‘Approximately 5 live cockroaches in the dining area’: Central Ohio eatery closed after license revoked
The only Indian restaurant in Delaware is closed following the revocation of its food service license.
At its monthly meeting on April 28, the Delaware Public Health District (DPHD) voted to revoke the eatery’s license. Yesterday, a vibrant orange closure notice from DPHD was affixed to the door of the downtown Delaware eatery Desi Tadka, informing patrons that the restaurant is—at least for the time being—closed.
The closure follows a litany of health code violations that, according to DPHD inspection reports, continued since at least early 2025. They included violations (many of which were repeated) over sanitation, employees’ lack of food safety knowledge, and even the presence of cockroaches in the dining area.
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“For over a year, our Food Unit team conducted multiple inspections and worked persistently alongside this facility to correct ongoing critical food safety violations,” DPHD health commissioner Garrett Guillozet told 614Now. “Despite repeated guidance and opportunities to come into compliance, the establishment continued to present conditions that pose a direct risk to public health, including concerns that could lead to foodborne illness. Based on these violations and the inability to meet the standards outlined in the Ohio Uniform Food Safety Code, the Board of Health determined that revoking the license was necessary to protect the public.”
DPHD inspection reports from Desi Tadka display repeated violations that occurred between February 26, 2025, and April 10 of this year. The restaurant’s list of “critical” violations includes employees not properly washing hands (in one instance, an employee left the bathroom and entered the kitchen area without washing their hands), employees being unaware of proper temperatures for cooling and reheating food, and more.
A report from a March 31 inspection claims Desi Tadka removed food from its outdoor dumpster and brought it back inside the restaurant.
“Further inspection led to outdoor dumpster where there was reason to believe that foods thrown away on 3/25/26 were brought back in after inspectors left the premises,” the report reads.
Multiple inspections also noted the presence of cockroaches. Investigators found 15 roaches in a trap near the bar during the March 31 visit, and even observed “approximately 5 live cockroaches in the dining area,” including one on a dining room table, during an April 10 inspection.
The restaurant received a warning letter on January 6 and a notice of administrative hearing on March 25, DPHD records state.
According to Guillozet, if Desi Tadka aims to reopen, it must reapply for a food service license and demonstrate it has addressed all previous issues.
“They have to go through the same process as any new facility. That means submitting an application, completing a plan review, correcting all prior violations, and passing a full inspection before a license is issued. Timeline depends on how quickly they meet those requirements, but it’s not immediate,” Guillozet said.
It’s unclear if Desi Tadka plans to reopen. The eatery, which was billed as Delaware’s only Indian restaurant, is located at 44 S. Sandusky St. and originally opened in November of 2023. Desi Tadka did not respond to a request for comment before this story was published.
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