The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) has closed down Aloha Bakehouse, located at 1001 Waimanu Street, Unit A, in Kaka‘ako, and issued a red placard due to refrigeration problems and critical violations that pose a food safety risk. The establishment, operated by Aloha Bakehouse, LLC, received the red placard on September 6, 2023, and must remain closed until DOH conducts a follow-up inspection and all violations are resolved.
The DOH inspector discovered several critical violations during a routine inspection on September 6, 2023. These violations included on-site refrigerators holding food at unsafe temperatures, a worker handling ready-to-eat food with bare hands, an inaccessible and improperly supplied hand-washing sink, sanitizer used at inadequate concentration to disinfect food equipment, cooked foods held at unsafe temperatures on counters, and soup that was kept longer than the 7-day limit.
DOH has mandated that the food establishment address these violations before it can reopen. The next follow-up inspection is scheduled for September 7, 2023, where the operator must complete refrigerator repairs and correct the critical violations.
The DOH Food Safety Branch is responsible for promoting and protecting the health of Hawai‘i residents and visitors through education and regulation of food establishments. They conduct routine inspections of food establishments to ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
For more information on the DOH’s placarding program and to view restaurant inspection reports, visit their website. Media inquiries can be directed to Shawn Hamamoto, spokesperson for the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, via email or phone.