Chicken not cooked to safe temps at Charlotte restaurant: Scores (April 11)
A Charlotte restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including chicken cooked to improper temperatures and food stored on the floor.
Zafran Kabab Palace (230 E W.T. Harris Blvd. in Charlotte) received a score of 88% during an inspection on Thursday, April 10.
Violations the restaurant was cited for include:
Chicken leg quarters cooked to 155 degrees F (must be at least 165)
Items (including tofu, curry chicken and boneless chicken) held in prep cooler above 41 degrees F
Bags of onions stored on the floor
Stained and damaged cutting board at meat prep cooler
Debris buildup on exterior of burners, grills, fryers and shelving in kitchen area
This is the restaurant’s first “B” grade.
Mecklenburg County sanitation scores
The Mecklenburg County sanitation grades database shows that at least 125 restaurant inspections were completed April 4-10.
▪ Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.
▪ Three restaurants received a B grade, or a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%.
▪ Mariscos Nayarit (6023 Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte) received a score of 85.5% during an inspection on Friday, April 4.
The restaurant was in violation of 10 standards, including raw chicken stored above cooked octopus and a loose gasket on the dish machine.
Most violations were corrected during the inspection.
The restaurant previously scored 92% in February 2025.
▪ Thomas Street Tavern (1218 Thomas Ave. in Charlotte) received a score of 88.5% during an inspection on Tuesday, April 8.
- The restaurant was in violation of 13 standards, including having raw chicken stored above raw potatoes, a deli slicer with debris and residue, no date markings on multiple food items and large buckets of food and containers of raw proteins stored on the floor.
- Most violations were corrected during the inspection.
- The restaurant previously scored 90% in January 2025 and 94% in August 2024.
How to search NC restaurant inspection scores
Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.
You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The News & Observer previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.
According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.
You can search all restaurant inspections in Mecklenburg County at public.cdpehs.com.
