BENITO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT AND PIZZERIA
2219 COUNTY RD 220 STE 317
Overall Food Safety Rating
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5)
Based on 6 health inspection reports
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All Inspection Reports
Inspection on 5/14/2025
High Priority
0
Intermediate
0
Basic
0
Total
1
Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
Inspection Details:
- N/A:No Violations Were Observed
Food safety inspection conducted on 5/14/2025 revealed 1 total violations (0 high priority, 0 intermediate, 0 basic).
Inspection on 5/9/2025
High Priority
3
Intermediate
2
Basic
4
Total
9
Disposition: Follow-up Inspection Required
Inspection Details:
- 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Soufflé cup used in yeast. Employee removed cup. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation
- 32-12-6:Basic - Covered waste receptacle not provided in women's bathroom. No covered receptacle provided in women's restroom.
- 10-07-4:Basic - In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Ice cream scoops stored in standing water at 69F. Employee removed the water. Corrected On-Site
- 29-08-4:Basic - Plumbing system in disrepair. Cold water valve on mop sink is inoperable.
- 22-41-4:High Priority - 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. Dishmachine tested at 0ppm chlorine. Employee changed chemical and retested at 50ppm chlorine. Corrected On-Site
- 01B-02-5:High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. In small flip top reach in cooler, sliced cheese (47F/45F - Cold Holding); fried mozzarella (51F - Cold Holding); manicotti (45F - Cold Holding); lasagna (47F - Cold Holding); pasta (48F - Cold Holding); ham (45F - Cold Holding); calamari (45F - Cold Holding). Per employee, all products have been in the same unit overnight. Warning
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. See stop sale. In small flip top reach in cooler, sliced cheese (47F/45F - Cold Holding); fried mozzarella (51F - Cold Holding); manicotti (45F - Cold Holding); lasagna (47F - Cold Holding); pasta (48F - Cold Holding); ham (45F - Cold Holding); calamari (45F - Cold Holding). Per employee, all products have been in the same unit overnight. Warning
- 22-02-4:Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener has food debris. Employee removed can opener for cleaning. **Corrective Action Taken**
- 05-08-4:Intermediate - No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products. No probe thermometer available.
Food safety inspection conducted on 5/9/2025 revealed 9 total violations (3 high priority, 2 intermediate, 4 basic).
Inspection on 10/29/2024
High Priority
4
Intermediate
1
Basic
4
Total
9
Disposition: Follow-up Inspection Required
Inspection Details:
- 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Soufflé cup used as a scoop in parmesan cheese in flip top reach in cooler.
- 36-34-5:Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents/floors/walls soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Wall under triple sink and dish machine area is soiled. Multiple vents in kitchen with dust. Floor under fryer and stove with grease/debris build up.
- 14-71-4:Basic - Duct tape used to repair nonfood-contact surface. Duct tape used on handle of knives hanging on rack in prep area and at salad reach in cooler.
- 12B-13-4:Basic - Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. Opened employee beverage on shelf in pizza flip top reach in cooler. Employee removed beverage. Corrected On-Site
- 14-15-4:High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Two buckets used for bulk salt and sugar are stored in hardware store brand name buckets. Two shelves to right of stove storing oils have cardboard lining the shelves.
- 08A-20-5:High Priority - Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Raw chicken stored on top portion of right flip top reach in cooler in kitchen above raw snails, no barrier separation present.
- 03B-01-6:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Cheese pizza held on buffet line elevated above steam pans at 117F. Employee states pizza placed on buffet less than one hour prior. Employee discarded remaining pizza slices. Inspector discussed using time control on pizzas on buffet with operator. Operator decided to hold pizzas on time controls. Inspector provided DBPR Form HR 5022-090 and assisted in completion of paperwork. **Corrective Action Taken** Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
- 41-15-5:High Priority - Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Wiping cloth solution at front counter tested at 200ppm chlorine. Employee remade solution to 100ppm chlorine. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
- 53B-09-4:Intermediate - Required employee training provided by a third-party employee training program and operator unable to provide original certificate for employees trained. Training certificate for Aaron A is a photocopy.
Food safety inspection conducted on 10/29/2024 revealed 9 total violations (4 high priority, 1 intermediate, 4 basic).
Inspection on 3/4/2024
High Priority
0
Intermediate
0
Basic
0
Total
1
Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
Inspection Details:
- N/A:No Violations Were Observed
Food safety inspection conducted on 3/4/2024 revealed 1 total violations (0 high priority, 0 intermediate, 0 basic).
