Lenoir County restaurant inspections
The following restaurant inspections were conducted by the Lenoir County Health Department:
| Inspection Date | Premises Name | Final Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/21/2026 | THE CORNER DELI | 96.50 | A |
| 4/20/2026 | BISCUITVILLE #233 | 99.50 | A |
| 4/20/2026 | BURGER KING #230 | 94 | A |
| 4/17/2026 | LA FLOR DE MICHUACANA | 97 | A |
| 4/15/2026 | LILY'S PIZZA AND SUBS | 96 | A |
| 4/15/2026 | TWO DOGS PIZZA | 99 | A |
| 4/14/2026 | PLAZA DEL MARIACHI NC #2 INC | 98 | A |
| 4/13/2026 | HIBACHI EXPRESS | 97.50 | A |
| 4/11/2026 | GALAXY SKATING CENTER LLC | 93.50 | A |
| 4/10/2026 | AGGIES STEAK AND SUBS | 96 | A |
| 4/10/2026 | HWY 55 OF KINSTON | 94.50 | A |
| 4/9/2026 | RED CARPET INN & SUITES RESTAURANT | 94 | A |
| 4/8/2026 | JO'S CAFE | 97 | A |
| 4/7/2026 | EL AZTECA | 100 | A |
| 4/7/2026 | HERRITAGE ELITE | 100 | A |
THE CORNER DELI
200 N Kinston Blvd
Pink Hill, NC 28572
Inspection Date: April 21, 2026
Grade: 96.50 A
No certified food protection manager was on duty at the time of inspection because the person in charge’s certification had expired. Both handwashing sinks were blocked with boxes, carts, brooms and other items. Inspectors also found raw eggs stored on top of lettuce and tomatoes in a cooler, an employee with a beard not wearing a beard guard, rusted shelving in a back-room cooler, leaks at the three-compartment sink and front hand sink, and employee snacks and drinks stored in the front area.
BISCUITVILLE #233
2401 N Herritage St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 20, 2026
Grade: 99.50 A
The restaurant lost a half-point for non-food contact surfaces that needed cleaning, including the outside of a flour container, the inside of the biscuit prep cooler, the inside of a small oven and the prep sink, which had tea and coffee stains.
BURGER KING #230
2402 N Herritage St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 20, 2026
Grade: 94 A
Inspectors found dried food debris in a vegetable chopper, sliced tomatoes, sliced cheese and cut lettuce that were being held by time without proper marking, unlabeled sauce bottles and single-service cups stored where they had tea splatter on them. The report also noted fryer wheels in poor repair, a loose freezer handle, a clogged handwashing sink, dirty areas around fryers and coolers, broken or missing tiles and grout, dusty ceiling vents and lighting under the hood that did not meet required levels.
LA FLOR DE MICHUACANA
1738 Hwy. 11/55
Kinston, NC 28504
Inspection Date: April 17, 2026
Grade: 97 A
Inspectors cited the restaurant for not having a certified food protection manager on duty. The report also noted food residue on dishes and a can opener, missing labels on large containers in back, reuse of single-service spoons and sour cream containers, and dumpster issues including a missing drain plug and the dumpster sitting on the ground instead of a nonabsorbent surface.
LILY'S PIZZA AND SUBS
2423 N Herritage St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 15, 2026
Grade: 96 A
Chicken wings under a heat lamp were measured at 76 to 84 degrees, below the required 135 degrees or above for hot holding. Inspectors also found sliced provolone, ham and turkey in a freezer without date labels. In addition, cooked chicken wings were cooling in a covered pan in a way that would not meet required time and temperature standards. The person in charge told inspectors the wings were first cooled at room temperature, then placed in a pan with a lid in the cooler. The wings were spread onto a sheet pan during the inspection to cool more rapidly.
TWO DOGS PIZZA
104 S Kinston Blvd
Pink Hill, NC 28572
Inspection Date: April 15, 2026
Grade: 99 A
The report noted that no staff member currently had ServSafe certification, though the establishment was still within the allowed time window under a transitional permit. Inspectors also cited an employee wearing bracelets, a pizza prep unit lid separating, a loose gasket, deep grooves in cutting boards, buildup on shelving and equipment, a mop stored on the ground, dirty ceiling vents and stains, and employee drinks scattered around the kitchen.
