WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited four food facilities on October 22, 2026, for violations including improper food temperatures, moldy cheese, inadequate food protection, and unauthorized packaging procedures, while 14 other establishments were listed in compliance.
The Chester County Health Department’s findings included refrigeration problems at a middle school cafeteria and a child care center, along with multiple food safety and labeling violations at a Pottstown-area kitchen.
Vesta Kitchen, at 50 Glocker Way in Pottstown, received 11 violations, the most among the four facilities cited.
Inspectors found moldy cheese in the walk-in refrigerator, which was immediately discarded. They also determined that the business was preparing chicken and pizzas using reduced-oxygen packaging without the required written procedures and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.
The facility was directed to submit a HACCP application within two business days.
Additional violations involved missing preparation and thawing dates on ready-to-eat foods, inadequate documentation for food held using time rather than temperature controls, and improper labeling of packaged products.
A shishito dip label lacked a required dairy allergen declaration, while other packaged foods were missing net-weight information.
Inspectors also cited the reuse of disposable food containers and fish trays, expired sanitizer test strips, a food scoop without a handle, an unfinished wooden shelf, a broken floor tile, and cleaning deficiencies.
Food date labels were corrected during the inspection.
At Aramark’s food service operation at Stetson Middle School, 1060 Wilmington Pike in West Chester, inspectors documented five violations, including sandwiches displayed at temperatures of 52 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Both refrigerated display units were failing to maintain the required temperature of 41 degrees or below. Staff indicated the sandwiches had been prepared within the previous hour, and inspectors directed that they be discarded within three hours and that the refrigeration equipment be repaired.
The school cafeteria was also cited for displaying pizza slices in a self-service hot-holding unit without sneeze guards or equivalent protection.
Other findings included an employee eating in the kitchen, dirty walk-in refrigerator shelves, and a rusted floor drain cover.
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, at 1107 West Chester Pike in West Chester, received six violations involving sanitation, food labeling, employee practices and plumbing maintenance.
Inspectors directed the restaurant to clean and sanitize a large kitchen ice machine, remove oil-soaked cardboard from shelving beneath a preparation sink, and clean floors beneath kitchen and bar equipment.
An employee was observed wearing a bracelet, contrary to food-handling rules restricting hand and wrist jewelry to a plain wedding band.
Unlabeled squeeze bottles containing food products were also identified, along with leaking plumbing beneath the bar’s three-compartment sink. Inspectors ordered repairs and removal of rags wrapped around the pipes.
At KinderCare Learning Center, 55 S. Village Avenue in Exton, inspectors found a refrigerator holding food at 44 degrees, exceeding the maximum permitted temperature of 41 degrees.
Food was transferred to another refrigerator, and items that could not be accommodated were voluntarily discarded. The temperature violation was corrected during the inspection.
The center also lacked a current Chester County Certified Food Manager certification. Inspectors noted that the certification process was underway and directed the facility to complete the necessary documentation and fee payments.
Facilities Listed in Compliance
The Health Department listed the following 14 establishments in compliance during the October 22 inspections:
- Andrea’s Jazz Cafe — 236 E. Lincoln Highway, Coatesville
- Aramark at Exton Elementary School — 301 Hendricks Avenue, Exton
- Beaumont Elementary School — 575 Beaumont Road, Devon
- Branch Life Church — 780 Pughtown Road, Spring City
- Chaikhana Chai Brew Station and Cafe — 227 Birch Street, Kennett Square
- Great China — 929 S. High Street, West Chester
- King’s Highway Elementary School — 841 W. Kings Highway, Coatesville
- Kiwi Yogurt — 243 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton
- Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd — 107 S. Seventeenth Avenue, Coatesville
- Merrill’s Barbeque — 1495 S. Hanover Street, Pottstown
- Michoacana Grill — 201 S. Union Square, Kennett Square
- Pakka Spice Indian Restaurant — 4 Tabas Lane, Exton
- The Village Bowl Restaurant — 2348 E. Lincoln Highway, Coatesville
- Whitford Country Club — 600 Whitford Hills Road, Exton
The Health Department cautions that inspection findings reflect conditions observed at a specific time and may not represent a facility’s long-term sanitation or food safety performance.
Residents who observe unsanitary conditions can submit a confidential environmental health complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843.
Anyone who becomes ill after eating at a food establishment should instead contact the Chester County Health Department at 610-344-6225.
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