Berks food safety inspections found rodent and insect activity

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.

Below are the results of inspections conducted between July 31 and Aug. 13, 2024, that were filed in the state database as of Aug. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Berks

Updog Hot Dogs, 850 Golden Drive Suite 6, Blandon, Aug. 13: no violations.

Arby’s #7601, 700 Crossings Blvd., Elverson, Aug. 9: two violations. Observed a build-up of a black residue under the wire shelves in the back dry storage area. Mops are not being hung to air dry. Corrected.

Dunkin Donuts, 800 Crossing Blvd., Elverson, Aug. 9: four violations. Observed five sanitizer buckets with wiping cloths that were extremely dirty and two hours past the change time indicated on the date-marking sticker. Corrected. Observed the nonfood contact portion of the interior of the ice machine to have a buildup of residue. Observed a buildup of old food dirt/debris on the floor under the mobile pick up counter. Observed a buildup of up debris in the floor drain at the back of the facility near the walk-in cooler and freezer.

Gabelsville Athletic Association, 2 N. Funk Road, Boyertown, Aug. 9: no violations.

Good Friend Chinese Restaurant., 206 Crossings Blvd., Elverson, Aug. 9: five 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 a build-up of dirt and dust on fan cover of the cold-hold unit near the front counter. Hot water handle for the sink in the front area by the hot hold soups is broken. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the back area by the grill. Corrected. Mops are not being hung to air dry.

Historic Joanna Furnace, 1250 Furnace Road, Geigertown, Aug. 9: no violations.

Mertztown Great Valu Market, 953 State St., Mertztown, Aug. 9: no violations.

Pilot Travel Center #518 (Flying J), 2210 Camp Swatara Road, Frystown, Aug. 9: four violations. Ice machine interior kick plate, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Non-food contact surfaces of the soda machine were not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of mold and soil. Corrected. Observed single-service, single-use articles stored in dry storage area directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. Corrected. Drain lines and water lines under ice machine are leaking causing a water puddle and slime mold build up along pipes.

St. Columbkill Parish, 200 Indian Spring Road, Boyertown, Aug. 9: no violations.

Carmelo’s Pizza, 116 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 8: no violations.

Copperz Brewing Co., 798 S 4th St., Hamburg, Aug. 8: two violations. Souffle cup observed stored in food product. Corrected. Spray bottle in the cookline area, used for storing cleaners and taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Doc & Bubba’s, 4312 New Holland Road, Mohnton, Aug. 8: four violations. Food (juices and cut fruit for the bar) was held at 50°F, in the service alley area, rather than 41°F or below as required. Food moved immediately to a working refrigeration. Corrected. Observed five deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Observed four deeply scored cutting boards on the Bain Maries that are not resurfaced or discarded as required. Soda dispensing guns at the bars, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view. Corrected.

Joanna Store, 1102 Elverson Road, Morgantown, Aug. 8: one violation. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration.

No. 1 Chinese Restaurant, 160 Kenhorst Plaza, Shillington, Aug. 8: three violations. Food dispensing utensil in bulk rice bin observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food and the container. Corrected. The handwash sink in the back prep area was blocked by a prep table and not accessible at all times for employee use. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the back prep area. Corrected.

Romeo’s Pizza & Pasta, 30 W Wyomissing Ave., Mohnton, Aug. 8: four violations. Freezer in the downstairs storage area next to the walk-in cooler observed holding a temperature of 35 degrees F. Food checked and moved to working freezer. Corrected. Single-use takeout containers observed on shelving in kitchen not being stored inverted to protect from contamination. Corrected. Food facility does not employ a certified food employee as required. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the downstairs prep area. Corrected.

Shanesville Orchard Outlet, 1798 W Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 8: no violations.

Tiki Bar, 1150 Manatawny Road, Boyertown, Aug. 8: two violations. Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Food facility using manual warewashing sink for food preparation without approval of the Department.

Corner Food Mart, 3675 Pricetown Road, Fleetwood, Aug. 7: one violation. Observed premade sandwiches for sale from an unlicensed/unapproved source. Disposed of 23 hoagies and 10 burgers from the Tack’s Express refrigerator and the adjacent freezer.

