At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
82/ 100 · 18 points taken off
7 problems found · Routine county inspection · Aug 24, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Palo Alto Cafe got more than most.
Compared with 9,600 Santa Clara County food places. Each place's last routine inspection counts.
What was found out about Palo Alto Cafe?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Pests seen inside: fruit flies K23How to fixFix it
- No person in charge on duty K01How to fixFix it
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food K27How to fixFix it
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
We review Santa Clara County health data to make this report. We are not the County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health.
Visit them directly at deh.santaclaracounty.gov (opens the department's site) · How we review
For Palo Alto Cafe's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Palo Alto Cafe. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Palo Alto Cafe first; we check that you run it.
Your whole team can help. Each person gets one next step, and everyone can see what's done.
This is my place: claim Palo Alto CafeWe'll help you get every item done. You don't have to do it alone.
We know an inspection can feel heavy, especially when it's busy.
Fix it together
Follow the steps for each item, with the rule beside it.
Next: Pests seen inside: fruit fliesThe county found: “Observed fruit flies below the three compartment sink. [CA] Food facility shall be kept free of non-disease carrying…”
First step: What to do
Then the next one: No person in charge on duty
Log it
Your team logs the fix on their phones, with the time and who did it.
Show what you did
Saying what you fixed, in your own words, builds trust. Families and regulars respect a kitchen that owns it and fixes it.
Each fix step comes from the rule it names: Food Code 6-501.112, Food Code 3-302.11, Food Code 2-301.15, Food Code 4-603.16.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Pests seen inside: fruit flies
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
What to do
From Food Code 6-501.112
Logged
That's one done. We'll be here for the next.
What people see now
Today, people see the department's words and nothing from you.
What people see after you fix and log it
Example reply
CleanCleaverBusiness reply
Your business replied to this with the public statement:
We fixed this the same day. Now our team logs it on their phones at open and close.
The date of your reply
This is not an official update to the health inspection report. The county's record is unchanged.
Most kitchens get something cited at some point. What people remember is that you fixed it.
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Replies are part of a paid plan. We read each one before it goes up. You can take it down any time. Only the department can change its record.
Do you work there, and someone else owns it? I work there
What people see next
Under each item here, people see what you fixed, in your words.
Left alone, or fixed together
Left alone, the same items can come back at the next inspection. Fixed together, they're done.
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Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 2 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited once in the last 12 months (1 routine).
Fewer points taken off than last time (21 → 18). That takes a team.
Every visit
LatestAug 24, 2026Routine inspection82 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 82 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Aug 24, 2026.
7 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (7)
Pests seen inside: fruit flies
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
Observed fruit flies below the three compartment sink. [CA] Food facility shall be kept free of non-disease carrying insects, weevils, ants, gnats, and fruit flies.
Food Code 6-501.111
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
What to do
- Any sign of mice, rats or roaches: act now. Protect or throw out affected food, clean the area, and call the pest control operator the same day.
- Flies or ants in food areas: act within 24 hours.
- Insects in food: throw that food out and check the stock around it.
From Food Code 6-501.112
What NOT to do
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Signs of pests and what to do
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
The department's words
K01 Demonstration of knowledge; food safety certification
Not all food handlers could provide current food handler cards. [CA] Each food handler shall maintain a valid food handler card for the duration of his or her employment as food handler. A valid food handler card shall be provided within 30 days of after the date of hire.
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Observed raw shelled eggs stored above vegetables in the upright cooler in the hallway. [CA] All food shall be separated and protected from cross-contamination. Store all raw meat or other raw products of animal origin below ready-to-eat food items.
Food Code 3-302.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Top to bottom
- 1. Top: ready-to-eat food (salads, desserts, cut fruit, cooked leftovers, deli meat, cheese, drinks)
- 2. Raw fish and seafood (cooked to 145°F)
- 3. Whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb; raw shell eggs (145°F)
From Food Code 3-302.11
Keep raw meat types apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Fridge and freezer storage order
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
Observed the handwashing sink at the back storage/preparation sink area to be obstructed by a crate [CA] Handwashing facility shall be clean, unobstructed, and accessible at all times. [COS] The crate was relocated at this time.
Food Code 5-205.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Hand sinks are for hands only
- Wash only at a handwashing sink.
- Never wash hands in the dish sink, a food prep sink, a mop sink, or a drink cooler.
- Never dump drinks, rinse utensils or fill pitchers at the hand sink.
