Inspectors from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) gave five Beaufort County restaurants B or C grades in September’s inspections.
The SCDA’s inspectors carry out routine, unannounced restaurant inspections on a quarterly or annual basis. Inspection frequency is based on the restaurant’s compliance history and food processes, according to the SCDA.
Food grades are on a 100-point scale, with A grades above 87 points, B 78 points, and C less than 78 points. Inspectors look for violations of South Carolina’s retail food establishment regulations and deduct points for them. The SCDA can also suspend permits if a restaurant fails to comply, fails to pay fees or has an imminent health hazard.
Miramare Italian Restaurant
Inspectors awarded Beaufort’s Miramare Italian Restaurant at 27 Market Street a C grade with 72 points in a routine inspection on Sept. 17.
Inspectors observed moldy food stored in a cooler, a container of cheese “swelling and about to burst,” and stored foods without expiration dates. Inspectors also noted a “major” presence of flies in the kitchen, as well as black organic matter “growing” inside a cooler.
Inspectors carried out a follow-up inspection on Sept. 25 in which Miramare received an A grade with 100 points. The report notes no violations and a further follow-up is not required.
Four restaurants received B grades
Asian Bistro at 51 New Orleans Road Hilton Head Island received a B grade with 81 points in a Sept. 23 inspection. Inspectors noted:
A bamboo mat used for rolling sushi with build-up of black organic matterBlack organic matter inside component of an ice cream machine and on a table-top gasketNo consumer advisory for raw and undercooked seafood sold at the restaurantA condenser leak in the walk-in freezerAn unused fryer stored in the employee bathroom
A follow-up inspection is required within 10 days, but has not yet been carried out.
Baleada Express at 4 Oliver Court in Bluffton received a B grade with 79 points in a Sept. 10 inspection. The report notes:
Foods for sale that were made at home or obtained from an “unpermitted vendor”Multiple heads of lettuce with “advanced rot”Container of chili peppers contaminated by condensation dripDirty knives stored as cleanFoods stored without expiration date labelsUndercooked eggs for sale without a consumer advisory
Inspectors followed up with Baleada Express on Sept. 15 and awarded it an A grade with 100 points. Inspectors observed no violations and no follow-up is required.
Inspectors gave Daufuskie Crab Company at 256 Cooper River Landing Road a B grade with 81 points in a Sept. 18 inspection. Inspectors observed:
Container of roast beef with green and white organic growthIndoor ice machine with black organic growth and three additional machines with dead insects inside themBroken floor tiles in the kitchen
Inspectors followed up on Sept. 25 and gave an A grade with 100 points, and no follow-up is required.
Hinchey’s Chicago Bar & Grill at 70 Pope Ave. Hilton Head received a B grade with 81 points in a routine inspection on Sept. 15. Inspectors noted:
An employee handle food with their bare handsCooked rice and pork not disposed of after seven daysContainers of cooked food stored on walk-in cooler’s floorOrganic matter built up inside a dish machineHeavy build-up of “food splatter” inside a microwaveCondenser leak in a reach-in freezerRusty shelves in a walk-in cooler
Inspectors carried out a follow-up inspection on Sept. 23 and gave Hinchey’s an A grade with 100 points. No follow-up is needed.
SCDA food inspection reports are publicly available and can be found here.
This story was originally published October 1, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
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