Berks food safety inspections found rodent droppings and a live cockroach during restaurant follow up

Jan. 19—Berks County is divided into three jurisdictions: Reading, Muhlenberg Township and the rest of the county. Reading and Muhlenberg Township have their own food safety inspectors and the rest of the county is inspected by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors.

The results will be posted every other week. All food vendors are inspected at least once a year. Other inspections can be triggered by a change of owner, a follow up if a facility had been out of compliance or by a complaint filed with the PDA.

View any vendor's last inspection report online. Click on the PDF version of the inspection report for all details.

If a food provider is labeled out of compliance, that means it has one or more violations that require a return visit by an inspector. The establishment is given time to fix the problem(s) and remains open for business.

Complaints can be filed online with the PDA.

Below are the results of inspections conducted between Jan. 3 and Jan. 16, 2024, that were filed in the state database as of Jan. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Berks

Michelangelo's Pizzeria, 500 Penn Ave., West Reading, Jan. 10: 10 violations. The Person in Charge did not demonstrate adequate control of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. Time in lieu of temperature being used as a control for potentially hazardous foods (pizza pies), but the facility does not have written documentation to verify food is discarded within 4 hours. There is still a build-up of food residue and other debris on surfaces throughout the facility (floor under/around equipment in both the front and back areas, including in the walk-in cooler). A utility sink or curbed cleaning facility with a floor drain is not provided in the food facility. The mop sink has been removed from the closet in the restroom. Several floor tiles in the back area are cracked and are no longer easily cleanable. The outer door located in the restroom of the food facility has a gap at the bottom and does not protect against the entry of pests. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the restroom. The handwash sink in the back area still does not have single use towels, continuous towels, or air-drying device. Food facility inspection still indicates evidence of rodent/insect activity in the back area around the dough mixer, under equipment, and along the wall of the walk-in cooler. Rodent droppings were observed in this area. A live cockroach was observed near the walk-in cooler, as well as others stuck to glue boards. Facility has proof that a pest control company did provide service. The frequency of service may need to be increased. Mops are still not being hung to air dry. Observed a mop stored in a bucket of dirty water. A working container of cleaner was stored next to the slicer and an in-use box of plastic wrap on a food preparation table in the back area. Out of compliance.

Maverick Pub & Restaurant, 721 Carsonia Ave., Reading, Jan. 8: two violations. The lid for the ice machine is damaged on the right side. The deflector in the ice machine, a food contact surface, was observed to have residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected.

Bruno's Bakery, 740 Noble St., Kutztown, Jan. 5: three violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Non-food contact surfaces of some of the bulk ingredient bins and some pieces of equipment have an accumulation of dirt/debris. Small ceiling tile missing above one of the food preparation tables needs to be replaced.

Dietrich's Country Meats, 740 Noble St., Kutztown, Jan. 5: no violations.

Musso's Restaurant, 4212 St. Lawrence Ave., Reading, Jan. 5: no violations.

Nancy'z, 740 Noble St., Kutztown, Jan. 5: no violations.

Stone Farmhouse Cafe of Kutztown, 740 Noble St., Kutztown, Jan. 5: no violations.

Anita's Gourmet Biscotti, 3001 Shillington Road, Sinking Spring, Jan. 4: no violations.

Cadillac Pub, 24 E. Main St., Fleetwood, Jan. 4: one violation. Floor tiles in front of the ice machine are damaged and the area is not a smooth, easily cleanable surface.

Domino's Pizza, 15100 Kutztown Road Suite 4, Kutztown, Jan. 4: no violations.

Mamma's Delight Pizza, 300 W Main St., Kutztown, Jan. 4: four violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Some parts of the slicer, a food contact surface, were observed to have dried food residue and were not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Women's toilet room is not provided with a covered waste receptacle. Working containers (spray bottles) in kitchen area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Michael's Restaurant, 1211 W. Benjamin Franklin Highway, Douglassville, Jan. 4: two violations. Refrigerated ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, located in the walk-in cooler, is not being date marked. Corrected. Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in back ware washing area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air drying (wet nesting).

