Cafe Havana
Last inspected: Apr 14, 2026
100
Score
Public records show nine inspections at Cafe Havana stretching back to 2022. The most recent visit was on Apr 14, 2026. Low risk means the most recent visit produced few or no significant findings.
Things are looking better lately, with recent visits averaging around two violations compared to roughly five violations earlier on.
Looking across the full record, “employee beverage container on a food preparation table” is the recurring theme, flagged four times.
Cafe Havana's latest score of 100 sits above the Ocala average of 78. The file should reassure diners considering a visit.
9
Inspections
0
Critical latest
0
Major latest
0
Minor latest
Inspection History
Apr 14, 2026
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Dec 4, 2025
Routine - Food
No violations found.
100
Oct 6, 2025
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 2 major violations. 2 minor violations.
View 5 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. In reach in make table cooler: raw bacon on shelf over gallon of milk. In reach in four door cooler in kitchen: raw ground beef roll on top of cooked beans. All were moved. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-05-6
Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Three certificates provided are expired. **Warning**
53B-01-5
Intermediate - No certified food manager for establishment. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ Three certifications expired. **Warning**
53A-07-6
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Employee cup with drink on shelf over vinegar in kitchen area. Moved during this inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Faucet/handle missing at plumbing fixture. Faucet missing at mop sink. Operator has parts and plans to repair sink today.
29-09-4
64
Mar 24, 2025
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. Female employee wearing gloves touched raw chicken and raw beef then continued to work with building cuban sandwiches and stirring plantains without washing hands.
12A-12-4
High Priority - Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. Female employee touched nose then continued to bag wrapped sandwiches from grill without washing hands.
12A-25-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Opened bottle of water on cart over dry stored items.
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Purse on top of bins of dry storage items near hand sink. **Repeat Violation**
40-06-5
Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. Handle of scoop in sugar near back door.
10-01-5
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Plates and trays at front counter. **Repeat Violation**
25-06-4
61
Oct 22, 2024
Routine - Food
4 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl with no handle used to dispense food (sugar ). Manager removed bowl. **Corrected On-Site**
14-01-5
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Employees purse stored above chicken peas and in dry goods storage area . Manager placed purses on bottom shelf. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
40-06-5
Basic - Establishment using sponges on cleaned and sanitized, or in-use food-contact surface. Establishment using sponge on in-use food-contact surface at three-compartment sink.
21-23-4
Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Single service plates inverted. Manager invented plates. **Corrected On-Site**
25-06-4
82
Dec 19, 2023
Routine - Food
3 critical violations. 2 minor violations.
View 5 violations
Supervisor/Person in Charge Present
FL-01
Employee Health Policies Present
FL-03
Hands Clean and Properly Washed
FL-08
Personal Cleanliness
FL-40
Wiping Cloths Properly Used and Stored
FL-41
58
Aug 8, 2023
Routine - Food
2 critical violations. 8 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Cooked/heated time/temperature control for safety food not cooled from 135 degrees Fahrenheit to 41 degrees Fahrenheit within 6 hours. Tomato sauce 47F cooked yesterday and cooling in reach in cooler overnight. Also, Yuka 47F cooked yesterday and cooling in reach in cooler over night.
03D-02-5
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Tomato sauce 47F cooked yesterday and cooling in reach in cooler overnight. Also, Yuca 47F cooked yesterday and cooling in reach in cooler over night. **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
01B-02-5
Basic - Raw fruits/vegetables not washed prior to preparation. Avocados in reach in make table with stickers indicating fruit has not been washed prior to use.
08B-39-4
Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Bowl in beans on shelf under prep table. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site**
14-01-5
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Opened bottle of water on shelf over ice bin. Discarded. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
12B-07-4
Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Purses on top of bin of beans. Manager moved. Cellphone on shelf over single service items. Manager moved. **Corrected On-Site**
40-06-5
Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Plastic bins on clean dish shelf.
24-08-4
Basic - Equipment or utensils not designed or constructed in a durable manner. Gaskets on reach in freezer in kitchen are torn. Cutting board has deep groves and is no longer cleanable.
