It Happened Last Night: Health Department Shuts Down Farmers’ Cabinet

On Monday, Philadelphia’s Department of Health shut down the Farmers’ Cabinet. “As a result of violations found during an inspection, they were ordered to close for 48 hours,” says Department of Health spokesperson Jeff Moran. “Or until all of the violations are corrected.”

Moran would not elaborate on the specific violations, and a copy of the latest inspection report is unavailable. “Reports are posted 30 days after the inspections–at the conclusion of the appeal period,” explains Moran. “I would not be able to provide specifics until after that appeal period.”

But restaurants receive violations from the Department of Health all the time, and very few of them are forced to close.

Prior to the most recent inspection, the Farmers’ Cabinet was inspected by the Department of Health in March 2013, and that report was a glowing one, without a single violation.

Meanwhile, Farmers’ Cabinet co-owner Matt Swartz is out on bail awaiting trial on charges of forgery and tampering with a public document, stemming from a December police raid of the restaurant.

A representative of the Farmers’ Cabinet had no comment about the health violations.

UPDATE: Farmers’ Cabinet is open tonight (2/12/2014).