At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
83/ 100 · 17 points taken off
5 problems found · 1 marked critical · Routine county inspection · Mar 20, 2026
At the routine inspection on Mar 20, 2026. The latest visit, on Mar 25, 2026, was a follow-up inspection. No notes were taken at it.
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Shellena's 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 Shellena's Cafe?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Marked critical: Hot food below 135°F K07How to fixFix it
- Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food K29How to fixFix it
- Equipment in poor repair K35How 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 Shellena's Cafe's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Shellena's Cafe. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Shellena's 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 Shellena's 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: Hot food below 135°FThe county found: “Diced tomato and cheese stored at the front service counter were measured at 52 oF. The manager said the products have…”
First step: If food is out of range
Then the next one: Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
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 7-201.11, Food Code 3-305.11, Food Code 6-501.112, Food Code 4-603.16.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Hot food below 135°F
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
If food is out of range
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.
Want to join the restaurants in Santa Clara County that keep their kitchens clean and put their guests' health first?
Claim Shellena's CafeWe'll set it up with you. 25 days free.
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 · 4 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited 2 times in the last 12 months (1 routine, 1 follow-up).
Nice work, Shellena's Cafe. At the follow-up five days later, the county listed no items still open.
You cleared the re-check in five days. We're proud of you.
Every visit
LatestMar 25, 2026Follow-up inspection
No notes were taken, but there was an interaction, likely addressing some or all of the prior report. No inspector comment was found. See the official report (opens the department's site) for more information.
This one: a follow-up inspection on Mar 25, 2026. A follow-up visit re-checks earlier items. The last routine inspection was Mar 20, 2026: 83 out of 100 (Green placard).
EarlierMar 20, 2026Routine inspection83 out of 100 (Green placard)
5 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
Diced tomato and cheese stored at the front service counter were measured at 52 oF. The manager said the products have been in the unit since 11 am this morning. [CA] All potentially hazardous foods like meat, seafood, poultry, dairy products, cooked vegetables, cooked cereals, greens, and diced avocados shall always be held at 41°F or below or at 135°F or above unless the food products are stored outside this temperature with time as a public health control method. The person in charge voluntarily condemned and destroyed the cheese and diced tomatoes (COS).
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Food Code 3-501.16(A)(1)
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
If food is out of range
- Hot food below 135°F for less than 2 hours: reheat to 165°F.
- Cold food above 41°F for less than 2 hours: chill it right away.
- Unknown time or longer: throw it out.
Which foods need temperature control (TCS)
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Hot and cold holding
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Shellena's Cafe? Fix it
Not critical (4)
Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
The department's words
K29 Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
A household insect trap was observed above the warewash facility. Hange professionals. Please stop using the household chemicals to eliminate insects from the facility.
Food Code 7-201.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Store them away from food
- Store chemicals below and away from food, dishes, utensils, linens and single-use items. Never on a shelf above food.
- Separate them by space or a partition.
- Keep only the chemicals the kitchen needs.
From Food Code 7-201.11
Label every container
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Chemicals and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Are you Shellena's Cafe? Fix it
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
Ambient air temperature of one of the preparation fridges located back in the kitchen was measured above 45 OF. [CA] The ambient temperature of any refrigeration unit must be kept at or below 41 OF. Until the unit’s temperature adjusted to 41 OF or below, please do not solely use the unit to store any potentially hazardous foods. The open top white freezer and the upright freezer stored in the back room are not NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one. [CA] All equipment used in the facility must be NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one.
Food Code 4-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Equipment in good repair
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Are you Shellena's Cafe? Fix it
Food on the floor or under drips
The department's words
K30 Food storage: food storage containers identified
Some food products on boxes were stored directly on the floor or on milk crate back in the storage area. [CA] To prevent insect hiding and breading and for easy cleaning of the floor area, please store all food products at least six inches off the floor on an approved shelf or dunnage rack.
Food Code 3-305.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Where food may never be stored
- Keep food at least 6 inches off the floor.
- Never in restrooms, locker or dressing rooms, garbage rooms, or mechanical rooms (furnace, water heater, electrical).
- Never under stairs, or under sewer lines, leaking water lines or fire sprinkler lines.
From Food Code 3-305.11
Top to bottom
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 Shellena's Cafe? Fix it
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
A couple of dead cockroaches were observed below the hand and warewash sinks. [CA] Eliminate vermin from the facility through proper storage of food, utensils and equipment, conducting regular cleaning, and performing a regular professional pest control intervention.
