Four Duluth-address kitchens got a U grade from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5, two of them on Pleasant Hill Road; nine scored 100. What inspectors found, and the follow-ups.
Four food-service kitchens with Duluth addresses scored an unsatisfactory U grade on health inspections between Sept. 22 and Oct. 5. Two of them are on Pleasant Hill Road. Each now faces a follow-up inspection within about 10 days. “Two consecutive unsatisfactory scores will result in permit suspension,” one of the reports warns.
Updated Oct. 16: All four passed their follow-ups. Chenji Tea Restaurant scored 100, VEGreen 2 Go 96, the Courtyard 95 and Bread Connection Bakery 81. Read the follow-up results.
The scores come from GNR Public Health’s inspection portal, which posts every restaurant inspection in Gwinnett County. Georgia grades on a 100-point scale: A is 90 to 100, B is 80 to 89, C is 70 to 79 and U is 69 or less.
Most kitchens did well. Of 64 establishments whose latest inspection fell in those two weeks, 34 earned an A and nine scored a perfect 100.
The four U grades
| Establishment | Address | Score | Date | Follow-up due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chenji Tea Restaurant | 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite B-5 | 52 | Oct. 2 | Oct. 12 |
| VEGreen 2 Go | 2605 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite 400 | 53 | Sept. 30 | Oct. 9 |
| Bread Connection Bakery | 3170 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite 165 | 62 | Oct. 1 | Oct. 9 |
| Courtyard Atlanta NE Duluth Sugarloaf (hotel food service) | 1948 Satellite Blvd. | 62 | Sept. 28 | Oct. 8 |
Follow-up dates are the ones printed on each report.
Chenji Tea Restaurant scored 52 on Oct. 2, down from 82 in February and 100 in December 2025, according to the inspection report. The inspector recorded:
- no person in charge on site when the inspection began
- the person in charge handling clean utensils without washing hands after coming in the back door
- used utensils in the handwashing sink
- raw pork stored above raw vegetables, and raw meats and fish stored out of order, a repeat violation
- an ice machine with “a build up of a black mold-like substance”
- raw pork thawing without enough running water
Most items were corrected on the spot. The ice machine and the managerial control finding must be fixed by Oct. 12.
VEGreen 2 Go scored 53 on Sept. 30, after 95 in March and 91 in September 2025, according to the inspection report. The inspector found lo mein and cooked broccoli cooling for more than two hours above 70 degrees, and the food was thrown out. Other findings included an employee handling food without washing hands, prepared foods held more than 24 hours without date marks, sanitizer mixed too strong and a back screen door with large holes. Unlabeled containers of salt, mushroom powder and flour were a repeat violation.
Bread Connection Bakery scored 62 on Oct. 1, according to the inspection report. It is the bakery’s second U since June. It scored 57 on June 10 and 85 on June 17. Three findings were repeats from the last inspection:
- lack of active managerial control
- dirty dishes stored in the handwashing sink
- butter and cream cheese left out on time control with no paperwork
The inspector also noted an ice machine with “build-up and pink slime,” cold foods above 41 degrees and a pork cutlet held below 135 degrees. The report warns that three consecutive violations of the same rule result in permit suspension.
The Courtyard Atlanta NE Duluth Sugarloaf hotel’s food service scored 62 on Sept. 28, after 100 in December 2025, according to the inspection report. The walk-in cooler could not keep food at 41 degrees or below; the inspector measured the air inside at 47.1 degrees. Inspectors also found burger patties, boiled eggs and deli sandwiches marked eight days after preparation, past the seven-day limit, and ricotta cheese that expired July 26. The foods were discarded.
A score describes one visit only. Each business can correct the items before its follow-up, and the Duluth Journal will report the follow-up scores. Any business named here may send a response through our contact page.
Two U grades already turned around
Two Duluth restaurants that failed on Sept. 22 passed their follow-ups:
- Yuki, 2205 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite 105, went from 51 to a perfect 100 on Sept. 29, according to its follow-up report.
- Hibachi Buffet, 1825 Liddell Lane, went from 62 to 87 on Oct. 2, according to its follow-up report.
The perfect scores
Nine kitchens scored 100 in the two weeks, according to the portal:
- AZN Asian Street Food, 3940 Buford Highway
- Coleman Middle School cafeteria, 3057 Main St.
- Com Ga Houston, 3350 Steve Reynolds Blvd. (follow-up)
- Come To Go, 2920 Old Norcross Road
- Haru Ichiban Japanese Restaurant, 3646 Satellite Blvd.
- La Placita Taqueria 2, 3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
- Sea Sun Izakaya, 2400 Satellite Blvd. (follow-up)
- Tokyo Shokudo, 3631 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
- Yuki, 2205 Pleasant Hill Road (follow-up)
How the grades broke down
Of the 64 establishments, 34 earned an A, 23 a B, three a C and four a U. The three C grades were Friendship BBQ (70) and La Madeleine (74), both at 2255 Pleasant Hill Road, and Pokiddo Indoor Playground (79) at 2205 Pleasant Hill Road.
The count covers food-service inspections the portal dates Sept. 22 to Oct. 5 at establishments with a Duluth mailing address. The portal’s search shows each establishment’s most recent inspection, so the two Sept. 22 failures above are counted at their follow-up scores. A Duluth mailing address does not always mean a place is inside city limits.
What it means for you
- Look up any restaurant before you go on the GNR Public Health portal. Gwinnett scores are not in the state’s statewide search.
- Every restaurant must post its latest inspection report where customers can see it.
- To report a problem, call Gwinnett County Environmental Health at 770-963-5132.
- Our restaurant inspections guide explains the grades and how to read a report.
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