TAKE 5 CAFE
3111 W MARTIN LUTHER KING, Tampa FL 33607 · 813-515-5916
Last inspected Jul 9, 2026 · 8 visits since July 2023
JAN 24
AUG 24
APR 25
OCT 25
MAY 26
▼ IMPROVING
5 inspections trending up, 15 points better than where it started.
Live, small flying insects found 2 live flies in garbage can by the office in kitchen. Employee moved garbage can out of the building.
★ Spotless◆ Clean streak● Perfect year✓ Never fined
Awarded on the inspection record alone. What they mean →
Inspection history
8 visits, newest first
Jul 9, 2026Call Back - Admin. complaint recommendedRoutine Inspection
Referred for a formal case, which can lead to a fine. 2 violations recorded.
0 High priority2 Intermediate0 Basic
What the inspector wrote — 2 findings
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Interior of the sandwich press soiled with accumulated burned debris and grease at sandwich bar.
Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. Jose Vazquez, Food Service Director. No other certified food manager available.
May 8, 2026Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 9 recorded, 1 high priority.
1 High priority4 Intermediate4 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. A piece of butter 56 F stored in reach-in cooler at cook line. Operator discarded at time of inspection.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Interior of the sandwich press soiled with accumulated burned debris and grease at sandwich bar.
Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. Jose Vazquez, Food Service Director. No other certified food manager available.
No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233.
No proof provided that food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses.
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee's opened bottled water stored in reach-in cooler with milk at bar. Operator removed water.
Floor area(s) covered with standing water. At back cook line in prep kitchen.
Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. Multiple bags of ice cubes stored on floor in walk-in freezer.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Oct 30, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 8 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate5 Basic
Show 8 findings ▾
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. A container of cooked onion 79 F and pulled pork 78 F stored on utility cart next to grill at front service line. Discussed proper hot holding temperature is 135F or above with the operator, operator coached employee and employee reheating food items at time of inspection.
Food service manager not certified within 30 days of employment. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ Cory Scully, Chef Manager.
Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Interior of the sandwich press soiled with accumulation of grease and burned food debris at front service line.
Cove molding at floor/wall juncture broken/missing. Multiple corners in kitchen and wall on entrance of the kitchen.
Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Behind large cooking equipment on cook lines.
Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. A case of fry oil and a case of plastic bottled Pepsi stored on floor in dry food storage room.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Wiping cloth quaternary ammonium compound sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. 2 sanitizer buckets tested 0ppm at food prep area in kitchen. Operator informed employee to replace solution.
Apr 21, 2025Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 5 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
1 High priority2 Intermediate2 Basic
Show 5 findings ▾
Live, small flying insects found 2 live flies in garbage can by the office in kitchen. Employee moved garbage can out of the building.
Food being cooled by nonapproved method as evidenced by inadequate rate of cooling during time of inspection. Tuna salad prepared at 9am and temped 53F ambient cooling in reach-in cooler almost 4 hours. Tuna salad was covered and deeper than 4 inches, operator moved tuna salad to walk-in freezer for rapid cooling.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Cooked chicken and cooked ground beef in walk-in cooler. Operator date marked at time of inspection.
Floor area(s) covered with standing water. At prep area in kitchen.
Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
Aug 26, 2024Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 6 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
0 High priority0 Intermediate6 Basic
Show 6 findings ▾
Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. Observed black mold like substance inside ice machine adjacent to mop sink
Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed plastic containers wet nesting on shelf adjacent to cook line
Food storage container/container lid cracked or broken. Observed cracked plastic containers stored on shel of adjacent to cook line
Single-service articles improperly stored. Observed to boxes of Togo containers stored on floor in dry storage room Corrected -observed employee place on shelf
Wiping cloth sanitizing solution stored on the floor. Observed stored on prep table under grill top Corrected -observed employee place in sanitizer bucket
Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Observed bulk salt not labeled on shelf on service line Corrected -observed employee label
Feb 2, 2024□ Call Back - CompliedRoutine Inspection
A return visit. The problems from the previous inspection had been dealt with.
0 High priority0 Intermediate0 Basic
Jan 31, 2024Warning IssuedRoutine Inspection
Violations found and a warning issued, with a return visit required. 9 recorded, 4 high priority.
4 High priority1 Intermediate4 Basic
Show 9 findings ▾
Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. meat ball (64F - Cold Holding); mashed potatoes (53F - Cold Holding); marinara (53F - Cold Holding); cooked pasta (64F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (65F - Cold Holding); sausage (64F - Cold Holding); pork (61F - Cold Holding); cooked bell pepper (62F - Cold Holding); roasted tomatoes (63F - Cold Holding)
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed meat ball (64F - Cold Holding); mashed potatoes (53F - Cold Holding); marinara (53F - Cold Holding); cooked pasta (64F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (65F - Cold Holding); sausage (64F - Cold Holding); pork (61F - Cold Holding); cooked bell pepper (62F - Cold Holding); roasted tomatoes (63F - Cold Holding) cookline counter with no time mark
Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. See stop sale. Observed meat ball (64F - Cold Holding); mashed potatoes (53F - Cold Holding); marinara (53F - Cold Holding); cooked pasta (64F - Cold Holding); cooked chicken (65F - Cold Holding); sausage (64F - Cold Holding); pork (61F - Cold Holding); cooked bell pepper (62F - Cold Holding); roasted tomatoes (63F - Cold Holding) on service line with no time mark
Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cooked salmon (116F - Hot Holding -reheated to 167F ); cooked wing (96F - Hot Holding-reheated to 169 F ) on steam table
Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Observed spray bottle filled with blue liquid not labeled at mop sink corrected observed employee label
Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. Observed bowls and plates not inverted at storage shelf
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed employee drink stored on prep table on cookline
Label on a food item prepared and packaged onsite for customer self-service does not include product identity/description, date product was packaged and name and address of the establishment that prepared and packaged the food. Observed label for prepackaged cut melon with no date marks ( packaged date or discard date)
Single-service articles improperly stored. Observed Togo bowls and plates stored on floor in dry storage room
Jul 27, 2023Inspection Completed - No Further ActionRoutine Inspection
Met inspection standards. 8 violations recorded, none serious enough to require a return visit.
2 High priority2 Intermediate4 Basic
Show 8 findings ▾
Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed employee on cooks line changing duties and changing gloves with no prior hand washing, corrected action taken, inspector discussed with management proper hand washing procedures when changing gloves.
Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cheese 45°
Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Opened containers of milk held over 24 hrs not date marked, corrected, manager date marked milks during inspection.
Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. B. Cut deli meats held over 24 hrs not date marked.
Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee drinks stored on food prep table, corrected, employees removed drinks during inspection.
Food stored on floor. Foods stored on floor in walk in freezer. Corrected manager placed food on shelf at time of inspection.
In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. Knives stored under toaster oven in deli area.
Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses.
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.