On April 28, 2025, the Kanawha-Charleston Department of Health held a range of routine inspections across restaurants in the area. One of the burger joints in Charleston – Sam’s Uptown Cafe – was found in violation of certain food health and safety codes set in place by the state department. While the issues were not major, consumers are advised to remain vigilant of these notices for health reasons.
Please note that the scores mentioned here are from a particular inspection conducted on April 28 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the establishment.
Highlights
- Sam’s Uptown Cafe in Charleston failed a routine health inspection on Tuesday, April 28, 2025.
- The restaurant served diner-style food and cocktails in the Capitol Street area of Charleston.
- Some of the non-observances noticed on the premises include a vermin infestation, non-maintenance of cleanliness standards, and temperature maintenance issues.
Sam’s Uptown Cafe Found Violating Health Codes
Non-observations include cleanliness issues and a vermin infestation. (Source: Google Reviews)
- When: April 28, 2025
- Where: 28 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25301
Sam’s Uptown Cafe is a casual dining restaurant on Capitol Street in Charleston that serves cocktails, finger food, and diner-style American food. During an inspection on Thursday, the establishment was found not to be maintaining certain standards set in place by the Department of Health of Kanawha-Charleston County. These violations included evidence of a lack of hygiene, noncompliance with food storage temperatures, and a vermin infestation.
Non-Observances Noted at Sam’s Uptown Cafe
The inspectors noted that Sam’s Uptown cafe had multiple violations of the hygiene standards required to be maintained by restaurants in Kanawha-Charleston County. The first observation was that the chlorine levels in the dishwasher were at zero ppm, well below the set standard, leading to issues with sanitization.
Furthermore, the prep cooler was not at the stipulated 41°F temperature. Instead, food in the cold storage was being held at a much higher temperature of 48°F. Moreover, many of the coolers on the premises did not have a thermometer inside, leading to inaccurate temperature readings.
The inspection also revealed a possible pest infestation that needed to be addressed immediately. In addition to this, the prep cooler was observed to be broken and not maintaining safe temperatures for food storage. Furthermore, the overall facility, including the floors, walls, and ceiling, needed to be cleaned more thoroughly.
As corrective measures, the staff of the facility has been asked to fix the dishwasher so that it can sanitize the utensils appropriately. Cold food temperatures have to be maintained at the outlined 41°F or less. In addition to this, the establishment has been asked to install thermometers inside all the coolers that store perishable foods. The team was also asked to have the prep cooler fixed at the earliest. In the immediate future, the facility has to improve its pest control efforts, clean up all evidence of pest infestations, and prevent them in the future. Also, the building needs to be cleaned and maintained regularly to ensure cleanliness.
At this moment, owing to the fact that most violations are not major, the inspection report only states that the restaurant has been given a failed certificate for its latest routine inspection. However, the team will have to fix all the deficiencies in 72 hours, and a follow-up inspection will be held in 10 days. Special attention will be given to food storage and management, as well as dishwasher function, as per the report posted on the official inspection website.
