Good

Cafe Selam

2715 E Cherry St, #b, Seattle, WA 98122

Seattle

Rated “Good” · as of Sep 29, 2026

Cafe Selam was last inspected on September 29, 2026 and scored 32 points. Inspectors found 6 violations, 2 of them critical, including signs of pests.

Latest inspection

September 29, 2026 · Routine Inspection/Field Review

Unsatisfactory

Score: 32 points

2 critical4 general
  • CriticalFood handling10 pts

    Unsafe or returned food wasn’t thrown out, or prepared food wasn’t date-marked.

    Official wording (code 1100)

    Proper disposition of returned, unsafe, or contaminated food; proper date marking procedures for food at high risk for Listeria

  • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

    Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

    Official wording (code 0600)

    Adequate handwashing facilities

  • GeneralPests5 pts

    Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or entrances weren’t sealed against them.

    Official wording (code 3200)

    Insects, rodents, animals not present; entrance controlled

  • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

    Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

    Official wording (code 4800)

    Physical facilities properly installed, maintained, cleaned; unnecessary persons excluded from establishment

  • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

    Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

    Official wording (code 4900)

    Adequate ventilation; lighting; designated areas used

  • GeneralFacility upkeep3 pts

    Non-food surfaces were dirty or in poor repair.

    Official wording (code 4300)

    Nonfood-contact surfaces maintained and clean

Feb 3, 2021: 181821/02Feb 8, 2021: 0021/02Feb 2, 2022: 252522/02Dec 8, 2022: 303022/12Jun 12, 2023: 151523/06Nov 20, 2023: 454523/11Dec 4, 2023: 0023/12Feb 6, 2024: 404024/02Jun 3, 2024: 151524/06Jan 6, 2025: 9925/01May 19, 2025: 272725/05Dec 23, 2025: 0025/12Feb 12, 2026: 121226/02Sep 29, 2026: 323226/09
Inspection scores over time. Lower is better (fewer violation points).

Inspection history

14 inspections on record

  1. Unsatisfactory 12 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 critical1 general Show violations
    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

      Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

      Official wording (code 4800)

      Physical facilities properly installed, maintained, cleaned; unnecessary persons excluded from establishment

  2. Complete 0 points

    Educational Inspection

    No violations

  3. Unsatisfactory 27 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 critical4 general Show violations
    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • GeneralFood handling5 pts

      Wiping cloths weren’t stored in sanitizer, or sanitizer strength was wrong.

      Official wording (code 3400)

      Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration

    • GeneralFacility upkeep5 pts

      Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

      Official wording (code 4400)

      Plumbing properly sized, installed, and maintained; proper backflow devices, indirect drains, no cross-connections

    • GeneralFacility upkeep5 pts

      Dishwashing setup or sanitizer strength wasn’t right, or test strips were missing.

      Official wording (code 4100)

      Warewashing facilities properly installed, maintained, used; sanitizer concentration; test strips available and used

    • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

      Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

      Official wording (code 4800)

      Physical facilities properly installed, maintained, cleaned; unnecessary persons excluded from establishment

  4. Satisfactory 9 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    3 general Show violations
    • GeneralFacility upkeep5 pts

      Surfaces or equipment were the wrong material or hard to clean.

      Official wording (code 4000)

      Food and nonfood surfaces properly used and constructed; cleanable

    • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

      Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

      Official wording (code 4900)

      Adequate ventilation; lighting; designated areas used

    • GeneralFacility upkeep2 pts

      Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

      Official wording (code 4800)

      Physical facilities properly installed, maintained, cleaned; unnecessary persons excluded from establishment

  5. Unsatisfactory 15 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 critical Show violations
    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • CriticalFood handling5 pts

      Raw meat was stored above or next to ready-to-eat food.

      Official wording (code 1400)

      Raw meats below and away from ready-to-eat food; species separated

  6. Unsatisfactory 40 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 critical2 general Show violations
    • CriticalFood handling5 pts

      Raw meat was stored above or next to ready-to-eat food.

      Official wording (code 1400)

      Raw meats below and away from ready-to-eat food; species separated

    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation25 pts

      Staff touched ready-to-eat food with bare hands.

      Official wording (code 0500)

      Proper barriers used to prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

    • GeneralFood handling5 pts

      Food wasn’t protected from contamination during delivery, prep, storage, or display.

      Official wording (code 3300)

      Potential food contamination prevented during delivery, preparation, storage, display

    • GeneralPests5 pts

      Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or entrances weren’t sealed against them.

      Official wording (code 3200)

      Insects, rodents, animals not present; entrance controlled

  7. Satisfactory 0 points

    Return Inspection

    No violations

  8. Unsatisfactory 45 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    4 critical Show violations
    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • CriticalFood temperature5 pts

      Cold food was held slightly too warm (42–45°F).

      Official wording (code 2120)

      Proper cold holding temperatures; between 42 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (F) (6 to 7 degrees Celsius (C))

    • CriticalFood temperature5 pts

      No accurate thermometer to check food temperatures.

      Official wording (code 2200)

      Accurate thermometer provided and used to evaluate temperature of TCS foods

    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation25 pts

      Hands weren’t washed when required.

      Official wording (code 0400)

      Hands washed as required

  9. Unsatisfactory 15 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 critical1 general Show violations
    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • GeneralFood handling5 pts

      Wiping cloths weren’t stored in sanitizer, or sanitizer strength was wrong.

      Official wording (code 3400)

      Wiping cloths properly used, stored; sanitizer concentration

  10. Unsatisfactory 30 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 critical1 general Show violations
    • CriticalFood temperature25 pts

      Food was left at room temperature without proper time controls.

      Official wording (code 1900)

      No room temperature storage; proper use of time as a control, procedures available

    • GeneralFacility upkeep5 pts

      Food-contact surfaces weren’t kept clean and sanitized.

      Official wording (code 4200)

      Food-contact surfaces maintained, cleaned, sanitized

  11. Unsatisfactory 25 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    1 critical Show violations
    • CriticalFood temperature25 pts

      Food was left at room temperature without proper time controls.

      Official wording (code 1900)

      No room temperature storage; proper use of time as a control, procedures available

  12. Satisfactory 0 points

    Return Inspection

    No violations

  13. Unsatisfactory 18 points

    Routine Inspection/Field Review

    2 critical1 general Show violations
    • CriticalManagement & training5 pts

      Not every food worker had a current Food Worker Card.

      Official wording (code 0200)

      Food Worker Cards current for all food workers; new food workers trained

    • CriticalHygiene & sanitation10 pts

      Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked.

      Official wording (code 0600)

      Adequate handwashing facilities

    • GeneralFood handling3 pts

      Single-use items weren’t stored or used properly.

      Official wording (code 3900)

      Single-use and single-service articles properly stored, used

More in Seattle

Source: Public Health – Seattle & King County open data, refreshed hourly. Last inspection 5 weeks ago. Always confirm with the official record.