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The cafeteria at the Library of Congress had a whopping 32 sanitation and safety violations during a Department of Health inspection on July 12. Among the nine critical and 23 noncritical violations: vermin sightings, missing trash cans, and a faulty dishwasher machine. The eatery was able to correct 15 of the violations on site, avoiding forced closure. (Six critical violations result in a shutdown.) But it might make the health-conscious sightseer wonder: What other tourist destinations have health code problems lurking in their cafeterias? Turns out, most museum cafes aren’t so bad—in fact, they appear to be a lot cleaner than the average D.C. eatery. We may scoff at tourists for eating overpriced hot dogs at museum cafes, but maybe they’re onto something?
Mane Grill at the National Zoo
3001 Connecticut Ave. NW
Last Inspection: May 29, 2013—four violations, one critical
Violations: a leaky sink; mold on ice machine; missing paper towels
Resolution: All corrected before follow-up visit
Stars and Stripes Cafe at the Museum of American History
1400 Constitution Ave. NW
Last inspection: April 18, 2012—zero violations
Spy City Cafe at the International Spy Museum
800 F Street NW
Last Inspection: June 6, 2012—three violations, two critical
Violations: Hot water not hot enough; storage areas for cold foods not cold enough
Resolution: One corrected before follow-up visit
Fossil Cafe at the Museum of Natural History
1000 Constitution Ave. NW
Last Inspection: July 31, 2012—four violations, two critical
Violations: employees not wearing hair restraints; mold on the ice chute; and cold food being held at improper temperatures
Resolution: All corrected before follow-up visit
Newseum Cafe at the Newseum
555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Last Inspection: Feb. 13, 2013—13 violations, five critical
Violations: dishwashers that are neither hot nor powerful enough; raw meat stored above cooked meat in the refrigerator; lack of signage directing employees to wash their hands
Resolution: Eight corrected on site
Graphics by Carey Jordan