Restaurant health inspections: what the inspector checks in a pizzeria
In the US, restaurant health inspections are run by your city or county health department, usually unannounced, against your state’s version of the FDA Food Code. The inspector checks temperatures, cross-contamination, handwashing, the state of the premises and whether the person in charge knows the rules. In some places, New York City and Los Angeles County among them, the result becomes a letter grade in your window.
Before you open: plan review and the permit
You can’t just register and start selling. Most health departments require plan review before you build or remodel: they look at your layout, equipment, sinks and finishes, then do a pre-opening inspection before issuing the food service permit. Your first routine, unannounced inspection usually follows within months of opening. The full list is in permits and licenses to open a pizzeria.
What the inspector looks at
| Area | What they check | In a pizzeria |
|---|---|---|
| Food handling | Holding temperatures, cooling, cross-contamination, date marking | Prep table, dough trays, raw and cooked meats |
| Employee practices | Handwashing, bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, sick workers | Topping by hand, slicing pies, the handwash sink |
| Premises | Cleanliness, repair, pests, plumbing | Flour storage, the area around the oven, the hood |
| Knowledge | Whether the person in charge can explain the controls | Cooling logs, cooler logs, allergen answers |
Based on the FDA Food Code, which most states adopt in some version. Your local inspection form is the definitive list.
That last area surprises most owners. You can have a spotless kitchen and still pick up violations because nobody on shift can show the inspector a cooling log or explain how the meat sauce gets to 41 °F.
Letter grades: where they exist
There is no national grading system. Many jurisdictions publish inspection reports online without a grade; some post a score; a few require a grade card at the door. New York City is the best-known example: an inspection score of 0 to 13 points is an A, 14 to 27 a B and 28 or more a C, and the card must be posted on the front window, door or an outside wall near the entrance, where passersby can see it. Not posting it can cost up to $1,000 in fines. Los Angeles County also uses A, B and C grade cards. Wherever you are, assume your report is public and that customers can find it.
Where inspectors look in a pizzeria
- The prep table: temperature at the top of the pans, lids, and whether yesterday’s toppings were topped up rather than replaced. The temperature rules in °F.
- Dough trays and sauces: dated or not, and how long they have been in the walk-in.
- Flour and dry storage: bags on the floor, open bags, signs of pests behind pallets. Keep everything at least six inches off the floor.
- Repackaged food: shredded mozzarella or sauce in an unlabeled tub is one of the most common findings.
- The handwash sink: hot water, soap, paper towels, and actually reachable during a rush rather than blocked by a case of boxes.
After the visit
You get a written report listing violations, usually ranked by how directly they threaten food safety. Serious ones have to be corrected on the spot or by a follow-up inspection; an imminent health hazard, such as no hot water or a sewage backup, can close you until it is fixed. Most departments offer a way to contest findings or request a reinspection, and in graded cities a reinspection is how a first-round B becomes an A.
Getting ready without waiting for the knock
Do your own walk-through monthly with your local inspection form in hand. Keep cooler and cooling logs current, label and date everything you repackage, and make sure whoever is in charge on every shift can answer the basic questions. Many jurisdictions also require at least one certified food protection manager on staff; check yours.
For the paperwork that is most often incomplete, see food traceability in a pizzeria.