Applebee’s, Chili’s, Dos Hombres-Clifton and No Coast Sushi are four local restaurants that serve both lunch and dinner, and have chosen to be partners in Mesa County Public Health’s (MCPH) Partnership for Food Safety program. These restaurants go above and beyond in their food handling practices to limit the risk of foodborne illness.

Dos Hombres is located at 3245 Interstate 70 Business Loop in Clifton. Owner Spike Howard said, “We put food safety as our number one ingredient in all our recipes.” The restaurant also puts local ingredients in its recipes, including Devries Farm Market produce, Dos Reales tortillas and local honey. Local beers and wines are served as well.

Applebee’s in Grand Junction, located at 711 Horizon Drive, is the busiest Applebee’s out of 26 in Colorado. Margie Latta, manager at Applebee’s, said food safety is absolutely a priority. Applebee’s offers extensive menu items, including a popular oriental chicken salad.  Latta wants her staff to be knowledgeable about food safety. “We embrace the health department and make food safety our #1 goal,” said Latta.

Chili’s, located at 584 24 1/2 Rd, Managing Partner Scott Coolbaugh said, “The Partnership is a priority of the team.” Coolbaugh wants customers to know about ribs and chicken crispers but he also wants the community to know how important food safety is to Chili’s.

No Coast Sushi, located at 1119 N 1st St. A, celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. “Our Partnership with the health department shows we have high standards for ourselves. We care about our food,” Lisa Boyd, owner of No Coast Sushi, said. Favorite foods at No Coast Sushi include specialty fish and udon soup.

Applebee’s, Chili’s, Dos Hombres-Clifton and No Coast Sushi work closely with MCPH and are dedicated to food safety education, making sure they have the most proactive food safety practices for their customers.

Give a partner a try! You can be certain that these restaurants are committed to safe food practices.

For a list of partners, click here.