Norwalk City Hall photographed on July 7, 2025.
Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media
NORWALK — Seven Norwalk restaurants, plus two businesses, one nonprofit and two schools, were cited with serious violations during April health inspections, reports show.
In comparison, eight Norwalk businesses, mostly restaurants, had serious violations during March health inspections.
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The Spot Deli at 69 Winfield St. was cited with one priority violation — which is the most serious and must be corrected within 72 hours — because cleaning agents were stored on a shelf next to food products. The report said this was corrected on site and the manager moved the cleaning agents and bottles away from the food products.
It also received one priority foundation violation because prepared foods in the cold holding unit needed to be date marked. There were also two core violations because utensils were stored on rear counters, tables and shelves and the cooling units needed thermometers.
Priority foundation and core violations are more minor violations and must be corrected within 10 and 90 days, respectively.
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Manager Maria Quincero said everything on the inspection report was taken care of.
Guac Time Mexican Grill at 500 Connecticut Ave. received one priority violation for raw chicken stored next to vegetables and ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in cooler. The report also said ready-to-eat foods were stored on raw chicken containers. The manager placed the raw chicken on a separate shelf away from the ready-to-eat foods and vegetables, the report said.
The restaurant also received four core violations because all of the handsinks needed paper towels; it didn’t have a certified food protection manager on site; foods were stored on the floor and in containers on the floor in the walk-in cooler; and the rear prep tables and counters needed to be cleaned.
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The restaurant could not be reached via phone and did not return an emailed request for comment.
City Market Norwalk at 717 West Ave. was cited with one priority violation due to improper hand-washing. The report said employees were instructed by the manager to wash their hands and change gloves when doing different tasks.
The supermarket also received a priority foundation violation because a bottled cleaning agent was stored in the walk-in next to food products. The report said the manager moved the bottle to a different location away from food items during the inspection.
There were also two core violations because the rear prep counter in the deli area needed to be cleaned and wiping cloths were stored next to a slicing machine and on food counters next to cutting boards.
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The supermarket manager did not respond to a request for comment.
China King at 280 Connecticut Ave. as cited with one priority violation because employees weren’t washing their hands when doing different tasks. The report said the manager corrected this during the inspection by instructing employees to properly wash their hands.
The restaurant also received four core violations for needing hand-washing signs at all hand-washing sinks; the front prep counter needed cleaning due to having oil and grease stains; the rear floor and prep floor areas needed to be cleaned and tiles were missing on the walk-in cooler floor; and wiping cloths were stored on a rear prep counter.
Management did not respond to a request for comment.
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Los Luceros Family Grocery at 42 Woodward Ave. received one priority violation because cleaning agents and medication were stored on the rear shelf with spices and other food products. The manager moved the cleaning agents and medication to a separate location away from food products, the report said.
The report also cited three core violations because a ceiling in the rear cooking area was in disrepair with flaking and peeling paint as well as rust stains; kitchen equipment was stored on unclean plastic bins in the rear area; and a rear prep table with food debris needed to be cleaned.
The restaurant did not return a request for comment.
Super 7 Food Market at 109 New Canaan Ave. was cited for a priority violation because raw chicken was stored above ready-to-eat foods and vegetables in the walk-in cooler. The report said this was corrected during the inspection when the manager moved the raw chicken to the bottom shelf to prevent contamination.
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The business also received four core violations because utensils were stored in lukewarm water below 135 degrees; hand-washing signs were needed at all hand-washing sinks; all the cooling units needed thermometers; and foods and liquids in plastic containers in the walk-in cooler needed to be labeled.
Staff could not be reached for comment.
Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy and Concord Magnet School, which share a campus at 21 Hunters Lane, were jointly cited with one priority violation because there were no sanitizer buckets made during the inspection and one core violation because dirty wiping towels were not stored in sanitizer. The report said both violations were corrected during the inspection.
Norwalk Public Schools did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
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Valencia Cocina at 164 Main St. received one priority violation because eggs were stored above other food items in a walk-in cooler. The report said this was corrected.
The restaurant also received three priority foundation violations for storing items in the handsink, which the report said was corrected during the inspection; missing the reminder for the consumer advisory about food allergens; and not having food probe thermometers available during the inspection.
The report also cited three core violations because temperature gauges needed to be replaced in a cooler, food containers weren’t labeled and in-use utensils were stored in stagnant water at less than 135 degrees. The report said the violation with the utensils was corrected during the inspection.
Management did not return a request for comment.
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Los Molcajetes Mexican Restaurant at 99 New Canaan Ave. was cited with four priority violations because beef was stacked too high; there was too much meat left sitting out without being worked on; there were raw eggs above vegetables and drinks in a refrigerator; and an employee was seen not using soap when washing their hands.
The restaurant received eight priority foundation violations, including missing paper towels and hand soap, as well as food needing to be date marked and labeled.
There were also six core violations, the majority of which were due to equipment needing to be cleaned, utensils improperly placed and a broken draw handle under a grill.
Management could not be reached for comment.
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Nonprofit organization Star Inc. at 182 Wolfpit Ave. as cited with one priority violation for a moldy pepper in one of the low bay units. The report said the pepper was thrown out during the inspection.
The organization also received two core violations for a torn gasket on a low bay cooler unit and the inside of a dish machine needed to be de-limed.
The chef said the moldy pepper came from a distributor and was noticed by the inspector before he was able to routinely check the produce. He added that the other two violations were being corrected.
Garden Catering at 314 Westport Ave. was cited with one priority violation because multiple food items were at a too-high temperature of 50 degrees. The report said the foods were moved to a reach-in cooler.
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There were also two priority foundation violations because the front handsink needed paper towels and there was no sanitizer in the sanitizing bucket. The report said both violations were corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant also received four core violations because wiping cloths were not kept in sanitizer between uses; there was a dirty fan in the back production area; the floor in the basement needed to be swept; and in-use utensils were stored in sanitizer water. The report said the in-use utensils violation was corrected.
Chief Operating Officer Tina Carpenteri said in an emailed statement that there were other things that were taken care of along with the noted violations on the report.
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“All items were corrected on site, with the exception of specific allergen notes that needed to be on the menu boards. We created the sign with the language provided by the department and printed an addendum to the hanging menu boards,” she said.
Correction: This story has been updated to remove a non-relevant photo.