Navas La Terraza, 1600 Elizabeth Ave., Reading, Jan. 4: nine violations. The Person in Charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. Observed box of tortilla shells stored directly on the floor in kitchen area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Thermometers for ensuring proper temperatures of food are not available or readily accessible in dining room drink cooler. Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Wire shelf for clean pans is dirty and must be cleaned. Observed clean food eating utensils in ice machine area, stored uncovered or not inverted. The handwash sink in the kitchen area was blocked by dishes and not accessible at all times for employee use. Toilet rooms do not have a self-closing door. Men's room door closer must be repaired. Working containers in kitchen area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Discarded. unknown substance. Out of compliance.

Stampede Smokin BBQ, 4372 Morgantown Road, Mohnton, Jan. 4: no violations.

Zola's Pizzeria, 3130 Pricetown Road Suite J, Fleetwood, Jan. 4: four violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Some of the ceiling tiles and ceiling vents in the kitchen area have an accumulation of dust/dirt. Unisex toilet room is not provided with a covered waste receptacle. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the kitchen area. Corrected.

Annamarie's On Main, 339 W. Main St., Birdsboro, Jan. 3: one violation. The potato slicer, a food contact surface, was observed to have dried food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Out of compliance.

Auntie Anne's #Pa166, 1665 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, Jan. 3: three violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Plastic lid for the cinnamon-sugar bulk storage bin is damaged. The deflector in the ice machine, a food contact surface, was observed to have residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected.

BBQ & Eggacy LLC At Leesport, Leesport Farmers Market, Leesport, Jan. 3: no violations.

Birdsboro Sunoco, 235 N. Furnace St., Birdsboro, Jan. 3: two violations. Food facility is preparing breakfast sandwiches for hot-hold and does not employ a certified food employee as required. Working container (spray bottle) in the front area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Dunkin Donuts #356111, 5546 Pottsville Pike, Leesport, Jan. 3: two violations. Observed the ice machine dripping water onto the floor under the machine, which is creating a large puddle of standing water. There is a large dark liquid spill on the floor near the drive-thru window.

Nirvana Indian Bistro, 1137 Berkshire Blvd., Wyomissing, Jan. 3: three violations. Scoop being stored in the ice machine with handle in direct contact with the ice. Corrected. Some of the shelves in the walk-in cooler have an accumulation of dirt/debris. Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid.

Wegman's Poultry, Leesport Farmers Market, Leesport, Jan. 3: no violations.

Muhlenberg Township

Chick-Fil-A 5th Street Highway, 4205 N. Fifth Street Highway, Jan. 15: no violations.

Cindy's Flowering Cupboard, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, Jan. 12: no violations.

Stark Juice, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, Jan. 12: one violation. Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid.

Reading

16th & Haak Elementary School, 1601 Haak St., Jan. 11: no violations.

Southern Jr Middle School, 126 S. 10th St., Jan. 11: no violations.

Southwest Middle School, 201 S. Third St., Jan. 11: one violation. Mops are not being hung to air dry.

12 & Marion Elementary School, 1200 N. 12th St., Jan. 10: no violations.

City Line Learning Academy, 2026 Hampden Blvd., Jan. 10: no violations.

Millmont Elementary School, 300 Carroll St., Jan. 10: no violations.

UPDATES

The following reports for the period of Dec. 20, 2023 to Jan. 2, 2024, were added to the state's database after Jan. 4 and did not appear in the previous Berks food safety report.

Reading

13th & Green Elementary School, 501 N. 13th St., Dec. 20: no violations.

13th & Union Elementary School, 1600 N. 13th St., Dec. 20: no violations.

Northeast Middle School, 1201 N. 12th St., Dec. 20: no violations.