Snuzzles, 145 Lyons Road, Mertztown, Aug. 7: two violations. Souffle cups, a utensil without a handle was being used to scoop out spices and left in food product. Corrected. Food contact surface of fryer baskets were observed with broken wires. Corrected.

Cafe Folino, 951 Hill Road, Wyomissing, Aug. 6: no violations.

Gramia’s Restaurant, 924 W Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 6: three 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, refrigerator in the cookline area, and Bain Marie, is not being date marked. Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Observed the walls and floor in the cookline area area are extremely dirty and in need of cleaning.

Lyons Exxon, 1 W. State Ave PO Box 126, Lyons Station, Aug. 6: four violations. Premade sandwiches from an unlicensed unapproved source observed in the retail cooler. Corrected. Sandwiches were disposed of. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration. Sanitizers used to clean/sanitize equipment and utensils are not available for use during all hours of operation. Back door located in the back of store area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Popeyes #14745, 4650 Penn Ave., Reading, Aug. 6: no violations.

Third And Spruce Drafthaus, 238 S 3rd Ave., West Reading, Aug. 6: one violation. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of insect activity in bar and kitchen areas.

Tony’s Steak Sandwiches Tfs4, Kutztown Fair, Kutztown, Aug. 5: no violations.

Vince’s Steaks, Kutztown Fair, Kutztown, Aug. 5: one violation. Food dispensing utensil without a handle observed stored in the spice containers. Corrected.

Way-Har Farms Tfs3 T-Xr27857, Kutztown Fair, Kutztown, Aug. 5: no violations.

Charlotte Street Coffee Company, 30 N. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 2: no violations.

Deitsch Eck Restaurant, 87 Penn St., Lenhartsville, Aug. 2: one violation. Spray nozzle underside a non-food contact surface was not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil.

Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, 1665 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, Aug. 2: no violations.

Grind, 45 S. Reading Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 2: three violations. Observed frozen fish being thawed in the sanitize compartment of their three-basin sink. Observed French cutter with old food debris stuck to it. Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required.

Hotel Stony Run, 2409 Route 737, Kempton, Aug. 2: no violations.

Mountain Springs Camping Resort Snackbar, 3450 Mountain Road, Hamburg, Aug. 2: no violations.

New Jerusalem Inn & Event Center, 11 Deysher Road, Fleetwood, Aug. 2: one violation. No sign or poster posted at the handwash sink in the men’s room to remind food employees to wash their hands.

Raceway Kempton, 2403 B Route 143, Kempton, Aug. 2: three violations. Retail facility only has a handwash sink in the restroom. Handwash sink needs to be accessible and not restroom sink. Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. Drinking water used in the food facility is not from an approved source, such as a public water system or an approved non-public water system. Water test has not been supplied to verify that the water is from an approved source. Out of compliance.

Sicilian Delite Pizzeria & Ristorante, 540 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Aug. 2: no violations.

Bob’s Discount Furniture, 2753 Papermill Road, Wyomissing, Aug. 1: no violations.

Chatty Monks Brewing Company, 610 Penn Ave., West Reading, Aug. 1: two violations. Chlorine chemical sanitizer residual detected in the final sanitizer rinse cycle of the low temperature sanitizing dishwasher was 0 ppm, and not 50-100 ppm as required. Corrected by priming the machine. Working containers (spray bottles) in the bar and kitchen areas, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Courtyard By Marriott, 150 N Park Road, Wyomissing, Aug. 1: no violations.

El Sabor Criollo Mff3, 1015 Rose St., Reading, Aug. 1: no violations.

Meraki Manor, 1405 Old River Road, Birdsboro, Aug. 1: three violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration for the quat tablets used in the 3-comparment sink at the bar. 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. First aid supplies/vitamins being stored in kitchen area on a shelf above a food preparation table are a possible source of contamination. Corrected.