PLAZA DEL MARIACHI NC #2 INC
108 W North St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 14, 2026
Grade: 98 A
Inspectors found time and temperature controlled foods in a lift-top cooler above 41 degrees, with the cooler’s ambient temperature measured at 50 degrees. Raw meat and seafood stored under flat top grills were also above 41 degrees. Some foods were discarded, while others were moved to a freezer to cool rapidly. The report also cited unlabeled sauce bottles, a split gasket on the cooler and an open lid on the cardboard dumpster.
HIBACHI EXPRESS
2405-C N Herritage St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 13, 2026
Grade: 97.50 A
The person in charge was not a certified food protection manager. Inspectors also cited a rusting and chipping zucchini chopper, grease and food debris under the hibachi grill and inside a freezer, and a dumpster area that was full of trash and other items. The report said the dumpster needed to be emptied more regularly to help prevent insect or rodent presence.
GALAXY SKATING CENTER LLC
Galaxy of Sports Inc.
Kinston, NC 28504
Inspection Date: April 11, 2026
Grade: 93.50 A
Inspectors found no food safety manager certification for the person in charge and no written procedure for responding to vomiting or diarrheal events. The report also cited spills inside a microwave, mildew inside the ice machine, undated sausage and mozzarella cheese, an unlabeled sanitizer bucket, ice buildup around a cooler fan, peeling paint on cabinets and shelving, a missing screw on the ice machine shield and use of a household freezer to store foods that require temperature control. Additional issues included out-of-order restroom fixtures, peeling paint and exposed bare wood in restrooms, and no lighting in a back storage area.
AGGIES STEAK AND SUBS
909-D W. Vernon Ave
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 10, 2026
Grade: 96 A
Inspectors found dried food debris in a vegetable shredder and meat and cheese slicer. The report also cited a cheese container with the wrong date, unlabeled sauce bottles and to-go sauces, rusting shelving, stained linens under a cutting board, a loose vent above the hood, grease and food debris under cooking equipment and wall and floor areas that needed additional cleaning.
HWY 55 OF KINSTON
4130 W. Vernon Ave
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 10, 2026
Grade: 94.50 A
A dirty towel was found inside a handwashing sink. Inspectors also found a large covered container of cheese sauce cooling improperly from the previous night, unlabeled sanitizer buckets, employees wearing bracelets and one employee cooking with an uncovered beard. Other issues included an ice scoop stored directly in the ice, small scoops without handles in custard toppings, a torn cooler gasket, food debris in coolers and prep areas, a broken self-closing door on the men’s restroom and damaged wall areas in the building.
RED CARPET INN & SUITES RESTAURANT
208 E. New Bern Rd
Kinston, NC 28504
Inspection Date: April 9, 2026
Grade: 94 A
Inspectors found grits, sausage, scrambled eggs, apples and cut oranges uncovered on the breakfast buffet. The report also cited an outdated hashbrown casserole, cheese without a date mark, an unlabeled chemical bottle, sanitizer mixed too strong, mouse droppings on shelving and equipment near the pre-rinse area, a missing clean plate sign at the buffet, scoops stored improperly in ice and salt, clean equipment stored in a room connected to an employee restroom, loose plumbing fixtures, heavy cleaning needs throughout the facility and wall gaps that could allow pest entry.
JO'S CAFE
709 Kinston Blvd
Pink Hill, NC 28572
Inspection Date: April 8, 2026
Grade: 97 A
Inspectors reported sticky containers and lids, dishes with old stickers and residue, an employee wearing jewelry and another without a hair restraint, reuse of single-service containers, grease buildup on multiple surfaces, broken tiles in storage and kitchen areas, a missing A/C vent, unused or damaged items in the kitchen and employee drinks stored around food and clean dishes.
EL AZTECA
2928 A W. Vernon Ave
Kinston, NC 28504
Inspection Date: April 7, 2026
Grade: 100 A
The only issue noted in the report was two chemical bottles at the dishmachine that were not labeled. The bottles were labeled during the inspection.
HERRITAGE ELITE
910 N Herritage St
Kinston, NC 28501
Inspection Date: April 7, 2026
Grade: 100 A
Inspectors noted two bags of deli meat that reached the seven-day expiration point that day and reminded staff to discard food once the date-marking window expires. The report also noted a slight leak at the three-compartment sink faucet.
