Whether one eats to live or lives to eat, food establishments are staples on and around campus and play a large role in University City’s economy.
Lately, though, many of these eateries have gained attention for all the wrong reasons: health code violations about issues like animal activity and improper food storage. The good news is that a number of the places previously cited have now fixed their problems. The bad news is that more local eateries — including Cream & Sugar and Smokey Joe’s — were cited for violations over the summer. We hope the establishments with citations remedy their problems and take steps to prevent future issues.
But the restaurants aren’t the only group letting consumers down. According to Penn’s Business Services, the city’s health department is slow to check back on places with citations due to short staff and a focus on new potential violations.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health needs to put a greater priority on following up on health-violation issues and ensuring that food repositories have addressed their problems and remain as pristine as possible. While we are aware of the city’s financial difficulties, the city must also focus on the health of residents. And for Philadelphia to truly be the foodie city it aspires to be, it needs to have not only great-tasting cuisine, but also optimal dining and cooking environments.
