A luxurious wedding reception venue and Queen St deli have been revealed as some of Auckland's dirtiest restaurants.
Four restaurants received E gradings and 25 received D grades from Auckland Council between December 1 and January 20 for filthy scenes behind their good-looking exteriors.
D'Grand Haveli in Manukau, which has a banquet room for weddings, birthdays and celebrations, received an E grading during its December 6 inspection for poor cleaning and cross-contamination risks.
During a follow-up inspection later the same day, it still failed but was upgraded to a D rating.
Al's Deli, which serves Canadian cuisine in Auckland's CBD, was also issued an E grade on January 20 for poor standard of cleaning, inadequate maintenance and pest control issues. It is now sitting on a D grade as they have managed to control their pest situation.
The other two filthy restaurants to receive the dreaded E grading were Chinese restaurants Foodie's Kitchen in New Lynn and Avondale's Flourishing Cafe.
Flourishing Cafe is the only E-graded business to have received a passing grade since then. It is now an A-grade restaurant.
Photos supplied to Newshub of the recent inspections show layers of grease and old food splatterings as well as cockroaches crawling through their kitchens.
One unidentified business tried to curb its fly problem with a sticky tape fly trap, which was hanging precariously close to the restaurant's food and kitchen utensils.
Another had blood-stained chopping boards, and another had blood lining the floor of a kitchen refrigerator.
A spokesperson for Auckland Council previously told Newshub E-grades are issued to businesses with critical food safety risks.
"When a critical risk to food safety is found, the business will immediately close and will reopen when the critical food safety risk has been addressed.
"For example, if a food business is found to have an extensive cockroach infestation, it will not be permitted to reopen, unless the cockroach infestation has been satisfactorily mitigated."
D grades are given when a business needs to improve but aren't a critical risk.
"A D grade means that faults that are not a critical risk to food safety were found on the premises and intervention by a food safety officer was required."
There are no restaurants with an E grade currently but the council is constantly monitoring restaurants around Auckland, with inspections taking place every day.
Many of the D-graded restaurants have also cleaned up their messes since being inspected with ten now receiving A-grades.
None of the restaurants that were rated D or E last time Newshub enquired in August 2019 are still on a failing grade. They have all closed or improved since.
Melfil Indian Restaurant was the only Auckland food outlet with an E grade at the time. It has since closed.
E-graded food outlets December 1 - January 20
- D'Grand Haveli, Manukau, Current grade - D
- Flourishing cafe, Avondale, Current grade - A
- Al's Deli, Auckland Central, Current grade - D
- Foodie's Kitchen, New Lynn, Current grade - D
D-graded outlets December 1 - January 20
- Wholesale Meats Direct, Papakura, Current grade - A
- Sab Indian Sweets & Restaurant, Manurewa, Current grade - A
- The Village Fishery, Mangere Bridge, Current grade - A
- Greco Cafe, Mount Wellington, Current grade - A
- Grand Park Restaurant, Epsom, Current grade - A
- Noodle Canteen, Pukekohe, Current grade - A
- Love Punjab, Manurewa, Current grade - A
- Parrs Cross Bakery, Glen Eden, Current grade - A
- The Food Hut, Otahuhu, Current grade - A
- Angels Espresso Cafe, Papatoetoe, Current grade - A
- Master Chinese Restaurant, Panmure, Current grade - C
- Diamond Cafe & Takeaway, Avondale, Current grade - D
- Alberobello Coffee, CBD, Current grade - D
- Toscana Lunch Bar, Epsom, Current grade - D
- Mt Albert (Xiang Cheng) BBQ Noodle House, Mt Albert, Current grade - D
- Beijing Duck Restaurant Ti Rakau, East Tamaki, Current grade - D
- SuperCity Halal Meats NZ Limited, Otahuhu, Current grade - D
- The Hardware Cafe, Titirangi, Current grade - D
- Hongka BBQ Restaurant, Glen Eden, Current grade - D
- Titirangi Indian Kitchen, Titirangi, Current grade - D
- Thip Thai Restaurant, Glen Eden, Current grade - D
- Gorka Kitchen, Glen Eden, Current grade - D
- Peninsula Cafe, Te Atatu Peninsula, Current grade - D
- Cafe Club & Bakery, Takanini, Current grade - D
- Kaya Restaurant, Rosedale, Current grade - D