Outback Steakhouse #3919, 2789 Papermill Road, Wyomissing, Aug. 1: five violations. Fry skimmer was observed with broken wires, not smooth and easily cleanable. Corrected. Knives stored in the knife rack, were observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Knives were observed being stored between a food bin and a counter top. Corrected. Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in clean dish storage area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air drying (wet nesting). Corrected. The handwash sink located in the bar area does not have water at a temperature of at least 85°F. Ceiling is observed with leaking water in the mop sink area and is in need of repair.

Simply Bold, 550 Penn Ave., West Reading, Aug. 1: one violation. Deli meat (ham) was held at 49 °F, in the bain marie unit in the kitchen area, rather than 41°F or below as required. Corrected by relocating food items to other refrigeration units. Facility will be using ice if items are to be temporarily stored in this unit. Unit will be repaired or replaced.

Tavern At Centre And Main, 5 Centre Ave., Topton, Aug. 1: two violations. Observed cases of food stored directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Beef dishes are served rare or undercooked to the customer’s request; however, a written consumer advisory (on the menu, table tent, or placard) is not provided to the consumer.

American Legion Post 626, 445 E Main St., Birdsboro, July 31: no violations.

Dollar General #15584, 100 Chestnut St. Unit A, Birdsboro, July 31: one violation. Women’s restroom is not provided with a covered waste receptacle.

Folino Estate Vineyard & Winery, 340 Old Route 22, Kutztown, July 31: four violations. A souffle cup was observed stored in the food in the container. Corrected. Food contact surface of ice bucket was observed chipped and not smooth, easily cleanable and/or resistant to pitting, cracking or scratching. Corrected. The handwash sink in the dish area was blocked by a cart and not accessible at all times for employee use. Corrected. Ceiling tiles in the dish area, cookline, and prep area were observed with an excessive amount of dust build up. Wall in the dish area of the food facility was observed with black organic matter and in need of cleaning.

Giant Food Store #6486, 15100 Kutztown Road, Kutztown, July 31: no violations.

Heart & Hearth Deli & Smokehouse, 740 Noble St., Kutztown, July 31: no violations.

Hearth & Hearth BBQ Mff4 (Xny-2168), 740 Noble St., Kutztown, July 31: no violations.

Second Nature Health Food Store, 329 W. Main St., Kutztown, July 31: no violations.

Turkey Hill #308, 320 N. Furnace St., Birdsboro, July 31: one violation. The floor / wall juncture at the back door, near the women’s restroom/storage area, is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch due to missing coving tiles.

Vinnie’s Pizza, 207 N. Furnace St., Birdsboro, July 31: four violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration at the 3-compartment sink. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view. The handwash sink in the kitchen area was blocked by a large strainer and was not accessible at all times for employee use. Corrected. Working container (spray bottle) in chemical storage area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Winding Road BBQ & Catering LLC Mmf-Xpy7023, 128 Sandhill Road, Fleetwood, July 31: no violations.

Muhlenberg Township

La Chona Mexican Food, 2830 N. Fifth Street Highway, Aug. 9: Five violations. The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. An open employee’s beverage container was observed in food preparation area. Raw chicken was stored above raw pork while thawing. Potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours, located in the reach-in refrigerator is not being date marked. Pans, bowls and containers not stored inverted or covered as required. Out of compliance.

Leininger Meats, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, Aug. 9: two violations. Food dispensing utensils in bulk sugar/brown sugar bins observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food. Corrected on inspection. Several knives in knife racks were soiled.

Reading

ADAPPT Inc. 46802040, 208 Madison St., Aug. 7: no violations.

A&J’s Mini Market LLC, 536 Bingaman St., Aug. 5: no violations.

El Punto Boricua, 1635 Centre Ave., Aug. 5: no violations.

Renacer Mini Market Llc, 301 N. Front St., Aug. 5: no violations.

Sabor Dominicano, 300 N. 11th St., Aug. 5: two violations. Commercially processed ready to eat food, located in the cooler, and held more than 48 hours, is not being marked with the date it was opened. No sanitizer tabs being used at the facility.

Miguelito’s Cupcakes LLC, 320 Penn St., Aug. 2: no violations.

