Moldy produce, seafood held above safe temperatures and a trap full of dead roaches were among the violations Mecklenburg County health inspectors documented at Charlotte-area restaurants in September. The lowest score on this month’s list was a 79 — a C grade.
Here are the 10 lowest scores in the September inspection reports, counting down from No. 10 to No. 1. Six restaurants tied at 90, an A grade; their positions within that tie do not indicate different scores.
These results reflect the inspections listed below. Many documented food safety violations were corrected during the visits, and later reinspections may show different scores.
Report abbreviations: RTE means ready-to-eat; TCS refers to foods requiring time or temperature control for safety; WIC, RIC and WIF mean walk-in cooler, reach-in cooler and walk-in freezer; PIC means person in charge; EHS means environmental health specialist; ROP means reduced-oxygen packaging.
#10 — Canopy by Hilton Charlotte SouthPark (90 / A)
4905 Barclay Downs Dr., Charlotte, NC 28210 — Inspected Sept. 3, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed moldy strawberries and moldy peppers in WIC during inspection.”
- “Observed various foods in prep units holding above 41F during inspection.”
- “Various items additionally observed void of both common name of food and date of preparation or opening in WIC assumed to be TCS.”
The report says affected foods were voluntarily discarded.
#9 — China Express (90 / A)
315 S. Polk St., Pineville, NC 28134 — Inspected Sept. 17, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed raw shell eggs at 50F inside far left lowboy across from cooking equipment.”
- “Observed sliced cabbage in WIC and lowboy, and white rice in WIC without date marks.”
- “Observed probe thermometer in storage with food debris on entire unit.”
- “Observed stacks of clean plates and bowls stored on white storage rack across from cooking equipment with substantial food debris.”
The eggs were discarded, date labels were added and the thermometer was cleaned and sanitized during the inspection.
#8 — Mich Tocumbo (90 / A)
6300 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28217 — Inspected Sept. 30, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed employee put on gloves to prepare a customer order without first washing hands.”
- “Observed container of moldy jalapeños in 2 door refrigerator.”
- “Observed large container of queso cooled from yesterday at 74F upon arrival.”
- “Observed ears of cooked corn in reach in refrigerator 63F cooked last night.”
- “Observed one container of crema past 7 days.”
The jalapeños, queso, corn and crema were voluntarily discarded, according to the report.
#7 — The Imperial Treasure Ballantyne (90 / A)
14815 Ballantyne Village Way, Ste. 250, Charlotte, NC 28277 — Inspected Sept. 17, 2026
Observed violations:
- “EHS observed PIC answer phone call with gloved hands and after call continued working with food/utensils without changing gloves or washing hands.”
- “EHS observed raw shell eggs stored over RTE items in WIC.”
- “EHS observed pooled eggs and egg whites being held on make line out of refrigeration.”
- “EHS observed spam, bean sprouts, cooked quail eggs, and cooked beef without proper date markings.”
- “EHS observed two large plastic containers of marinated chicken in WIC actively cooling. PIC stated chicken was prepped an hour prior to inspection. EHS monitored cooling and observed inadequate cooling rates (see temp chart).”
- “EHS observed no test strips for chemical dish machine during inspection.”
Staff corrected glove use, food storage and date labels during the visit. The inspector reported no observed contamination from the egg-storage violation.
#6 — Sushi Taku (90 / A)
1300 South Blvd., Ste. 101S, Charlotte, NC 28203 — Inspected Sept. 21, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed a container of raw shrimp lollipops to be stored directly behind a container of spring mix in the cookline opentop across from the fryers.”
- “Observed buckets of RTE sauces to be stored on the lower shelf in the WIC directly below numerous containers of raw sushi fish and raw salmon.”
- “Observed 3 mandolin slicers, a meat pounder, and 2 large sifters to be stored as clean throughout the kitchen with visible food debris on their food contact surfaces.”
- “Observed a container of raw mussels to be at a temperature of 49-65F in the opentop across from the wok.”
- “Observed containers of spicy scallops and spicy tuna to be at temperatures of 59-64F in the WIC.”
- “Observed half a block of cream cheese and 3 trays of yellowtail to be at temperatures of 49-51F in the sushi display case and the sushi lowboy refrigerators.”
- “Observed a sheet pan full of approx 20 ROP tuna packages to be thawing in the WIC with the ROP packaging still in tact.”
The report called for reinstating a cold-holding risk-control plan. Out-of-temperature seafood was discarded; the cream cheese and yellowtail were moved to the walk-in cooler for rapid cooling.
#5 — Picasso’s Sports Cafe (90 / A)
230 E. W.T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262 — Inspected Sept. 24, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed slicer soiled with old food debris in the back corners.”
- “Observed ground sausage without a date.”
- “Observed beef dated 9/17. Item expired.”
- “Observed trap full of dead roaches near prep sink.”
- “Observed sanitizer bottles without labels.”