14-10-4
Basic - Establishment using sponges on cleaned and sanitized, or in-use food-contact surface. Establishment using sponge for ware washing. **Repeat Violation**
21-23-4
Basic - In-use utensil in non-time/temperature control for safety food not stored with handle above top of food within a closed container. Handle of scoop inside flour. Manager removed. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation**
10-01-5
50
Mar 27, 2023
Routine - Food
4 critical violations. 2 major violations. 4 minor violations.
View 10 violations
High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Observed raw pork stored over prepped plant food in the 6 door reach-in cooler. This was adjusted. ALSO, raw shell eggs stored over prepped sandwiches in the 6 door reach-in cooler. The eggs were moved below. ALSO, raw chicken over fries in the reach-in freezer. The chicken was moved to the bottom. **Corrected On-Site**
08A-02-6
High Priority - Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. Observed cooked beef at 51F in the 6 door reach-in cooler. The manager chose to discard.
01B-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cooked beef in the 6 door reach-in cooler, 51F. ALSO, heavy whip cream, 51F in the 6 door. ALSO, fish that was water bath thawed earlier today, was at 68F. **Corrective Action Taken** **Repeat Violation** **Admin Complaint**
03A-02-5
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed cooked plantain 109F on the front line.
03B-01-6
Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Observed cooked beef, from Friday per the manager, not dated. This was discarded. **Corrected On-Site* ALSO, butter stocked opened I. The reach-in cooler, no date. **Warning**
02C-02-5
Intermediate - Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. Observed the purple liquid in a spray bottle near the dining room ice machine lacked a label.
41-17-4
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Observed build up on the 2 door reach-in cooler handles.
23-24-4
Basic - Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed opened bottle of water on a prep table. It was moved below. **Corrected On-Site**
12B-07-4
Basic - In-use utensil not stored with handle above the top of time/temperature control for safety food and rim of the container. Observed the scoop for the hash browns was touching product. ALSO, the ice scoop in the kitchen was touching product. The scoop was adjusted by the manager. **Corrected On-Site**
10-06-5
Basic - Wet wiping cloth not stored in sanitizing solution between uses. Observed a blue wet cloth on the meat cutting board.
21-12-4
37
Nov 30, 2022
Routine - Food
1 critical violation. 5 minor violations.
View 6 violations
High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed in the 6 door reach-in cooler: ham 46, milk 49, cheese 47F. The reach-in cooler had been turned up to defrost. Items moved to the glass reach-in cooler. Thermostat was turned down. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
03A-02-5
Basic - 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. Observed the 6 door reach-in cooler with multiple time/temperature control for safety items over 41F. The reach-in cooler had been turned up to defrost. Items moved to the glass reach-in cooler. Thermostat was turned down. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning**
14-74-7
Basic - Label on a food item prepared and packaged onsite for customer self-service does not include product identity/description, date product was packaged and name and address of the establishment that prepared and packaged the food. Observed flan as a grab n go in the glass reach-in cooler in the dining area, no labels.
02D-03-4
Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. Observed a permanent marker date label on the bulk ham, dated for 10-23-22.
16-46-4
Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. Observed single serve to go items on the floor in dry storage.
25-05-4
Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. Observed reach-in cooler door handles have build up.
23-24-4
67
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Cafe Havana last inspected?
The most recent health inspection at Cafe Havana on file is from Apr 14, 2026. The public record contains nine inspections in total.
What is the most common violation at Cafe Havana?
Across the inspection record, “employee beverage container on a food preparation table” has been cited four times, more than any other issue at Cafe Havana.
How does Cafe Havana compare to other restaurants in Ocala?
Cafe Havana most recently scored 100 out of 100, which is higher than the Ocala average of 78.
Has Cafe Havana's inspection record improved over time?
Yes. Recent inspections at Cafe Havana have averaged around two violations per visit, down from roughly five earlier in the record.
What does a low risk rating mean?
A low risk rating at Cafe Havana means inspectors found minimal or no significant issues at the most recent visit. Most facilities at this tier have a clean recent inspection report.
How often is Cafe Havana inspected?
Based on the inspection history on file, Cafe Havana is inspected around three times per year on average.
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