Restaurant Inspections: Hard Times Cafe, Alexandria Pastry, Pita House + More

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Alexandria Health District officials recently inspected food preparation and storage in Alexandria. Full reports can be accessed on the health department’s NEW website.

A “critical violation” is one that “poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served.”

“In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations,” according to the Virginia Department of Health’s website.

Here’s a look at some recent observations made by health inspectors at some restaurants in Alexandria. Not all violations are “critical” and most are corrected during inspections.

Click on the link on the restaurant name to go to the restaurant’s health inspection page. Listings are in chronological order and not every establishment is included here.

• Holland Pub (at Whole Foods): 1700 Duke St., Feb. 17: 1 critical violation
• Hard Times Cafe: 1404 King St., Feb. 17: 3 critical, 9 non-critical, 1 repeat
• Peking Express: 514 S. Van Dorn St., #F, Feb. 18: 1 critical, 5 non-critical
• Veronica's Bakery & Cafe: 4116 Mt. Vernon Ave., Feb. 18: no violations found, but this was the second of two follow-up inspections in February where violations were found
• Alexandria Pastry Shop & Cafe: 3690 King St. #H, Feb. 18: 2 critical, 1 non-critical
• San Antonio Bar & Grille (next door to AMC Hoffman): 200 Swamp Fox Road, Feb. 22: 5 critical, 5 non-critical, 1 repeat
• Aldo's Italian Kitchen: 2850 Eisenhower Ave., Feb. 24: 4 non-critical
• Pita House: 719 King St., Feb. 24: 3 critical, 4 non-critical
• Tokyo Japanese Steak House: 66 Canal Plaza, March 7: 2 critical, 3 non-critical, 2 repeat
• Yates Table Talk Restaurant: 1623 Duke St.: March 14: 2 non-critical