Dariel Deli & Grocery, 151 N. Fourth St., Aug. 1: no violations.

Moe’z Pizza, 48 N. Sixth St., July 31: four violations. Slicer being used in kitchen area not being properly clean from slicing meats then to cheese. Commercially processed ready to eat food, located in the bain marie, and held more than 48 hours, is not being marked with the date it was opened. Dining area floors are soiled. Bathrooms was dirty with no paper towels or soap. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the * area. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the * area.

UPDATES

The following reports for the period of July 17 to July 30, 2024, were added to the state’s database after Aug. 1 and did not appear in the previous Berks food safety report.

Berks

Camp Conrad Weiser, 201 Cushion Peak Road, Reinholds, July 30: two violations. Fryer basket observed with broken wires, and is not smooth, easily cleanable and/or resistant to pitting, cracking or scratching. Vents above the clean dish storage area of the food facility are dusty, and in need of cleaning.

Catering By John Lowe, 4629 Morgantown Road, Mohnton, July 30: no violations.

Ihop #5502, 2701 Meridian Blvd., Wyomissing, July 30: nine violations. Observed in-use knife stored between the edge of the grill equipment and the wall, an area not easily cleaned & sanitized. Corrected. Pieces of cardboard are being used to support the front legs of a reach-in freezer in the cooking area. This material is not smooth, non-absorbent, corrosion resistant. Chlorine chemical sanitizer residual detected in the final sanitizer rinse cycle of the low temperature sanitizing dishwasher was 0 ppm, and not 50-100 ppm as required. Sanitizer supply bucket was empty. Corrected by installing a new sanitizer bucket. Observed water leaks at several pieces of equipment in the server areas. Floor surface material is deteriorating in some areas of the kitchen, such as the dishwasher area and cookline area. Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the women’s restroom. Corrected. Wall and/or coving is deteriorated in multiple areas: near the floor drain at the dishwasher, the area between the office and the utility closet, behind the bain marie unit at the cooking line, and several other areas throughout the facility. Food facility inspection indicates evidence of rodent/insect activity. Facility is currently preparing for the pest control company to conduct a facility-wide treatment tonight. Old unused equipment stored in the area near the ice machine/office should be removed from food facility.

Penn Werner Hotel, 5 E. Penn Ave., Wernersville, July 30: four violations. Thermometer for ensuring proper temperature of equipment is not available or readily accessible in the small refrigerator in the bar area. There is an accumulation of grease and old food debris on the floor under the fryers in the kitchen area. This area needs to be cleaned and maintained, even if it is not being used for food preparation. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view. Working container (spray bottle) in bar area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Pip And Lily’s Loaded Tots Mff3 (Red)(Xmr-6084), 268 Colorado Drive, Birdsboro, July 30: no violations.

Pip And Lily’s Loaded Tots Mff3 (Yellow)(Xnf-4416), 268 Colorado Drive, Birdsboro, July 30: no violations.

Rico Casa Fort Inn, 1343 Hex Highway, Hamburg, July 30: three violations. Dish machine was observed not pulling sanitizer. Sanitizer concentration measured at 0ppm. Dishes need to be washed by hand until dish machine is fixed. Interior kick plate of ice machine, a food contact surface, was observed to have mold and was not clean to sight and touch. A spray bottle in the dish area, used for storing chemical, and taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Talk’s Tavern, 1428 E. Ben Franklin Highway, Douglassville, July 30: four violations. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration The soda gun at the bar, a food contact surface, was observed to have residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected. Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in the dry storage area, stored uncovered or not inverted. Corrected. Observed a dead pest on the sticky trap next to the water heater. Removed immediately. Corrected.

V & S Sandwiches West, 4301 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring, July 30: two violations. Food facility still does not have the correct type of sanitizer test strips for the sanitizer tablets being used at the 3-compartment sink. There is still an accumulation of grease and old food debris on the floor under the fryers. There is still dirt and old food debris on the floor under the shelving and equipment in the back area.

Reading

Rite Aid A2405240, 542 N. Sixth St., July 30, no violations.