Back Bay Sweetgreen Closed for Health Code Violations

Sweetgreen Boylston/Photo via Facebook

Sorry, Sweetgreen fans. You’ll need to find somewhere else to eat lunch today.

The beloved salad chain’s Back Bay location, at 659 Boylston Street, has been temporarily closed due to health code violations, according to Universal Hub. (And just after the release of the late summer menu, no less.) The store may re-open as soon as the problems are addressed.

The results of Tuesday’s inspection, unfortunately, aren’t pretty. Among other violations, salmon, kale, spinach, and sprouts were not kept at the correct temperatures; employees’ gloves were not changed between tasks; employees were not adequately washing their hands; and food was not stored in proper containers. Say it ain’t so, Sweetgreen.

Health violations are not uncommon in the restaurant industry, but they’re not a good look for a chain that prides itself on promoting health. With Sweetgreens popping up all over the city, let’s just hope this is a one-time incident.

UPDATED, 5 p.m.: Sweetgreen President and Chief Operating Officer Karen Kelley released a statement regarding the closure. It reads:

“At Sweetgreen, we have and maintain strict standard operating procedures to run our stores, including rigorous food delivery audits, food prep and washing standards, ongoing line and temp checks, and cross-contamination and zone sanitation standards….As a result of the complexity around our operations—serving real, fresh food, cooked from scratch on premises —we have implemented a new structure and new role within our restaurant operations, the first of which is being deployed today at Back Bay. The team member in this new role, having spent a year training under our chef, will focus specifically on food safety and best-in class culinary practices.”

We’ll update further when Sweetgreen decides when it will re-open.

UPDATED, August 15, 2016: The Back Bay Sweetgreen reopened on the afternoon of Friday, August 12.