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VERTICAL CAFE

18 WEST BUFFALO STREET, WARSAW, NY 14569 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)

Inspection summary

VERTICAL CAFE has been inspected 13 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since May 7, 2015. The most recent inspection, on February 5, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.

2 of 13 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: Protecting food from contamination, Food temperature control and Cleaning and sanitizing.

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 6 times across 6 separate inspections, most recently on July 1, 2025. For example: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)

  • 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 5 separate inspections, most recently on July 1, 2025. For example: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45�F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38�F during cold holding.

  • 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 July 1, 2025. For example: Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred

  • 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 July 1, 2025. For example: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.

  • 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 February 10, 2020. For example: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.

About this data

These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), 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. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  2. Inspection

    8 infractions

    • 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 11C: Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 5A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or below 45�F during cold holding, except smoked fish not kept at or below 38�F during cold holding.
      • Critical Violation
    • 2E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate potentially hazardous food temperatures during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.
      • Critical Violation
    • 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
      • Critical Violation
    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  3. Inspection

    5 infractions

    • 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 11C: Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
      • Critical Violation
  4. Re-Inspection

    0 infractions

  5. Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 11C: Food contact surfaces not washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any time of operations when contamination may have occurred
      • Not Critical Violation
  6. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8D: Single service items reused, improperly stored, dispensed, not used when required
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  7. Inspection

    1 infraction

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
  8. Inspection

    4 infractions

    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 4A: Toxic chemicals are improperly labeled, stored or used so that contamination of food can occur.
      • Critical Violation
    • 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 13B: Garbage storage areas not properly constructed or maintained, creating a nuisance
      • Not Critical Violation
  9. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  10. Inspection

    3 infractions

    • 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 12D: Toilet facilities inadequate, inconvenient, dirty, in disrepair, toilet paper missing, not self-closing doors, missing hand wash signs
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
      • Not Critical Violation
  11. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
      • Critical Violation
  12. Inspection

    2 infractions

    • 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
      • Not Critical Violation
    • 15A: Floors, walls, ceilings, not smooth, properly constructed, in disrepair, dirty surfaces
      • Not Critical Violation
  13. Inspection

    0 infractions

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