Miller's Jamaican restaurant in St. Petersburg, FL, was closed with 10 violations in Pinellas County

Jamaica Rice and Peas and Jerk ChickenPhoto byJ.S./Yelp

Miller's Jamaican Spice Cuisine in St. Petersburg, Florida, temporarily closed after a health and food safety inspection on August 23, 2024. However, the Pinellas County Caribbean restaurant, known for dishes such as jerk chicken, brown stew, oxtail, ackee, saltfish, and curry chicken, reopened the next day after addressing violations.

What The Inspection Revealed

The initial inspection at Miller's Jamaican Spice Cuisine found 10 total violations, including 4 high-priority and 6 basic issues.

Among the infractions classified as high-priority violations were rodent activity, live roaches, and small flying insect issues. According to state records, inspectors noted 53 rodent droppings inside an oven and 16 on the floor behind it.

A live roach was found in a pan of cornstarch, which was discarded. Four live flies were observed in the kitchen.

Other violations included soiled ceiling tiles, rusted prep tables, and an expired restaurant license. The establishment was also operating with a license that had lapsed on February 1, 2024.

Basic violations included a host of issues, such as soiled ceiling tiles, a poorly maintained kitchen environment with rust on prep tables, and inadequate cleanliness of kitchen appliances that featured food remains.

Thankfully, a follow-up inspection on August 24 allowed the restaurant to reopen after meeting inspection standards. The number of violations decreased to 5, with one high-priority infraction found this time.

Despite these setbacks, Miller's Jamaican Spice Cuisine maintains an impressive 4.5-star rating from 393 Google reviews. One local guide, Chastity Canfall, praised the curry goat dinner and cabbage side dish.

"The Curry Goat Dinner was great. I also ordered the Curry Chicken with Rice Peas and Cabbage. I love the Cabbage."

NOTE: Please note that an inspection report, per the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, provides a snapshot of the conditions observed during the inspection.