News Summary
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has unveiled the final regulatory watch list for food establishments, currently featuring 116 businesses. This release follows the transition to a new database, granting food service establishments a ‘clean slate.’ The program aims to ensure compliance and improve public health, with 52 establishments having successfully passed inspections. Temporary closures have been enacted for various restaurants due to critical violations. The health department emphasizes ongoing inspections and compliance to maintain food safety within the community.
Lexington, KY – The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has announced the final regulatory watch list for food service establishments, which currently includes 116 restaurants and businesses as of the end of May 2025. This release marks the conclusion of an enhanced enforcement initiative that was previously referred to as probation.
In a notable shift, the health department has transitioned to a new database system as of June 1, granting every food service establishment a clean slate. As a result of this change, the health department is halting the program until updated FDA regulations are established statewide. This potential future change may transform the watch list into a statewide effort to monitor food service compliance.
The current watch list shows a decline from 148 establishments in January to the present 116, which indicates that significant improvement is being made within the local restaurant community. At least 52 establishments have successfully passed inspections without major issues and thus have been removed from the list since October of the previous year.
Since the beginning of the year, 15 food service establishments were added to the watch list during a period of heightened scrutiny aimed at protecting public health from food-borne illnesses. Notably, some establishments have faced permanent closures leading to their removal from the list. These include Bandido Taqueria Mexicana, Frisch’s, Jean Farris Winery, and L8NITE, all of which have ceased operations.
The health department does not publish the names of restaurants on the watch list based on their inspection scores. Instead, individuals can obtain individual reports through open records requests, though this information is limited due to staffing shortages. Establishments can be removed from the watch list after successfully passing two consecutive inspections without significant health violations.
Some notable establishments that have successfully come off the watch list include 33 Staves, Golden Corral, and McDonald’s located on Versailles Road. Meanwhile, the health department took temporary action against The Gallinero Grill Chicken on February 5, 2025, closing it due to a lack of running water and other food safety violations. The restaurant was allowed to reopen on February 14 after rectifying the issues. Additionally, Johnny Carino’s faced similar scrutiny when it was temporarily closed on May 1 due to leaks and sanitation problems but reopened promptly on May 6 after addressing the concerns.
To maintain compliance within the food service sector, the health department inspects approximately 1,500 establishments at least twice each year, with many of these establishments achieving perfect scores during inspections. Inspection scores are posted at the front door of each restaurant, using color-coded indicators to represent compliance statuses. A green box denotes a passing score, while red indicates a failing score, with scores falling below 60 prompting a mandatory closure of the establishment.
The enhanced enforcement measures for struggling establishments were reintroduced in August 2020 following a pause during the pandemic. Establishments become part of this enhanced enforcement list after scoring below 85 or failing a critical inspection point. By enforcing these regulations, the health department aims to improve public safety and reinforce compliance with sanitary and hygiene practices across food service settings.
As the health department temporarily suspends this program, the combination of successful establishments being removed from the list and the installation of a new database aims to instill confidence in the food service industry as regulations continue to evolve. The ultimate goal remains focused on protecting public health while ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.
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Additional Resources
- Kentucky.com: Restaurant Article
- Wikipedia: Food Safety
- Kentucky.com: Restaurant Article
- Google Search: restaurant compliance regulations
- Fox 56 News: Most Romantic Restaurants
- Google Scholar: food service inspections
- KTLA: Top 100 Brunch Restaurants
- Encyclopedia Britannica: restaurant health inspections
