Dead bugs stuck to pans, pests on glue traps: Latest Triangle restaurant scores
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Five Triangle counties completed 207 inspections; most received A grades.
- Durham issued two B grades; inspectors cited poor handwashing, pests and pesticide.
- Foster’s had pest traps and slicer debris; China Kitchen lacked ice, had uncovered food.
Update: 20+ Triangle restaurants reinspected after health violations. See the new scores
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 Jan. 6-12.
Wake County sanitation scores
The Wake County inspection management system shows 99 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 6-12. All restaurants received an A grade.
Durham County sanitation scores
The Durham County inspection management system shows 44 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 6-12. Two restaurants received a B grade (a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%):
Foster’s Market (2694 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham) received a score of 86% on Thursday, Jan. 8.
- The restaurant was in violation of 17 standards.
- Violations included not observing “any handwashing during the entire inspection,” plus finding a slicer with food debris, household pesticide in the cabinet, “dead winged insects stuck to some metal pans” and “over half a dozen pest traps in the storage room.”
- The restaurant previously scored 93% both in July and last December.
China Kitchen (2121 TW Alexander Dr #122, Morrisville) received a score of 89% on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
- The restaurant was in violation of 11 standards.
- Violations included finding many food items stored in reach-in units, the walk-in cooler and seasoning rack that were not actively used or were uncovered, plus heavily soiled gaskets and soiled utensils stored as clean. The inspector also noted the establishment did not have ice.
- The restaurant previously scored 92% in both October and June.
Orange County sanitation scores
The Orange County inspection management system shows 22 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 6-12. All restaurants received an A grade.
Johnston County sanitation scores
The Johnston County inspection management system shows 32 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 6-12. All restaurants received an A grade.
Chatham County sanitation scores
The Chatham County inspections management system shows 10 restaurant inspections were completed Jan. 6-12. All restaurants received an A grade.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM.
