Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.
MERCI CAFE
6112 S TAMIAMI TRL, SARASOTA, FL 34231
MERCI CAFE has a mixed inspection record — 13 violations in the past year, including 2 high-priority. Not alarming, but worth knowing before you order. The trailing-year record shows 13 violations, including 2 high-priority and 0 Emergency Orders of Closure.
Scores higher than 14% of the 765 inspected restaurants in SARASOTA on the trailing-year record.
2 high-priority violations on the trailing-year record — right at the Sarasota County average of 2.0.
The Inspection Record
5 inspectionsFull available history. The score uses only the most recent 365 days — older visits are shown for context, not counted.
Food from an unapproved supplier, unsafe or spoiled food, missing shellfish harvest tags, or raw fish without required parasite destruction.
Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.
Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Cleaning chemicals or other toxic substances unlabeled or stored where they can reach food.
Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.
A sick or symptomatic employee present, or staff unaware of when illness bars them from working with food.
Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.
Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.
Emergency exits blocked or locked during operation (referred to the fire authority).
Roaches, rodents, flies, or other pests present — or doors and openings that let them in not protected.
Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.
Missing consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items, ready-to-eat food not date-marked, or food not properly labeled.
Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.
Missing or expired food manager certification, or employee food-safety training not documented.
Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.
Employee jackets, phones, drinks, or other personal items stored where they can contaminate food.
Emergency exits blocked or locked during operation (referred to the fire authority).
Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Workers handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands without an approved alternative procedure.
Missing consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items, ready-to-eat food not date-marked, or food not properly labeled.
Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.
Dirty wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer, or soiled linens handled improperly.
Mops, brooms, and other cleaning and maintenance equipment stored or maintained improperly.
Emergency exits blocked or locked during operation (referred to the fire authority).
This visit closed with no further action required.
Violation categories, explained
Every violation on this record falls into one of the state's standardized categories. Here is what each category covers and why inspectors check for it — in plain English, with the trailing-year count for this kitchen.
Restaurants must buy food from licensed, inspected suppliers, keep it wholesome, and hold on to shellfish harvest tags that trace oysters and clams back to the waters they came from. Sourcing matters because food from outside the approved chain skips every safety control that normally happens before it reaches the kitchen.
On this record, the category appears in 1 of the 2 trailing-year inspections. The written details for each entry are in the state inspection documents linked above.
The inspection record above comes straight from the state's files.
Dirty Dish List is built from public inspection data published by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The inspection dates, dispositions, and violations on this report card mirror what the state has on file for License No. 6806149 — you can read the original documents yourself and compare.