WATERFRONT CAFE
310 TAUGHANNOCK BLVD #1, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant)
Inspection summary
WATERFRONT CAFE has been inspected 4 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since December 6, 2023. The most recent inspection, on September 11, 2026, recorded 1 infraction.
1 of 4 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: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene 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.
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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on June 26, 2025. For example:
Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
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 September 11, 2026. For example:
Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
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 June 26, 2025. For example:
Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
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.
4 inspections
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Not Critical Violation
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Inspection
2 infractions
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
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