Know Your 704

Charlotte restaurant gets 3rd consecutive ‘B’ grade for bugs, improper food storage

Mecklenburg County’s Environmental Health Division conducts nearly 13,000 restaurant health inspections every year.
Mecklenburg County’s Environmental Health Division conducts nearly 13,000 restaurant health inspections every year. Getty Images

A south Charlotte restaurant received its third “B” grade in a row from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including the presence of insects and improper food storage.

▪ Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, 4920 Old Sardis Rd., received a score of 86 during its July 3 inspection.

Health department inspectors dinged the restaurant after finding “flying insects” in the back prep area, a repeat violation, county documents show.

Other violations the restaurant was cited for include:

  • Falafel stored below required holding temperature

  • Tziki sauce stored above required temperature

  • Spicy lamb reheated in a box for more than two hours

  • Rice stored on the floor

  • Broken walk-in cooler

The eatery has received five “B” grades since July 2021.

According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70 percent.

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This story was originally published July 5, 2024 at 10:53 AM.

Evan Moore
The Charlotte Observer
Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.
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