Are Your Favorite Restaurants in the Clear? Health Report Card

Clean Kitchens Lead the Week, Though a Couple Miss the Mark

In this week’s Central Virginia Health District inspections, a number of area establishments earned perfect marks, with zero violations recorded during their routine visits. Among those demonstrating exceptional attention to cleanliness and food safety are several standouts listed below from Altavista, Bedford, Rustburg, and Lynchburg. These businesses continue to set the standard for what safe food service should look like.

However, not all inspections were as spotless. Two restaurants—detailed in the sections below—stood out for less fortunate reasons, each accumulating a notable number of violations. Here's a closer look at the issues inspectors found.

Ten Establishments had Zero Violations

El Cazador in Altavista Observed for Eleven Health Inspection Violations

A routine health inspection conducted June 24 at El Cazador on Main Street in Altavista revealed a number of violations—several of them critical—pointing to systemic issues with food safety, temperature control, and facility maintenance. The restaurant was cited for bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food, black mildew-like buildup in drink dispenser nozzles, and multiple refrigeration units failing to keep food at safe temperatures. The walk-in cooler registered an ambient temperature of 52ºF—well above the required 41ºF maximum for cold holding. Sour cream, beef, and queso stored there were all found above safe temperature thresholds. Additionally, the prep unit cooler remained broken, and duct tape was being used in place of proper seals, contributing to water condensation inside coolers.

Other violations included the improper storage of tortillas in non-food-grade shopping bags, wet-stacking of pans in the ware washing area, and the absence of a proper mop sink—with wastewater reportedly being dumped in a storm drain. Structural maintenance issues were also documented, from missing floor drains and broken thermometers to dirty ceiling tiles and exposed light fixtures in the kitchen. In total, the inspector listed over a dozen corrective actions, with deadlines ranging from immediate to 90 days. A follow-up inspection is scheduled for July 8.

Qdoba on Wards Road Cited for Ten Hygiene Missteps

Qdoba Mexican Eats at 4012 Wards Road received a series of health violations during a routine inspection on June 24, raising concerns about staff hygiene practices and food safety protocols. While food temperatures were mostly within acceptable ranges, inspectors observed several issues: raw chicken was improperly stored above ready-to-eat corn salsa, employees were seen chewing gum while prepping food, and the restaurant lacked the required written procedures for responding to vomiting or diarrheal incidents.

Additional violations included using a handwashing sink for other purposes, missing handwashing signs, dirty utensils being stacked for reuse, and open containers of dry seasonings stored near cooking surfaces. Several employees were also wearing watches while preparing food—a direct violation of safety standards. On the storage side, boxes of single-use items were found resting on the ground, and some containers were not labeled with their contents, further adding to the list.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the remainder of the results:

• Four establishments had one violation.
• Five had two violations.
• Two had four violations.
• One had five violations.
• Two had six violations
• Two had seven violations
• One had eight violations
• One had ten violations, and one had eleven violations

All inspections reported for June 24-30:

The restaurants near the bottom to where there were no violations observed are due to the nature of the inspections including Follow-Up, Other, and Pre-Opening.

Learn More About Health Department Inspection Articles

If you choose to dive into the details of these listings, please read "Restaurant Health Inspections: What You Can Learn Before Dining Out in Greater Lynchburg," dated May 21, 2024. This story outlines the details of local Health Department Inspections and the results of those reports.