This visit closed with no further action required.
PEPPER'S MEXICAN GRILL AND CANTINA
1140 CAPITAL CIRCLE SE UNIT 15, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32301
PEPPER'S MEXICAN GRILL AND CANTINA keeps a clean kitchen by state inspection standards. Only minor issues noted in the past year. The trailing-year record shows 6 violations, including 2 high-priority and 0 Emergency Orders of Closure.
Scores higher than 26% of the 684 inspected restaurants in TALLAHASSEE on the trailing-year record.
2 high-priority violations on the trailing-year record — above the Leon County average of 0.8.
The Inspection Record
9 inspectionsFull available history. The score uses only the most recent 365 days — older visits are shown for context, not counted.
Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.
Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.
High-risk food (like meat) thawed improperly, promoting bacterial growth.
Food-contact or nonfood-contact surfaces improperly designed, constructed, maintained, or located.
Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.
Employee jackets, phones, drinks, or other personal items stored where they can contaminate food.
Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Floors, walls, ceilings, or attached equipment dirty, damaged, or poorly vented.
This visit closed with no further action required.
Hands not washed or gloves not changed when required, or employees eating, drinking, or smoking in food areas.
Dish machine or sinks not set up or working properly, or missing sanitizer test kit and gauges.
Floors, walls, ceilings, or attached equipment dirty, damaged, or poorly vented.
Employee jackets, phones, drinks, or other personal items stored where they can contaminate food.
Raw meat, poultry, or seafood not separated from ready-to-eat food, or food left unprotected during prep, storage, or display.
Food held, cooled, cooked, or reheated outside safe temperatures, letting dangerous bacteria multiply.
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.
Floors, walls, ceilings, or attached equipment dirty, damaged, or poorly vented.
Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.
Shelves, counters, handles, or equipment exteriors soiled with grease, debris, or dust.
Clean equipment and utensils stored improperly or not air-dried.
Plumbing not installed or maintained properly — leaks, mop sink issues, unserviced water filters, or missing backflow prevention.
Employee jackets, phones, drinks, or other personal items stored where they can contaminate food.
Mops, brooms, and other cleaning and maintenance equipment stored or maintained improperly.
This visit closed with no further action required.
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.
Hands not washed or gloves not changed when required, or employees eating, drinking, or smoking in food areas.
Missing consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items, ready-to-eat food not date-marked, or food not properly labeled.
Handwash sink missing, blocked, or used for other purposes, or missing soap, towels, or the handwash sign.
Surfaces that touch food — cutting boards, ice bins, dish racks — soiled or not sanitized.
Floors, walls, ceilings, or attached equipment dirty, damaged, or poorly vented.
Shelves, counters, handles, or equipment exteriors soiled with grease, debris, or dust.
Single-use items (cups, straws, to-go containers) stored or handled improperly.
Plumbing not installed or maintained properly — leaks, mop sink issues, unserviced water filters, or missing backflow prevention.
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.
Cold food must stay at 41°F or below and hot food at 135°F or above, through receiving, holding, cooking, cooling, and reheating. The range in between is where bacteria multiply fastest, which is why temperature control is checked on nearly every visit.
On this record, the category appears in 2 of the 3 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. 4703070 — you can read the original documents yourself and compare.