THE BLUE HEN CAFE

Name: THE BLUE HEN CAFE
Address: 223 W KING ST UNIT A, ST AUGUSTINE, FL, 32084, US
Rating: 59.1

223 W KING ST UNIT A, ST AUGUSTINE, FL 32084

License #6501909

☕ Café/Breakfast ℹ️

59.1 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

October 22, 2026 · 13 findings · 3 critical

Routine - Food

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Critical

Highest-priority rows.

Major

Worth checking for repeats.

Minor

Usually lower-risk context.

Quick take

THE BLUE HEN CAFE in ST AUGUSTINE currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 59.1 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 8 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on October 22, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 49 total violations — 12 critical, 9 major, 28 minor.

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Record snapshot

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Inspections on file

Clean inspections

Callback visits

Latest clean pass

April 15, 2026

The latest inspection on October 22, 2026 shows 13 observation rows: 3 critical, 3 major, and 7 minor.

Official recordInspection data quality

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Official source: DBPR

Inspection coverage

75%

Inspector notes

Coverage note

Inspector notes linked where available

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DBPR

Community reaction

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Community pulse

Would you eat here?

THE BLUE HEN CAFE has a rough inspection history. Would you risk it?

F record

A rough inspection history changes the conversation. This vote is a quick read on community trust.

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*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.

Disposition: Administrative complaint recommended
[01B-02-5] Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. In cooler overnight; ham 47F; ( - Cold Holding)
[14-09-4] Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. Cutting boards on cook line are deeply grooved.
[21-04-4] In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. Wet rag under cutting board in prep area. Person in charge removed.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener is soiled. Person in charge placed in dish area.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed person using hand washing sink to fill water pitcher. Person in charge removed pitchers.
[36-01-4] Floor not cleaned when the least amount of food is exposed. Floor behind cook line has debris.
[36-27-5] Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. Wall behind dish machine has black mold like substance on it.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. 3each, 5 gallon jugs of oil on floor in hallway.
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Soufflé cups in red pepper sauce and gravy. Person in charge removed cups.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Gaskets on small reach in cooler at beginning of cook line are soiled.
[22-41-4] Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. Dish machine test at 0ppm. After priming it still tests at 0ppm.
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In cooler overnight; ham 47F; ( - Cold Holding) Above fill line; quiche 55F; ( - Cold Holding). Person in charge put quiche in reach 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. Red pepper sauce not dated. Person in charge dated.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[14-01-5] Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Cup and soufflé cup used as scoops in sugar. Person in charge removed.
[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. Grouper in sealed bags on cookline. Still frozen. Person in charge cut bags open and placed in container.
[14-09-4] Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. All cutting boards are grooved and have black stuff on cookline.
[12B-12-5] Employee drinking from an unenclosed beverage container in a food preparation/clean dishware area and the container does not have a dispensing mechanism to prevent hand contact with lip contact area of drink container. Open cup with soda on top of dishwasher.
[40-06-5] Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employee sunglasses on top of dishwasher.
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Clean glasses wet nesting at front of house.
[10-20-4] In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. Tongs hanging from oven doors.
[21-14-4] Soiled cloths, linen, aprons, coats, or other uniform apparel not kept in a suitable container prior to laundering. 3 cooks on cook line have rags tucked into aprons. Addressed and they removed them.
[08B-17-4] Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. Observed a cut avocado with sticker cut in middle and into avocado. Addressed and person took avocados and washed them removing stickers.
[02D-01-5] Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Sugar at server station not labeled. Person in charge labeled.
[12A-07-5] Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed cook handle raw French toast with gloves on, removed gloved and place another pair on without washing hands before returning to cook line. Addressed and cook removed gloves, washed hands and then placed gloves on.
[12A-28-4] Employee touched soiled apron/clothes and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Observed cook touch pants pocket with gloves on and not wash hands.
[01B-02-5] Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Made 4/6 in reach in cooler #3; Butter 46F, home made ranch dressing 46F; ( - Cold Holding)
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In reach in cooler #1; Shell and pooled eggs 53F, quiche 53F; ( - Cold Holding) In cooler; roast beef 57F, ham 44F, sliced cheese 52F, shredded cheese 42F, tomatoes 40F, black beans 42F On cookline; Pooled eggs 72F, chicken 66F, hash browns 50F; ( - Cold Holding) All items in cooler since 9am. In reach in cooler #3 overnight; Butter 46F, home made ranch dressing 46F; ( - Cold Holding)
[02C-03-5] Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. Milk opened yesterday in walk in cooler not dated.