Fourth Street Deli Shuts Down Due to Health Code Violations: Owner Vows to Fix the Issues

The Famous 4th Street Deli, located at Fourth and Bainbridge Streets in Queen Village, has been ordered to close by the city Health Department due to numerous health code violations. These violations include rodent droppings found on a slicer and prep tables, as well as the absence of chlorine in the dishwashing machine’s sanitizing solution. Additionally, no staff members certified in food safety were present during the inspection.

Owner Al Gamble, who purchased the deli in January, accepted responsibility for the violations and expressed determination to rectify them. He noted that the goal is to reopen the deli by Friday following a reinspection that requires a fee of $315. The absence of proper certifications for food handling was an oversight on the part of management.

Inspections provide a snapshot of the conditions at the time of the visit, and many of the issues found during this inspection were noted as repeat violations. These included rodent activity, improperly covered foods, and the lack of sanitizer solution. The report also pointed out new violations such as food residue and mouse droppings on slicers, which were not being cleaned properly.

A notice posted on the deli’s front door informed customers of the temporary closure, with a message thanking them for their understanding and indicating a planned reopening on Friday. Gamble stated that despite