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Food For Thought: Mall cheesesteak spot, local taqueria cited for health violations
LLubbock

Food For Thought: Mall cheesesteak spot, local taqueria cited for health violations

  • September 4, 2026

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Local health inspectors cited two Lubbock establishments for multiple health violations, while several others earned perfect scores in this week’s inspection reports.

Charley’s Philly Steaks, located inside the South Plains Mall at 6002 Slide Road, was cited for 16 violations.

Some of the violations found at the restaurant included:

Temperature control issues: Cooked chicken wings and a container of ranch were held above the safe cold temperature of 41 degrees.Cooler failure: The ambient temperature of the cooler was measured at 50 degrees. Refrigeration units must be capable of keeping food at 41 degrees or below.Missing equipment: There was no thermometer inside the drink cooler or the reach-in cooler.Cross-contamination risks: Raw bacon was stored above ready-to-eat lettuce.Cleanliness issues: The inside of the ice bucket was dirty, and the deflector plate for the ice machine had a buildup of residue.Chemical storage: A container of glue was found on a food prep counter.Maintenance: Water was leaking from a vent inside the walk-in cooler, and the shelving for clean dishes was made of a porous material that is not easily cleanable.Certification: Food handler certificates for employees were not available.

Core violations included:

The Certified Food Manager (CFM) certificate was not posted for public view.The food service permit was stored in the back office instead of being posted publicly.Single-use containers stored on the front prep table and single-use tableware stored in the front prep cooler were positioned in a way that failed to protect food-contact surfaces.

The report notes that most of the violations were corrected at the time of the inspection.

Vallarta Taqueria & Restaurant, located at 5727 82nd Street, was cited for 12 violations during its inspection.

Violations included:

Temperature and labeling: Raw eggs were stored above the safe cold temperature of 41 degrees, cooked sausage was below the safe hot holding temperature of 135 degrees, and chorizo did not have a date mark.Cross-contamination: Raw bacon was stored directly above a drink mix.Plumbing issues: The hot water at one hand sink was turned off due to a leak, though other hand sinks on site had hot water available.Chemical storage: A toxic item was found without a label.Sanitizer: The sanitizing solution in the three-compartment sink was found to be too strong.

Core violations included:

A wet wiping cloth not in immediate use was stored outside of a sanitizer bucket.A bulk storage container of flour had an unhandled bowl stored inside to dispense the flour, rather than a proper scoop with a handle.The bulk storage container of flour was incorrectly labeled as “sugar.”Metal containers on the drying rack were stacked wet in a manner that did not allow for proper air drying.An employee’s personal drink was stored directly above food meant for service inside the cookline reach-in cooler.

The report shows most of the violations were corrected at the time of the inspection.

This Week’s Top Performers

On a positive note, several local establishments had zero violations during their health inspections this week. The top performers include:

Raising Cane’s — 905 Ave. QSubway — 216 University AvenueWhataburger — 2412 9th Street

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  • Food for Thought
  • Lubbock
  • Lubbock Headlines
  • Lubbock News
  • Raising Cane's
  • Subway
  • Vallarta Taqueria & Restaurant
  • Whataburger
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