The Philadelphia Department of Health’s Office of Food Protection ordered the closure of two local restaurants after May 8, 2025, health inspections. Ultimo Coffee and Soulful Kitchen by Thomasena’s did not meet the health code standards, leading to immediate actions from the health officials.
Please note that the scores mentioned here are from a particular inspection conducted on May 8 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the establishments.
Highlights
- Ultimo Coffee voluntarily closed when inspectors identified 4 risk factor violations including sanitation and facility violations.
- Soulful Kitchen was unable to present license eligibility during the pre-operational inspection because of equipment and plumbing issues.
- Both restaurants need to address all the violations before reopening or receiving operational approval.
Critical Violations Force Two Restaurants to Shut Down
The inspections by the health department indicated a range of violations at both restaurants, including equipment malfunctions and structural faults. The detailed reports pointed to certain issues that had to be addressed before either restaurant would be allowed to reopen.
Ultimo Coffee, LLC
- Where: 1900 S 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145
- When: May 8, 2025 (7:50 AM to 8:55 AM)
Ultimo Coffee has been cited with four risk factor violations, including insufficient handwashing facilities and unclean food-contact surfaces, with reports of black residues inside the bin of the ice machine. The most serious violation was linked to the dishwashing equipment, where the concentration of the chemical sanitizer was 0 ppm, much below the required standard of 50-100 ppm, and persistent issues despite attempts at correction.
Other problems identified included multiple equipment failures – the presence of rust inside a refrigerator, and significant problems with the infrastructure, such as leaking pipes and unsealed basement floors that cannot be cleaned properly.
Soulful Kitchen by Thomasena’s
- Where: 2372 Orthodox Street, Philadelphia, PA 19137
- When: May 8, 2025 (12:40 PM to 3:35 PM)
Soulful Kitchen by Thomasena’s Inc. failed its pre-operational inspection with many non-functional equipment issues, such as a front food prep warmer and a basement walk-in cooler. Inspectors noted serious plumbing violations across the facility, including incorrectly installed connected drain lines and waste connections that did not comply with code specifications.
The facility also had physical condition problems, such as abandoned equipment and debris in the basement area, and ventilation problems with unscreened ductwork under the type II exhaust hood system over the ovens.
Health Department Enforcement Actions
The Philadelphia Department of Health withheld Soulful Kitchen’s license eligibility until all the identified violations were corrected. A License Eligibility Report was also withheld until all the issues listed in the inspection report were resolved.
Ultimo Coffee complied with the requirements of suspending its food business and voluntarily shutting down operations until the department approves the reopening. Both restaurants must address all violations to reopen, and non-compliance can lead to revocation of their license and further legal actions.
The closures by the Philadelphia Department of Health reinstate the necessity of observing food safety procedures and facility standards. Ultimo Coffee and Soulful Kitchen need to rectify all the cited violations prior to reopening their premises.