Inspection on 1/4/2024
High Priority
6
Intermediate
5
Basic
7
Total
18
Disposition: Follow-up Inspection Required
Inspection Details:
- 14-01-5:Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Soufflé cup used as a scoop in container of pasta. Person in charge removed soufflé cup. Corrected On-Site
- 32-12-5:Basic - Covered waste receptacle not provided in women's bathroom. No covered receptacle for women's restroom.
- 08B-20-4:Basic - Damaged/spoiled/recalled food not properly segregated. #10 unlabeled can on speed rack in kitchen not segregated from stocked products.
- 14-11-5:Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Left handle on reach in cooler in server area is missing.
- 10-20-4:Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Multiple pairs of tongs stored on oven door handle in kitchen. Employee moved all to proper storage. Corrected On-Site
- 33-31-5:Basic - Unnecessary items/unused equipment on the premises. Flip top reach in cooler behind establishment to right of back door.
- 14-12-4:Basic - Utensils in poor condition. Two rubber spatulas in use in kitchen both have melted/missing rubber pieces off the spatula and one handle is burned, no longer smooth and easily cleanable.
- 01B-01-4:High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. #10 unlabeled can on speed rack in kitchen with denting along top and bottom can seams. Person in charge voluntarily discarded.
- 35A-02-6:High Priority - Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. One live flying insect at reach in cooler server area for salads. One live flying insect in kitchen at pizza reach in cooler.
- 08B-01-4:High Priority - Self-service salad bar/buffet lacking adequate sneezeguards or other proper protection from contamination. Establishment has a lunch buffet with plexiglass cover over top of buffet line. Cover is over front one-half of buffet line with back part exposing food. Cover is flat and does not give adequate protection from potential contamination. Warning
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked breaded eggplant in kitchen reach in cooler at 48F. Person in charge states eggplant was out of the cooler for approximately one hour. Eggplant moved to reach in freezer. Temperature retaken at end of inspection at 36F. **Corrective Action Taken** Repeat Violation Admin Complaint
- 03B-01-6:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Pepperoni pizza on buffet at 107F. Pizza placed on top of steam well lids above heat line on buffet. Per person in charge, pizza placed on buffet approximately 30 minutes prior. Person in charge voluntarily discarded pizza. Meatballs in pot on stove with no heat applied at 129F. Per person in charge, meatballs prepared 30 minutes prior. Person in charge reheated meatballs to 171F. **Corrective Action Taken**
- 41-15-5:High Priority - Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Sanitizer bucket in kitchen tested at 200+ppm chlorine. Employee remade to 50ppm chlorine. Corrected On-Site
- 22-02-4:Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener at prep table has debris build up. Repeat Violation
- 16-37-1:Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. Establishment does not have quaternary ammonium test strips for sanitizer used in the three compartment sink. Repeat Violation
- 51-16-7:Intermediate - No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. The direct link to the Plan Review page is https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/licensing/plan-review/. At front counter an ice bin was added with serving staff scooping and serving iced beverages. No handwash sink exists at ice bin area. Warning
- 53B-02-5:Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for employee hired more than 60 days ago. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. One cook, Aaron, hired over 60 days with no proof of training.
- 41-17-4:Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Unlabeled squirt bottle with green liquid on shelf in dish room. Repeat Violation
Food safety inspection conducted on 1/4/2024 revealed 18 total violations (6 high priority, 5 intermediate, 7 basic).
Inspection on 7/19/2023
High Priority
3
Intermediate
3
Basic
2
Total
8
Disposition: Met Inspection Standards
Inspection Details:
- 25-05-4:Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. Single service take out cups on the floor in front of the ice machine.
- 08B-12-5:Basic - Stored food not covered. Three buckets of marinara sauce in reach in cooler without lids/covering.
- 14-15-4:High Priority - Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Observed "Home Depot/Lowe's" buckets used to store marinara sauce in reach in cooler. Discussed with operator.
- 35A-05-4:High Priority - Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed one live roach on floor under pizza make reach in cooler. Employee killed and discarded roach. Corrected On-Site
- 03A-02-5:High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Fresh garlic and oil mixture held on prep table at 81F. Operator states prepared approximately one hour prior. Operator moved to refrigeration. **Corrective Action Taken**
- 22-02-4:Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener at prep table has build up of debris.
- 16-37-1:Intermediate - No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment sink/warewashing machine or wiping cloths. None available for the establishment. Employee states container of strips had gotten wet and are now unusable.
- 41-17-4:Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. At bar area, unlabeled spray bottle with clear liquid. Employee labeled with chemical name. Corrected On-Site
Food safety inspection conducted on 7/19/2023 revealed 8 total violations (3 high priority, 3 intermediate, 2 basic).