Restaurant Inspections: Vocelli Pizza

From Feb. 22 to March 1, the state health department inspected one restaurant along the Route 1 corridor: Vocelli Pizza. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation. Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Vocelli Pizza
8857 Richmond Highway
Date of inspection: Feb. 27
Critical (corrected during inspection): There is no Certified Food Manager present at the beginning of the inspection.
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee failed to wash his or her hands after entering facility from outside and before engaging in food prep.
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed handling the following ready-to-eat food using their bare hands: bell pepper which could be used for salad. The food was discarded.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed prep table and food utensils are not being cleaned at least every four hours.
Critical (corrected during inspection): The person in charge is not able to provide written procedures for the use of time as a public health control with the following potentially hazardous food items: pizza sauce.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed cleaning their hands in 3-vat sink.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.
Non-critical: Observed containers that have been cleaned not stored in to allow for air drying.
Non-critical: Plumbing connections under the faucets not working properly.
Non-critical: There is no cover to the feminine napkin refuse container in the ladies room stall.