CORTESSE'S BISTRO

Name: CORTESSE'S BISTRO
Address: 172 SAN MARCO AVE, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL, 32084, US
Rating: 54.3

172 SAN MARCO AVE, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL 32084

License #6502428

🍽️ American ℹ️

54.3 Grade F / 100

Failing Health Score

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Latest inspection

October 8, 2026 · 10 findings · 2 critical

Routine - Food

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Minor

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Quick take

CORTESSE'S BISTRO in SAINT AUGUSTINE currently holds an InspectFL Health Score of 54.3 out of 100 — an F grade — a serious pattern of repeat or critical violations. This restaurant has been inspected 10 times from Florida DBPR, with the most recent inspection on October 8, 2026. Across those visits, inspectors documented 58 total violations — 23 critical, 12 major, 23 minor.

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Record snapshot

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Inspections on file

Clean inspections

Callback visits

Latest clean pass

May 29, 2026

The latest inspection on October 8, 2026 shows 10 observation rows: 2 critical, 1 major, and 7 minor.

Official recordInspection data quality

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Inspection coverage

60%

Inspector notes

Coverage note

Inspector notes linked where available

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DBPR

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CORTESSE'S BISTRO has a rough inspection history. Would you risk it?

F record

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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.

Official DBPR inspection report ↗

Disposition: Warning Issued
[06-01-5] Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. Lamb shank and veal thawing in water. Person in charge removed and refrigerated.
[12B-02-4] Employee eating in a food preparation or other restricted area. Personal Food in reach in cooler. Person in charge discarded food.
[08B-12-5] Stored food not covered. In white reach in freezer; chicken not covered.
[02D-01-5] Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Sugar not labeled. Person in charge labeled.
[29-37-4] Spray hose at dish sink lower than flood rim of sink. Spray hose hanging in sink.
[41-17-4] Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Spray bottle unlabeled at front. Person in charge labeled.
[14-11-5] Equipment in poor repair. Gaskets torn on fish cooler.
[14-69-4] Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Ice buildup in reach in freezer.
[10-07-4] In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Utensils in standing water. Person in charge emptied water.
[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 at 0ppm. Primed several times and still tests at 0ppm.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[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 six bags of reduced oxygen packaged fish completely thawed while not being removed from its reduced oxygen environment. See stop sale.
[08B-38-4] Food stored on floor. Observed case of fish on floor in walk-in freezer. Person in charge placed fish on shelf.
[10-07-4] In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed grill and cooking utensils sitting in 84F water. Person in charge placed on grill and slowly reheated water to 135F
[24-17-4] Silverware/utensils/dishes dried with a towel/cloth. Observed dish employee drying dishes with towels.
[03D-02-5] Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. Observed cooked pasta from previous day (55F - Cooling) 1640 see stop sale.
[01B-36-5] Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit within two hours and from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within six hours. See stop sale. Observed cooked pasta from previous day (55F - Cooling) 1640
[35A-02-7] Live, small flying insects found Observed one live flying insect in kitchen near soup. Observed one live flying insect at bar near ice bin.
[01B-14-4] Shell eggs in use or stored with cracks or broken shells. See stop sale. Observed one cracked raw shell egg in walk-in cooler.
[01B-13-4] Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Observed six bags of reduced oxygen packaged fish completely thawed while not being removed from its reduced oxygen environment.
[01B-02-5] Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed butter kept on time control being placed into a new pan and placed back on ice. Discussed with person in charge.
[03F-04-5] Time/temperature control for safety food held using time as a public health control not discarded at the end of the 4-hour/6-hour period. See stop sale. Observed butter kept on time control being placed into a new pan and placed back on ice. Discussed with person in charge. See stop sale.
[29-34-4] Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. Observed green hose by back door at bar missing vacuum breaker.
[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. Observed milk opened on Sunday per person in charge missing date mark. Person in charge added date mark.
[22-02-4] Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed cutting board in flip-top cooler stained with black marks.
[31A-11-4] Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed large quantities of ice dumped in hand washing station by dish washer.

Disposition: Warning Issued
[24-08-4] Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed food pans stacked in storage with visible moisture.
[36-73-4] Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Observed food debris on kitchen floors under equipment.
[10-07-4] In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cooking utensils stored in 76F water on floor. Person in charge placed utensils in ware washing.
[23-03-4] Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed multiple gaskets on small reach in coolers in kitchen soiled with food debris.
[35A-02-6] Live, small flying insects in kitchen, food preparation area, food storage area and/or bar area. Observed two live flying insects in dry storage near bags of onions. Discussed with person in charge.
[14-15-4] Nonfood-grade containers used for food storage - direct contact with food. Observed orange Home Depot Homer bucket used to store elbow macaroni soup.
[08A-05-6] Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed frozen individually wrapped fish stored above frozen cakes in walk-in freezer. Not all originally packaged. Observed raw veal stored above ready to eat milk in glass door reach in cooler. Person in charge moved raw veal to another cooler.
[01B-13-4] Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. Observed sheet pan in glass door reach in cooler of oysters. Person in charge could not find any oyster tags.
[01B-02-5] Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed mushroom soup (112F - Hot Holding); chicken stock (120F - Hot Holding); escargot sauce (97F - Hot Holding); elbow macaroni in bucket (120F - Hot Holding); house made red sauce (89F - Hot Holding); gravy (92F - Hot Holding)
[03A-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed house made sauces (gravy, cream) x 4 (52-54F - Cold Holding) left on speed rack from walk-in cooler 30 mins prior to inspection per person in charge. Person in charge placed in cooler to cool.
[03F-02-5] Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking. Observed garlic butter missing time mark. Butter put since 1500 per person in charge.
[03B-01-6] Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed mushroom soup (112F - Hot Holding); chicken stock (120F - Hot Holding); escargot sauce (97F - Hot Holding); elbow macaroni in bucket (120F - Hot Holding); house made red sauce (89F - Hot Holding); gravy (92F - Hot Holding) Products have been left out since 1200 in various places in kitchen per person in charge.
[01C-02-4] Establishment not maintaining clam/mussel/oyster tags for 90 days. Observed no oyster tags for last 90 days for establishment.
[31A-09-4] Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Observed hand washing station in dry storage kitchen blocked by trash can and vacuum cleaner. Observed hand washing station in kitchen blocked by cart. Person in charge moved cart.
[53A-05-6] No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ Observed seven food employees in establishment without food manager present.
[01C-01-4] No tag on/for original container of raw, in-shell clams/mussels/oysters. See stop sale. Observed sheet pan in glass door reach in cooler of oysters. Person in charge could not find any oyster tags.