Twelve eateries across Central Florida were ordered to close temporarily during the week of August 31 through September 6, 2026, after state health inspectors found conditions ranging from live roaches and rodent droppings to improper food storage and temperature violations, according to Florida inspection records.
The closures stretched across a wide swath of the region, touching restaurants and food establishments in Orlando, Kissimmee, Ocala, Sanford, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Orange City, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and St. Pete Beach. Among the findings: King's Pizza in Daytona Beach had more than 30 dead roaches on the premises; Winghouse Bar and Grill on Orlando's South Kirkman Road was shut down after nearly 100 small flying insects were found; and Channels Seafood Market in St. Petersburg faced insufficient kitchen lighting so severe that the inspector had to use a flashlight to conduct the review.
Other notable violations included raw shell eggs stored above ready-to-eat food at Singh's Roti Shop Restaurant and Bar in Orlando, time and temperature violations for items like beef skewers, pulled pork, and ice cream mix at locations in Kissimmee and Ocala, and rodent droppings discovered at several spots including Brandon Crossroads Bowl in Tampa, where lane-cleaning chemicals were also found stored next to bulk food sauces.
The silver lining: most of the flagged establishments were able to correct the cited violations and reopen within a day or two. Beach House Suites by Don CeSar in St. Pete Beach was the only location that had not yet cleared a follow-up inspection as of the dates covered in the records.
This report is based on information originally published by WKMG ClickOrlando.
