WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited three food establishments for violations involving improper food temperatures, contamination risks, sanitation, and chemical storage during inspections conducted Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, while seven other facilities were found in compliance with county food safety requirements.
The Chester County Health Department documented 27 violations across Giovanni’s Brick Oven Express in the Pottstown area, Chulangos Grocery & Snacks in Downingtown and Trattoria San Nicola in Willistown Township.
Giovanni’s accounted for 13 violations, including improperly refrigerated food, blocked handwashing sinks, and an ice machine with food residue.
Inspectors found meatballs, cooked spinach, lettuce, and pizza sauce held between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, above the required maximum of 41 degrees. The affected food was discarded.
Raw animal products were also stored above ready-to-eat foods in refrigerated drawers and a walk-in cooler, creating a potential cross-contamination hazard.
Handwashing sinks in the dishwashing area and along the cooking line were obstructed by dishes and a hose. Soap was also missing from a cooking-line sink but was supplied during the inspection.
The report identified additional problems involving missing date markings on refrigerated ready-to-eat foods, improperly labeled ingredients and desserts, inadequate sanitizer testing supplies, and food storage containers that did not meet applicable equipment standards.
Inspectors also found employee medications above food preparation surfaces and a can of WD-40 on a cutting board. The chemicals were relocated.
Other violations included improperly stored food scoops and insufficient cleaning inside a steam table.
Giovanni’s Brick Oven Express is located at 233 W. Schuylkill Road, Pottstown.
At Chulangos Grocery & Snacks, 119 E. Lancaster Ave. in Downingtown, inspectors documented eight violations involving food labeling, storage, equipment maintenance, and pesticide handling.
Raw shell eggs were stored above ready-to-eat foods in a refrigerated preparation unit. Inspectors directed the establishment to rearrange the cooler to prevent potential contamination.
Unpackaged baked goods lacked required product and ingredient information. Repackaged dried peppers, tamarind, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, pork products, and beans also lacked appropriate labeling.
The business was directed to correct those labeling deficiencies within seven days.
Inspectors found two bottles of Raid pesticide stored in a rear area. The person in charge reported that the products had last been used approximately six months earlier and that a licensed pest control provider now visits monthly.
The department directed the establishment to remove the restricted-use pesticides immediately. No pest activity was observed during the inspection.
Additional violations involved an ice cream utensil-rinsing well with insufficient water flow, missing refrigerator thermometers, improperly dried mops, cluttered storage, and employee belongings kept in food-related areas.
Inspectors instructed the business not to use the ice cream dipping well until repaired and to follow an alternative utensil cleaning procedure.
Trattoria San Nicola, at 4 Manor Road in Paoli, received six violations involving food storage, cleaning and handwashing facilities.
Inspectors found an opened jar of capers stored without refrigeration despite label instructions requiring refrigeration after opening. The establishment was directed to discard the product.
Bread rolls were stored in a plastic grocery-style bag rather than approved food-contact packaging, while single-use plastic buckets were being reused for food storage in the walk-in refrigerator.
The report also identified cleaning deficiencies involving bar soda guns and holsters, ice bins, and a large basement ice machine.
A bottle of Pepto-Bismol was found in a refrigerator used for restaurant food. The certified food manager reported that the medication was for reflux rather than a communicable gastrointestinal illness.
Inspectors additionally observed ice in a bar handwashing sink, indicating that the sink was being used for purposes other than handwashing. Staff were directed to clean the sink and reserve it for handwashing.
Facilities in Compliance
Seven establishments were listed as in compliance during the Nov. 2 inspections:
- Conestoga High School – Food, 200 Irish Road, Berwyn
- Exton Knights of Columbus, 1392 Old Phoenixville Pike, West Chester
- McDonald’s #10893/Frazer, 84 Lancaster Ave., Frazer
- Nantmeal United Methodist Church, 359 Nantmeal Road, Glenmoore
- Our Deli Cafe/Phoenixville, 498 Nutt Road, Phoenixville
- Redner’s Warehouse Market/East Pikeland, 202 Schuylkill Road, Phoenixville
- Trader Joe’s #584, 550-552 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn
The Chester County Health Department cautions that inspection findings represent conditions observed at a particular time and may not reflect an establishment’s overall or long-term food safety practices.
Residents who observe potentially unsafe food handling or 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 Health Department at 610-344-6225.
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