CBS8 has published a report detailing increased restaurant closures due to vermin, 293 in the current fiscal year to be exact. Among the most notable shutdowns in the past year are Las Cuatro Milpas in Barrio Logan, SeaWorld San Diego, Rosemarie's Burgers in Mission Beach, Catamaran Resort's onsite restaurant in Pacific Beach, a branch of Breakfast Republic, and Churchill's Pub in San Marcos. Our publication regularly tracks and reports on the weekly list of restaurants shut down by health inspectors.
The DEHQ is tasked with inspecting approximately 15,000 food-serving facilities across the county. A team of 75 inspectors conducts unannounced visits to ensure compliance with California's Retail Food Code. At a minimum, every food facility in the county is inspected at least once per fiscal year, though additional inspections can occur based on public complaints or reports of foodborne illnesses.
Ryan Johnson, Chief of Operations for the DEHQ, emphasized the strict criteria for what constitutes a vermin infestation: "Our retail food code is very specific on what's considered a vermin infestation... that could be live bodies, droppings, knob marks, rub marks on the walls, any fecal spotting that we might see."
For Las Cuatro Milpas, which was forced to close for nearly three weeks, the detailed report from the county inspector outlined multiple sightings of live and dead German cockroaches throughout the facility. The report for Churchill's in San Marcos detailed a rodent infestation, including one dead rodent on a sticky trap and multiple rodent droppings discovered beneath storage shelving, behind a deep freezer, and under a hot holding station in the cook line area.
Unlike other violations, which may be corrected on the spot, evidence of vermin mandates an immediate closure until the issue is fully addressed. Other infractions that can lead to an immediate shutdown include lack of hot water and improper wastewater or sewage disposal. Once a restaurant corrects the issue and passes a reinspection, it can reopen within 24 hours.
The exceptionally rainy early months of 2024 in San Diego likely exacerbated vermin infestations in restaurants. According to the National Weather Service, San Diego experienced above-average rainfall during the water year starting October 1, 2023, with the region recording around 9.89 inches of precipitation by early February 2024 - surpassing the annual average of 9.79 inches - due to intense storms, including an atmospheric river in late January and early February that brought 3.75 inches of rain alone. This unusually wet period, particularly from January to March, may have driven rodents and other pests indoors seeking shelter and food, as the soggy conditions and flooding created ideal conditions for vermin proliferation.
Beyond vermin-related closures, food-borne illness outbreaks has been a significant concern in recent years. In 2023, an E. coli outbreak linked to Miguel's Cocina in 4S Ranch sickened 35 people and resulted in one death, highlighting the importance of rigorous food safety inspections. In early 2024, a local norovirus outbreak linked to contaminated oysters resulted in many illnesses across San Diego, resulting in San Diego County launching an investigation that led to the Health Department issuing a warning about consuming raw shellfish.
To ensure transparency, the DEHQ provides public access to restaurant inspection records via SDFoodInfo.com, where three years' worth of reports and restaurant grades can be reviewed. With nearly 300 restaurant closures this year due to vermin infestations alone, food safety remains a pressing issue in San Diego. As inspections continue, restaurant owners and consumers alike must remain vigilant in ensuring compliance with health standards to maintain public trust and safety.
Originally published on February 20, 2025.
