CHAMPAGNES BISTRO & DELI: 12 Health Violations — Full Report

1260 Bison Ave Ste D3, Newport Beach, CA 92660

12 violations found during inspection on April 8, 2026.

For a place with 'Champagnes' in the name, the vibe was decidedly less sparkling. Raw chicken sitting at a balmy 58-61 degrees in a cooler that forgot its one job. Eggs lounging above butter like they own the place. Gaps in the front doors big enough for uninvited guests to stroll through. Five pounds of marinated chicken had to be tossed. The only thing properly aged here was the grime on the cooler gaskets.

What the Inspector Found

Here's every violation the inspector documented, in their own words:

• Food storage; food storage containers identified — Observed several squeeze bottles with non-descript food throughout the kitchen in the customer facing area. Working containers holding food or food ingredients that are removed from their original packages for use in the food facility, such as cooking oils, flour, herbs, potato flakes, salt, spices, and sugar, shall be identified with the common name of the food, except containers holding food that can be readily and unmistakably recognized, such as dry pasta, need not be identified.
• Plumbing; proper backflow devices — Observed the drainpipe extending past the rim of the floor sink under the ice machine next to the warewash area. Maintain a 1-inch air gap between all drainpipes and the floor sink.
• Garbage and refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained — Observed the shared dumpster to be uncovered. The trash dumpster was observed positioned in a manner that does not allow for the lids to be easily closed within the refuse area. Make all necessary adjustments so that the lids can be easily closed. Maintain trash dumpster lids closed except while in use.
• Nonfood-contact surfaces clean — 1. Clean to remove the accumulation of grime observed on the gaskets and exterior of the sandwich cold-top cooler.
• Premises: personal/cleaning items; vermin-proofing — Observed gaps greater than 1/4 inch between the front doors of the facility. Provide weather strips/or approved coverings so that there are no gaps or openings greater than 1/4 inch to prevent vermin entry.
• Floors, walls and ceilings: built, maintained, and clean — Observed cracked/deteriorated base cove tiles in a corner under the 3-compartment sink in the warewash area. Repair the base cove tiles so that the surface is durable, smooth, and easily cleanable.
• Equipment/Utensils - approved; installed; good repair; capacity — 1. Measured the following potentially hazardous food at the following respective temperatures: 3-drawer cooler at the cook's line: - marinated raw chicken 58 F- 61 F The display thermometer indicated a temperature of 60 F. The refrigeration unit was observed to not maintain potentially hazardous food at/below 41 F. Make all necessary repairs/adjustments to maintain potentially hazardous food at/below 41 F.
• Equipment, utensils and linens: storage and use — Observed soiled and clean bowls stored under the paper towel dispenser at the handwash sink next to the pizza oven. Do not store dishes/utensils/equipment under/next to possible splash areas to prevent cross contamination. Note: No active contamination was observed.
• Food separated and protected — 1. Observed the following in the walk-in cooler: - A covered container of pooled eggs stored on a shelf directly above a covered container of butter. - Raw chicken stored on a shelf directly above beef. Store raw animal products according to cooking temperatures (i.e. chicken below fish).
• Adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas, use — 1. Observed a gap between two hood filters under the hood at the cook's line. Seal all gaps. Establishment Name CHAMPAGNES BISTRO & DELI Inspection Date 04/08/2026 Permit Number PR0021150 Establishment Address 1260 Bison Ave Ste D3 Newport Beach CA 92660-9210 Iterative - Violations
• Thermometers provided and accurate — Observed no display thermometer for the reach-in cooler portion of the cold-top cooler in the sandwich prep area. Provide a display thermometer and place the thermometer in the warmest part of the unit.

Food Destroyed

The inspector required the following food to be discarded: Approximately 5 lbs of marinated chicken

When the inspector orders food thrown away, you know it's bad. This means the food was determined to be unsafe for human consumption.

The Bottom Line

Twelve violations is bad. But what makes Champagnes especially concerning is the temperature issue — raw chicken at 58-61 degrees is deep in the bacterial danger zone where pathogens multiply rapidly. That's not a technicality, that's how people get food poisoning. Combined with the cross-contamination setup in the walk-in cooler (raw chicken above ready-to-eat food) and an open dumpster, this is a restaurant where multiple systems failed at once. Newport Beach has no shortage of delis — maybe try one of the others until this one sorts itself out.

What Happens Next

A reinspection has been scheduled to verify these violations are corrected. If they pass, they'll return to normal operations. If not, further action may be taken including potential closure.

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View the official inspection report (PDF)

All data sourced from the Orange County Health Care Agency. Violations are matters of public record.