- “Observed lid of chest freezer heavily damaged.”
- “Observed 3 floor fans, tall reach in freezers, prep top/ low reach in doors in need of cleaning.”
- “Observed floors under and around equipment in need of cleaning. Observed walls behind equipment in need of cleaning.”
Undated sausage and expired beef were voluntarily discarded, and the slicer was taken apart for cleaning.
#4 — Midtown Tavern (88.5 / B)
1500 E. 3rd St., Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28204 — Inspected Sept. 2, 2026
The restaurant voluntarily closed during the inspection because its walk-in cooler could not maintain 41F or below, according to the report.
Observed violations:
- “Observed raw shelled eggs stored over RTE dairy items in the walk in cooler.”
- “Observed raw fish stored over cooked chicken in the prep top cooler.”
- “Observed washed produce stored under unwashed produce.”
- “Observed the sanitizer at the 3-compartment sink tested at 0ppm of Quat.”
- “Observed the walk in cooler with an ambient air temperature of 55F, all TCS foods in the walk in cooler were above 41F (see temp chart), PIC discarded all TCS foods that were above 41F and called refrigeration repair.”
- “Observed hummus opened without datemarking, Observed cooked ground beef datemarked with 9/2, however in discussion with the kitchen staff the product was made 9/1.”
- “Observed a container of cheese sauce to be in the WIC and was not provided with a date mark of any kind.”
- “Observed vacuum packed fish improperly thawing at room temperature and fish not opened or removed from packaging.”
- “Observed clothing on the prep top table.”
#3 — China Cafe (87.5 / B)
10230 Berkeley Place Dr., Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28262 — Inspected Sept. 9, 2026
Observed violations:
- “Observed several food employees wash hands and tern off faucet without a protective barrier.”
- “Observed food employee cutting containers of pork with bare hands.”
- “Observed raw chicken and raw beef stored above RTE sauces in WIC.”
- “Observed noodles cooling in deep plastic containers with tight fitting lids in WIC missing cooling window.”
- “Observed no date marks on items in the prep top from previous days.”
- “Observed sesame chicken held on time without time stamp.”
- “Observed food stored on the floor in WIF.”
- “Observed in use utensil stored in a bucket on the ground.”
- “Observed wet nesting throughout clean dish storage.”
- “Observed floors, walls, and ceilings with build up and food debris throughout.”
Four containers of noodles were voluntarily discarded. The inspector also placed the restaurant on a risk-control plan after reporting date-marking violations on its last six inspections.
#2 — Tiem Co Tu TC4 (85.5 / B)
8535 Hankins Rd., Ste. A, Charlotte, NC 28269 — Inspected Sept. 3, 2026
Inspectors issued an immediate suspension after documenting violations of the facility’s permit conditions. The report required all identified issues to be addressed and approved before the suspension could be lifted.
Observed violations:
- “EHS observed raw chicken, beef, eggs during inspection. Facility must discard all items and permanently discontinue use.”
- “Observed raw beef stored above RTE beef in cooler.”
- “Observed a few containers stored as clean with food debris present.”
- “EHS observed large pots and pans that are unable to be fully submerged inside of 3 compartment sink.”
- “Observed cooked and cooled rice and beef holding at 47F in prep unit.”
- “Observed Several TCS food items above 41F in Prep unit.”
- “Observed spray bottle of cleaner directly above green tea powder in storage room.”
- “Observed no thin probed thermometer on site.”
- “Observed food items stored on the floor in the back storage room.”
- “Observed butane camping range and household use toaster oven in use in facility.”
- “Observed no test strips in facility.”
#1 — El Carbonero (79 / C)
4400 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205 — Inspected Sept. 2, 2026
El Carbonero received the lowest score on the list. Its September 2 report required repairs and contact with an environmental health specialist before reopening because of cold-holding problems.
Observed violations:
- “Observed food employee rinse hands off in 3-comp sink, not using any soap or paper towels, for less than 20 seconds.”
- “Observed food employee using damaged gloves. Observed food employee rinsing off gloved hands.”
- “Observed celery in its original packaging stored in a container with RTE cut up peppers and onions.”
- “Observed 2 squeeze bottles stored in container with RTE cut up cabbage.”
- “Observed food debris on dishes stored as clean.”
- “Observed dark buildup on inside of ice machine.”
- “Observed multiple items above 41F in prep units, RIC, and WIC.”
- “Observed dead pest in steam table water.”
- “Observed flying pests in kitchen area.”
- “Observed cutting boards throughout no longer smooth and easily cleanable.”
- “Observed pooling/leaking water in bottom of one of prep units and ice buildup.”
- “Observed dark growth inside of sanitizer tubing at 3-comp sink.”
The report marked numerous violations as repeats. Staff discarded foods held above 41F and contaminated items during the inspection.
Before your next meal out, you can check a restaurant’s latest score and inspection history in Mecklenburg County’s public health inspection database.
