food contact surfaces are properly constructed
- Routine Inspection
4 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 in good repair
- Ensure equipment, utensils and or multi-service articles are cleaned and sanitized
- Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
- Evidence of minor insect / rodent activity
- 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
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- 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
- Food premise is protected against the entry and harbouring of pests
- Evidence of minor insect / rodent activity
- 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
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
0 infractions
- Re-inspection
3 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
- Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
- Routine Inspection
4 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
- Garbage and waste (solid or liquid) collected and removed to ensure sanitary condition of premise
- Food is held at 4°C (40°F) or less
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Complaint
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure walls are kept clean and in good repair
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
2 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
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Ensure floors are kept clean and in good repair
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Routine Inspection
1 infraction
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
- Re-inspection
2 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
- Routine Inspection
2 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
- 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
- Floors, walls, and ceilings clean and in good repair and maintained in a sanitary manner
Nearby inspected facilities
- Pizza Nova
1405 Upper James, Hamilton ON L9B 1K2
10 inspections
- Marshalls
1405 Upper James, Hamilton ON
4 inspections
- Starbucks Coffee
1405 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9B 1K2
5 inspections
- Spring Grill House
1441 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9B 1K2
15 inspections
- East Side Mario's
1389 Upper James St, Hamilton ON L9B 1K2
13 inspections
- Mary Brown's Chicken
1379 Upper James Street, Hamilton L9B 1K2
9 inspections
- GWALIA SWEETS AND RESTAURANT
1379 UPPER JAMES ST, HAMILTON ON L9B 1K2
15 inspections
- KINTON RAMEN
1379 UPPER JAMES ST, HAMILTON
13 inspections