From Food Code 2-301.15
Soap and hand sanitizer
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Handwashing
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
No sanitizer was detected at the low temperature dish machine. The dish machine was run multiple times and could not read at 50 ppm chlorine. [CA] Maintain chlorine in mechanical warewash machine at 50 PPM. *Note: Manual warewash until repaired. Autochlor was called at this time for same day service.
Food Code 4-602.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Clean first, then sanitize
- 1. Scrape off food.
- 2. Wash with detergent and warm water.
- 3. Rinse off the soap (soap weakens sanitizer).
From Food Code 4-603.16
When to clean food-contact surfaces
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Cleaning vs sanitizing, and sanitizer strengths
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
Show 2 more
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
Observed the preparation sink to be leaking at the hot and cold water handles. [CA] Repair plumbing fixture and maintain in clean and good repair.
Food Code 5-205.15
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
Backflow test on file
In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Observed an accumulation of dust and grime on the floors/walls below the three compartment sink and below the juice station [CA] Walls and/or floors in food preparation area shall be kept clean.
Food Code 6-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Floors, walls and ceilings clean and in repair
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Are you Palo Alto Cafe? Fix it
EarlierJun 30, 2025Routine inspection79 out of 100 (Green placard)
6 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
1. On the preparation counter, measured milk and half & half at 60F. Per staff, foods were taken out of refrigeration approximately 30 minutes prior to temperature measurement. 2. In the preparation unit, measured ham in plastic bag from 45-52F. The plastic bag is not fully submerged into the preparation unit. Per staff, ham was relocated from refrigeration to preparation unit insert approximately 1 hour prior to temperature measurement. [CA] Potentially Hazardous Foods shall be kept at 41F or below or 135F or above. [SA] 1. Staff relocated milk to under counter refrigeration for rapid cooling. 2. Staff moved the ham to the under counter refrigeration for rapid cooling. Staff to close preparation unit lid when not in active service.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (5)
Hood filters need cleaning
The department's words
K38 Adequate ventilation/lighting; designated areas, use
**REPEAT VIOLATION** Observed active use of oven and two burners (ChefMaster Professional Portable Butane Stove) at the front preparation area to cook eggs and reheat roast beef without hood ventilation. [CA] Discontinue the use of unapproved burners. Provide approved exhausted hood ventilation over all cooking equipment as required to effectively remove cooking odors, smoke, steam, grease, heat, and vapors. Facility to submit plans or apply for hood exemption to Plan Check Department.
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
Measured chlorine concentration in the warewashing machine at 0 ppm. No active warewashing during inspection. [CA] Chlorine in the warewashing machine shall be maintained at 50 ppm, or as per manufacturer's specifications. [COS] PIC repaired chlorine dispenser for warewashing machine on-site. The dishwasher is now testing at 50 ppm.
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
Observed handwash sink in the back area is fully obstructed by linen washing machine. [CA] Handwash sink shall be fully stocked and accessible at all times.
Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
The department's words
K29 Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
Measured chlorine sanitizing concentration above 200 ppm in the sanitizer bucket. [CA] Chlorine sanitizer shall be maintained from 100-200 ppm, or as per manufacturer's specifications.
No hot or cold water at a sink
The department's words
K21 Hot and cold water available
Measured the maximum water temperature at the 3-compartment sink at 115F. [CA] Water shall be supplied at a minimum of 120F as measured at the faucet.
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health. This is the department's data, not CleanCleaver's. See the department's full record (opens the department's site)
What you can do
As a customer of Palo Alto Cafe, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Pests seen inside: fruit flies Read the free guide
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food Read the free guide
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right Read the free guide
- No backflow test on file In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Let Palo Alto Cafe know
Ask for the manager. Palo Alto Cafe can only fix what it knows about.
The department lists no phone for this place.
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Complain directly to the health department
We are not the health department. You can report to them on their site. Report to County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site)
When regulars speak up kindly and kitchens fix things, the whole neighborhood eats well. Now you know what the inspector found, and what you can do about it.
Do you work at or run Palo Alto Cafe?
See the plan to fix each item and show what you did.
Address thisAbout this record
Opens the county's own page for this place.
Most people don't know what a normal result looks like for a place that's open every day. The ranges use each place's last routine inspection in this area. No other county is mixed in.
100 means the inspector found no problems. Santa Clara County takes points off for each problem. Big ones take off more.
The county posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection, and gives routine inspections a score. In the county's data, a routine inspection with no violations listed scored 100, and the score drops as violations are found. The county's page does not say which scores or findings give each color: ask the department.
- Inspection type
- Routine inspection
- Result
- 82 out of 100 (Green placard)
- Source
- County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
This is not an official ranking or grade. See the official source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site) .
Information on this page may be out of date. Check the original source to confirm.