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 Shellena's Cafe? Fix it
EarlierJul 24, 2025Routine inspection88 out of 100 (Green placard)
5 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (5)
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
Repeated violation: There was very low sanitizer concentration on one of the sanitizer buckets. [CA] Maintain the sanitizer concentration on the sanitizer buckets at 200 ppm quaternary ammonia. 100 ppm chlorine (bleach), 272 ppm -700 ppm lactic acid levels.
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
Cooling of freshly cooked rice was done at room temperature on a large cooing pan. [CA] All hot-held food products must be cooled from 135 OF to 70 OF within the first two hours and from 70 OF to 41 OF with another four hours by: (1) Placing the FOOD in shallow pans. (2) Separating the FOOD into smaller or thinner portions. (3) Using rapid cooling EQUIPMENT. (4) Using containers that facilitate heat transfer. (5) Adding ice as an ingredient. (6) Using ice paddles. (7) Inserting appropriately designed containers in an ice bath and stirring frequently. The manager demonstrated the proper cooling procedure using an ice bath and smaller portions.
Food on the floor or under drips
The department's words
K30 Food storage: food storage containers identified
Some food products on boxes were stored directly on the floor or on milk crate back in the storage area. [CA] To prevent insect hiding and breading and for easy cleaning of the floor area, please store all food products at least six inches off the floor on an approved shelf or dunnage rack.
Dish sink or dish machine not set up right
The department's words
K34 Warewash facilities: installed/maintained; test strips
There is no approved sanitizer measuring strip to measure the concentration of the chemicals used to sanitize dishes and utensils in the facility. [CA] Provide approved sanitizer measuring strips for the chemicals used in sanitizing utensils. equipment, and food contact surfaces.
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
The open top white freezer and the upright freezer stored in the back room are not NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one. [CA] All equipment used in the facility must be NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one.
EarlierNov 6, 2024Routine inspection89 out of 100 (Green placard)
5 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (5)
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
There was very low sanitizer concentration on one of the sanitizer buckets. [CA] Maintain the sanitizer concentration on the sanitizer buckets at 200 ppm quaternary ammonia. 100 ppm chlorine (bleach), 272 ppm -700 ppm lactic acid levels.
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
There was very low sanitizer concentration on one of the three compartment warewash sink. [CA] Maintain the sanitizer concentration on the sanitizer compartment of the wash sink at 200 ppm quaternary ammonia. 100 ppm chlorine (bleach), 272 ppm -700 ppm lactic acid levels.
Permits available
The department's words
K49 Permits available
Our records indicate this facility has a delinquent account and is operating without a valid Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health permit|. The facility has an outstanding account balance in the amount of $1,383.75 Payment must be made within 48 hours (2 business days) to the Santa Clara County DEH online at our website which is https://paydirect.link2gov.com/SantaClaraCountyDEH/ItemSearch using an account ID number AR1312198. You may also drop a business check or a crasher's check at our office address written on the top right corner. Previous written notification of account balance informed about the Delinquent Permit fee last month. A re-inspection will not be conducted if your account is paid in full by 11/8/24. The facility shall remain open, and a new valid permit will be mailed after payment has been received. If your account has not been paid in full by the Comply By date, a re-inspection will be performed, and the facility owner may be billed at the current hourly rate per County Ordinance Code B11-8. Non-payment of permit fees within 48 hours will result in additional legal actions up to and including facility closure.
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Disrepair ceiling. Some parts of ceiling above the fridge storage area in the front counter. [CA] Ceilings of all rooms where nonprepackaged food is handled shall be smooth, of durable construction, and of nonabsorbent material that is easily cleanable.
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
The open top white freezer and the upright freezer stored behind the counter are not NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one. [CA] All equipment used in the facility must be NSF/ANSI approved or ETL/UL Sanitation listed one.
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 Shellena's Cafe, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Hot food below 135°F Read the free guide
- Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food Read the free guide
- Equipment in poor repair In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
- Food on the floor or under drips Read the free guide
- Pests seen inside: roaches Read the free guide
Call Shellena's Cafe
Ask for the manager. Shellena's Cafe can only fix what it knows about.
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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 Shellena's 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
- Follow-up inspection
- Result
- 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.