PEPPERS COCINA MEXICANS & TEQUILA BAR
72 SPANISH ST, Saint Augustine FL 32084 · 770-608-8570
Last inspected Jun 11, 2026 · 7 visits since August 2023
AUG 23
OCT 23
SEP 24
MAR 25
JUN 26
▼ IMPROVING
5 inspections, climbing. The current grade is the best on record.
Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 6/1/31.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
7 visits, newest first
Jun 11, 2026Inspection Completed - No Further ActionLicensing Inspection
Nothing was found. The inspector recorded no violations at all.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
May 5, 2025□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Mar 3, 2025Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 5 recorded.
0 High priority2 Intermediate3 Basic
Show 5 findings ▾
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed cutting boards on cook line and salad coolers soiled with food debris.
Required employee training expired for all employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Observed all food handler certifications expired in September of 2024.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed small handless plastic bowl used to scoop quinoa. Person in charge removed plastic bowl from quinoa.
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed food containers stacked with visible moisture on metal shelf near walk-in cooler.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed gaskets on flip-top coolers soiled with food debris.
Sep 18, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 4 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority2 Intermediate0 Basic
Show 4 findings ▾
Employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands - food was not being heated as a sole ingredient to 145 degrees F or immediately added to other ingredients to be cooked/heated to the minimum required temperature to allow bare hand contact. Establishment has no approved Alternative Operating Procedure. Observed food employee at bar cutting cucumbers without gloves. No visible contamination observed. Discuses with employee. Employee washed hands and placed gloves on. Cucumbers are used in drinks without a kill step.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed salad reach in cooler p: house made hummus above chill line. (45F - Cold Holding) person in charge had humus placed in ice too cool. Observed pico style salsa (58F - Cold Holding); cut tomatoes (53F - Hot Holding) items double panned in flip-top cooler for less than 2 hours per person in charge. Person in charge had ice placed in second pan. Observed oil in garlic mixture on cook line. (69F - Cold Holding) person in charge placed in ice to cool left on cook line for less than an hour. Items temperatures 41F or below by end of inspection.
Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Observed open gallon of milk in upstairs bakery cooler. Person in charge states it was opened within last two days. Person in charge added date mark.
No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Observed hand washing station in upstairs bakery kitchen missing paper towels. Person in charge added paper towels.
Oct 20, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionComplaint Investigation
Met inspection standards. 10 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
3 High priority1 Intermediate6 Basic
Show 10 findings ▾
Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. Observed grits from 10/19 at 48F cooling overnight. Discussed poor air flow and over stocking with person in charge. Person in charge set aside to dispose of.
Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed dish washer scrub and clean dirty dishes, place dirty dishes in dish rack, slide dish rack into dish machine then unloaded cleaned sanitized dishes without washing hands. Discussed with person in charge.
Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed grits (48F - Cooling) overnight in sliding door cooler on cook line.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed cutting boards on cook line stained with food debris.
Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed small plastic cup used to scoop salsa from salad flip-top cooler. Employee removed cup and placed spoon in salsa. Observed plastic to go container in bulk flour bin in second story kitchen. Discussed with person in charge.
Dead roaches on premises. Observed one dead roach in glue trap in upstairs kitchen. Person in charge removed dead roach from establishment.
Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Observed cell phone laying on cloth on flip-top cooler top cooler on cook line.
Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Upstairs kitchen floors soiled with old food debris.
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Observed knife on cooked line stored in between coolers. Discussed with cook line employee and they removed knife from crack.
Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Observed dish washer pull clean sanitized dishes out of dish machine with labels still attached to food containers. Discussed with dish washer. Dish washer pull labels off containers.
Aug 21, 2023□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Aug 9, 2023Administrative complaint recommendedRoutine Inspection
Referred for a formal case, which can lead to a fine. 9 violations recorded, 4 high priority.
4 High priority1 Intermediate4 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Observed single rack dish machine at bar at 0ppm chlorine. Person in charge called work order on unit. Establishment has main dish machine functioning.
Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. Observed cutting board and dishes ran through single rack dish machine not sanitized due to machine at 0ppm chlorine. Person in charge placed dishes and cutting board in main dish washing area.
Operating with an expired Division of Hotels and Restaurants license. License expired 6/1/31.
Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed chemical spray bottle with orange liquid stored on prep table near soups. Person in charge removed chemical spray bottle from food and single service items.
Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. Provided written procedures and discussed with person in charge.
Equipment in poor repair. Observed gaskets on reach in cooler drawers torn.
Light shield damaged/in disrepair. Observed multiple light fixture shields cracked up throughout kitchen.
Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed gaskets on flip-top coolers and reach in coolers through out kitchen soiled with food debris.
Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Observed old labels stuck on plastic jugs at bar. Discussed with person in charge.
This record follows the licence, not the owner. Restaurants change hands and the licence history normally does not, so an older entry may describe people who no longer run the place. Every inspection above links to the state's own report. Something wrong? Tell us.