The Snohomish County Health Department has suspended the food permit for Lynnwood’s Washington Burrito, citing health hazards due to repeated violations.

According to a June 29 letter from the department’s Environmental Health Division to Washington Burrito owner/operator Memo Garcia, the order was issued “due to an imminent health hazard from a lack of properly working refrigeration and due to repeat violation of their approved plan of operation.” The violation constitutes an immediate health hazard and the restaurant’s food permit was suspended.

Located in a strip mall just north of the 44th Avenue West and 196th Street Southwest intersection, Washington Burrito accrued 10 “critical” violations in 2022, including possessing unlabeled toxic substances, workers unable to present their food-handling permit, improper cooling procedures, incorrect handling of raw eggs, and cross-contamination. Critical violations are classified by the health authority as “likely to cause foodborne illnesses.”

The health department visited the restaurant four more times in 2023 and issued 18 additional critical violations and three non-critical violations. Five of these were found during the department’s last visit on June 29 and included the following violations: lack of refrigeration, cross-contamination, incorrect handling of eggs and incorrect cold and hot food-holding temperatures.

Washington Burrito will be allowed to reopen after receiving a satisfactory-grade inspection and paying a $410 permit reinstatement fee, the health department said.

Lynnwood Today attempted to contact Washington Burrito but has not received a response. The facility’s phone line connects to an automated message stating that Washington Burrito will reopen in two weeks, though it does not list a specific date or when the message was recorded. The restaurant’s health inspection records can be found on the Snohomish County Health Department’s website. 

— By Jasmine Contreras-Lewis