Cosi, on 36th and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia, temporarily closed from August 6 to August 12 on the order of the Philadelphia Department of Health. But as of August 12, the restaurant's cease operations order was lifted.
The Philadelphia Inquirer's Clean Plates project, which culls data from restaurant inspections in and around the city, lists two recent reports for the University City location. The first inspection happened August 6th, and resulted in an order to close and a sign on Cosi's window informing customers of the inspection failure. The restaurant was ordered to close fo 48 hours and pay a $315 reinspection fee to regain their retail food license.
A reinspection report from August 8 indicates a failed reinspection and a second closure, meaning another 48 hour closure and reinspection fee. This third inspection happened on August 12, when the health department lifted the cease operations order.
Representatives from Cosi were not immediately reachable.
The first, which occurred on August 6, found 10 foodborne illness risk factors Such violations included food storage violations, including storing chicken and butter at improper temperatures and hand washing protocols not being up to code. The inspection also turned up 15 instances of lack of good retail practices, including evidence of mice and flies in the food preparation area.
The second inspection, a follow-up on August 8, found no foodborne illness risk factors but six instances of lack of good retail practices, including continued evidence of mice and live roaches in "several areas."
The third inspection found no foodborne illness risk factors and four instances of lack of good retail practices, but none were severe enough to sustain the cease operations order.
34th Street also reported that Smokey Joes' was ordered to close by the health department on July 25 to 29. Earlier in summer 2018, three other restaurants on campus temporarily closed—Bobby's Burger Palace, Han Dynasty, and Ramen Bar—after unsatisfactory health inspections.
This article will be updated as we obtain more information.
