The San Francisco Department of Public Health held a series of routine inspections on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Most restaurants passed the checks; however, two eating establishments, Local Roots by Opa Café and Golden Flower Vietnamese restaurant, were ordered closed after violations of the department’s health and food safety codes were identified.
Please note that the results mentioned here are from an inspection conducted on June 4 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the San Francisco food establishments.
Highlights
- On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, two eateries in San Francisco failed a routine health inspection.
- Local Roots by Opa Café and Golden Flower Vietnamese Restaurant must suspend operations until all violations are addressed.
- Both restaurants will have to undergo follow-up inspections before they are allowed to reopen.
Local Roots by Opa Café
- Where: 70 Leidesdroff St San Francisco CA 94104
- When: June 4, 2025
Local Roots, located on Leidesdorff Street in San Francisco, was shut down immediately due to one grave health code violation. Their health permit was suspended on-site, and the facility was asked to cease operations until the health department cleared them.
A critical violation involving a cockroach infestation was observed in areas such as glue traps under the prep sink, inside the refrigerator’s condenser unit, and on and around the two-door refrigerator near the kitchen/office. Before reopening, the establishment is expected to completely eliminate the issue through deep cleaning and pest control.
The inspection team also noted other violations that were addressed on-site. These have been discussed below:
- An employee was seen washing the cutting board in a hand sink instead of the allocated warewashing area. The employee was then instructed to rewash the items in the dish machine, which they complied with.
- The premises also had a can of unapproved pesticide that the employees discarded on site.
- Certain wiping cloths were not stored in a sanitizer solution as instructed by the guidelines of the health department. Inspectors instructed the team that wiping cloths or stored in an approved sanitizing solution.
- The inspection report also mentioned that there was food debris under certain kitchen equipment. The employees were asked to clean and maintain the floors and other surfaces regularly.
Golden Flower Vietnamese Restaurant
- Where: 667 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133-5028
- When: June 4, 2025
Golden Flower is a Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco that serves traditional dishes such as pho, bun bo hue, and Vietnamese iced coffee. However, one serious violation, a cockroach infestation, prompted inspectors to close the restaurant.
Multiple live German and American cockroaches were observed in both kitchen areas upstairs and downstairs. They were also found near the food prep zones, under stoves, near shelves, and around an electrical outlet that had been taped over. This forced the inspection team to immediately shut operations on the premises and suspend the restaurant’s health permit.
Other noncompliances noted in the inspection report have been listed below:
- The inspector noted that many food items were held above 41°F inside the walk-in cooler. The team discarded all of these food items.
- They also used improper cooling methods for the fried tofu, which was measured at 99°F despite being cooled for 2.5 to 3 hours. Ideally, the temperature should have dropped to 70°F. The tofu was also thrown out.
- A major leak was found under the sink in one of the kitchens, posing a contamination risk.
- The restaurant was missing any valid food handler cards.
- Raw meats were stored above ready-to-eat foods, such as pineapple.
- Two cooks were observed to be operating without any hair restraints or hats.
- A pot of broth was being stored directly on the floor instead of the outlined six inches off the ground.
- The restaurant was missing a metal probe thermometer to measure the temperature of different food items.
- Inspectors observed grease accumulation in the cooking areas; the wall behind the prep cooler had electrical and duct tape that became a harborage point for cockroaches.
- The facility also had a plumbing leak behind the freezer.
Follow-up Inspections
To reopen both establishments, the team must ensure that all violations are addressed per the health department guidelines. Most importantly, the food facilities need to undergo pest control, deep cleaning, and sanitation procedures, produce pest control documentation, and pass a follow-up inspection.
They can also request a hearing within 15 days to contest the closure of these establishments. However, the closure placard cannot be removed by anyone other than the health inspector. Removal of the placard can also constitute a misdemeanor.
