[Editor’s note: The report mentioned here is from an inspection conducted on October 31 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the food establishment.]
A health inspection was conducted at 5 Sips Coffee & Tea on October 31, 2025, by the Sacramento County Health Department. The report revealed multiple health code violations, including improper holding temperature and cockroach infestation.
5 Sips Coffee & Tea
- When: October 31, 2025
- Where: 2104 11th Ave, Sacramento, CA 95818
According to the report, inspectors cited 5 Sips Coffee & Tea for several major health code violations. Some of them are:
- The employee lacked knowledge of the proper holding temperature for cold, potentially hazardous foods, which must be maintained at 41°F or below. This was a repeat violation, the report said.
- Food handler cards required under Section 113948 were not available for review during the inspection. The facility has been instructed to correct this within 30 days.
- The report noted a major violation for improper cold holding. Milk at the front service counter was found at 54°F, above the required 41°F limit. The employee explained that milk is often left on the counter during busy periods.
- The report listed additional temperature issues. The display cooler contained items such as burritos, egg sandwiches, tomatoes, and turkey sandwiches at 46°F, and the glass-door cooler at the front counter held milk at 43°F and half-and-half at 46°F.
- Half-and-half in a carafe at the self-service counter was labeled for a 90-minute use period, but the timer had not been started. The item was voluntarily discarded during the inspection, per the report.
- Inspectors found three dead drain flies contaminating ice in an open Cambro ice chest. There were four in the pastry case, two in a pitcher behind the counter, hundreds caught in glue traps, and about twenty live flies in various locations, as per the report.
- The report cited a drainage problem at the front service counter, where a glass-door cooler’s hose was draining into a pitcher rather than into a floor sink. The facility must ensure the hose drains into a floor sink with at least a 1-inch air gap, or replace the equipment with one that has proper drainage. The report said this correction must be completed within 14 days.
- Inspectors found one live adult cockroach in the water heater/mop sink closet, another live adult on the pipes behind the warewashing sink, and one molted cockroach skin under the drain board next to the ice machine, as mentioned in the report.
- A food storage violation was observed where the Cambro ice container was left open. There were raw turkey bacon stored above ready-to-eat food in a two-door freezer.
- A chemical storage issue was identified when a household pesticide spray was found under the front counter.
- Standing gray water was observed beneath the warewashing sink and in floor indentations, and the floor sink at the front counter showed organic buildup.
- Several equipment violations were documented in the report, including the use of an unapproved residential freezer for food storage, excessive ice buildup in the refrigerator, and a display cooler holding food at 46°F instead of 41°F.
- Pooling water was also found inside the front counter cooler. Two inaccurate monitoring thermometers were found in the display case. The report notes that they must be removed and replaced with functional thermometers within three days.
- The report listed multiple repeat violations involving structural and surface damage. The facility has unsealed expanding foam in several areas, rotted cabinets beneath the espresso machine, deteriorated flooring near the front counter, a hole in the wall behind the freezer, and large gaps in the mop sink room.
- The report revealed that the facility’s health permit had expired. The operator must provide proof of a valid permit.
Many of the cited violations are required to be corrected within specific timeframes, as noted in the report. Details and deadlines for these corrections are available in the full inspection report online.
Follow-up Inspection
According to the health inspection report, 5 Sips Coffee & Tea is expected to abate the cockroach infestation and have a professional pest control company treat the site.
The restaurant must seal all vermin access points, discard any contaminated food, and clean and sanitize all food-contact surfaces. Once the facility corrects the major violations, it can contact Environmental Management to schedule a reinspection.
