Live bugs & dirty dishes: Latest Triangle restaurant inspections

The News & Observer publishes a weekly roundup of restaurant sanitation scores to keep you up-to-date on the health grades at Triangle dining spots.

Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.

You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The N&O previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.

Here are sanitation scores in Triangle counties from Dec. 2-8.

Wake County sanitation scores

The Wake County inspection management system shows that 84 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 2-8.

• Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.
• Three restaurants received a B grade, or a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%.

Aviator Smokehouse (525 Broad St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526) received a score of 89% on Monday, Dec. 8.

• The restaurant was in violation of 11 standards.
• Violations included several live bugs seen on the floor near cook line and dish machine, several plates stacked as clean with food debris and general cleaning needed of kitchen and dishwash area floors and walls.
• The restaurant previously scored 95% in April 2025 and 96.5% in July 2024.

Hyderabad House (3735 Davis Dr #105, Morrisville, NC 27560) received a score of 81.5% on Thursday, Dec. 4.

• The restaurant was in violation of 16 standards.
• Violations included multiple containers of chopped vegetables stored on the floor throughout the kitchen, food debris on walls and floors, plus pink and black residues along the interior guard of the ice machine.
• The restaurant previously scored 90.5% in August 2025 and 96% in February 2025.

Shanghai Express (2502 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27607) received a score of 83.5% on Thursday, Dec. 4.

• The restaurant was in violation of 18 standards.
• Violations included cooked broccoli sitting on the prep table with no temperature control and a container of dishes stored soiled that were considered clean by the person in charge. An employee was also seen using gloves to clean dishes and then touching ready-to-eat foods.
• The restaurant previously scored 94.5% in January 2025 and 96% in May 2024.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Wake County at bit.ly/4dGbJN3.

Durham County sanitation scores

The Durham County inspection management system shows that 34 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 2-8.

• All restaurants received an A grade.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Durham County at bit.ly/3pVQfpG.

Orange County sanitation scores

The Orange County inspection management system shows that 18 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 2-8.

• All restaurants received an A grade.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Orange County at bit.ly/3eQqpxc.

Johnston County sanitation scores

The Johnston County inspection management system shows that 19 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 2-8.

• All restaurants received an A grade.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Johnston County at bit.ly/4eEDuGr.

Chatham County sanitation scores

The Chatham County inspections management system shows that 11 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 2-8.

• All restaurants received an A grade.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Chatham County at bit.ly/3LXHGIB.