PEPPER'S COCINA MEXICANA (FERNANDINA)

Name: PEPPER'S COCINA MEXICANA (FERNANDINA)
Address: 530 CENTRE ST, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL, 32034, US
Rating: 76.8

530 CENTRE ST, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL 32034

License #5501072

🌮 Mexican/Latin ℹ️ Categories are auto-assigned based on restaurant names and may not be 100% accurate

76.8 Grade C / 100

Mixed Health Record

How is this score calculated? →

Quick take

PEPPER'S COCINA MEXICANA (FERNANDINA) in FERNANDINA BEACH currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 76.8 out of 100 — a C grade — a noticeable pattern of violations across recent inspections. This restaurant has 3 inspections on record from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on April 7, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 26 total violations — 4 critical, 6 major, 16 minor.

Inspection data quality

What’s powering this page

Official source: DBPR

Inspection coverage

67%

Imported observations

Coverage note

Inspector notes shown when available

InspectFL reorganizes public DBPR inspection records into a page you can actually scan. When imported inspector observations are available, they appear inline. Otherwise, the page falls back to violation categories plus the official DBPR record.

What you’ll see here

•Imported DBPR observations appear directly inside inspection entries when available.
•When note coverage is missing, the official violation record still stays visible.

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DBPR

*Scores are calculated by InspectFL based on public DBPR inspection data and are not official state ratings.

Inspection timeline

Inspection History

Read the newest inspection first, then scan for patterns. Repeated high-priority findings matter more than one isolated bad day.

Critical Major Minor

Inspector notes are being added across all restaurants. Some inspections may only show violation codes until notes are available.

Inspection Completed - No Further Action
[06-01-5] Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Shrimp thawing in standing water at triple sink. Operator moved shrimp to walk-in cooler.
[25-05-4] Single-service articles improperly stored. Single-service cups stored on the floor in the bar area.
[41-10-4] Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Case of cleaner stored over bag in box sodas on storage rack across from ice machine. Operator moved cleaner to proper storage.
[21-07-4] Wiping cloth chlorine sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Wiping cloth solution by dishroom tested at 0ppm chlorine. Operator remade solution to 100ppm chlorine.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Ice observed in handwash sink by soda machine in service station. Bottle of cleaner in handwash sink at the bar. Operator removed cleaner from sink.
[36-24-5] Hole in or other damage to wall. Wall to left of the ice machine by the exit door is in disrepair.
[24-17-4] Silverware/utensils/pans dried with a towel/cloth. Observed employee drying wet pans from the dishmachine with a dry cloth and then placing the pans on a storage rack.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee jackets, wallet and cell phone stored over and on top of bag in box sodas by walk-in cooler.
[02C-02-5] Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Chicken flautas prepared on 3/31 and flan prepared on 3/29. Today is the 7th. Operator discarded both products.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. Raw shrimp stored on the floor at the triple sink. Operator moved shrimp to shelving in walk-in cooler.

Administrative complaint recommended
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed in reach in cooler on cook line, shrimp 51F, scallops 53F, Beef 51F, chicken 48F, cheese 43F, cut cabbage 53F, Pico 49F, cooked chicken 46F, Pork 52F. All cold holding, Ambient temp of cooler 57. Operator moved all items to walk-in cooler.
[06-09-1] Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. Observed 6 packs of grouper thawed while still in sealed ROP packaging, with instructions saying to remove fish from packaging before thawing.
[10-20-4] In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs stored on doors handle of oven. Operator moved tongs
[21-04-4] In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Wet wash cloth under cutting board on food prep area.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed wet nesting of clean dishes on clean dish rack in kitchen area.
[25-05-4] Single-service articles improperly stored. Multiple single service items in banquet room and storage room on floor
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing Both hand wash sinks in kitchen area blocked with trash can and prep table. Operator removed obstacles. Operator removed obstacles. Observed Hand wash sink near ware wash area being used for other purposes, had a blender in it, operator removed item. Hand wash sink in back storage room blocked, operate moved obstacle.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee speaker stored above prep table. Operate removed speaker.
[29-34-4] Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. No vacuum breaker on hose bib near outside walk in cooler and freezer.
[08B-17-4] Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Observed unwashed avocados over ready to eat produce. Operator moved avocados to designated location in cooler.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener soiled with old food debris. Clean food bin stored on floor in ware wash area. Operator picked bins up off the floor. Interior of ice machine in storage area has mold like substance.
[01B-13-4] Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Observed 6 packs of grouper thawed while still in sealed ROP packaging, with instructions saying to remove fish from packaging before thawing.
[41-17-4] Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Unlabeled spray bottle on triple sink containing bleach per manager. Manager placed label on spray bottle
[52-02-4] Misrepresentation of a fruit or fruit juice. Multiple margaritas with fresh lime juice One margarita with fresh pineapple juice. Operator stated he used bottled juices. Operator began marking out "fresh" on menus.
[51-11-4] Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Unsecured tank by walk in cooler and freezer outside. Operator secured the tank.
[14-74-7] Cold holding equipment not maintained in good repair. Do not store time/temperature control for safety food in this unit until the unit is repaired. Ice buildup on cooling unit of reach in cooler on cook line. Ambient temperature 57f.

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