The White Guava Cafe in Hilo is now seeing red, but not from the blush of its namesake fruit. The Hawai‘i Department of Health has plastered a red "closed" placard on the café's door following an unappetizing discovery of a roach infestation and numerous critical food safety violations. The café at 54 E. Pūʻainakō St., known for its local catering offerings, has been temporarily shut down since October 16, as reported by the DOH's official statement.
Originating from a routine inspection on October 14 that yielded a yellow "conditional" placard, troubles only compounded for the cafe when a follow-up inspection two days later caught sight of live cockroaches cozying up on food-contact surfaces, and both live, and dead roaches throughout the storage and kitchen spaces. The DOH also cited that food at the establishment was not safe, unadulterated, nor honestly presented, a serious violation that can mislead customers and jeopardize their health.
As per the DOH, "Poisonous or toxic materials are not stored" in a manner that prevents contamination of consumables and utensils. The café is now required to deep clean, disinfect, and de-bug before they can think of brewing another cup for their patrons. The kitchen door, a reported ingress point for pests, is also in need of repair to seal the breach against weather and unwanted creatures.
The mandated corrective actions laid out by the DOH require an unwelcome overhaul of White Guava Café’s operations. Contaminated food must be discarded, professional pest control summoned, and the back door—with its broken frame offering pests a VIP entry—needs repair to protect the establishment from insects, rodents, and a potential public relations nightmare. Furthermore, the DOH has ordered the removal of all poisonous materials from food preparation areas—an oversight no one wants to see on their local café’s specials board.
To reopen, White Guava must fix all violations to the health department’s satisfaction—a challenge that AJ & Sons Catering, LLC will need to handle quickly and carefully. Hawaii’s health officials are serious about compliance, and businesses like White Guava Café must either meet standards or shut down. The community will be watching the next inspection closely, as the once-busy café works to regain the trust of Hilo’s residents
