Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., the busy family-and-fan favorite at 9828 Mission Gorge Rd, Suite A in Santee, has been downgraded following a recent inspection by San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality. The location, known for its game-day crowds, hand-tossed pies, and house beers, now carries a lower health grade pending corrective actions and a reinspection.
According to the county’s posted inspection summary, the downgrade stems from a cluster of food-safety lapses commonly associated with high-volume kitchens. Issues cited include problems with proper cold-holding temperatures on the line, sanitizer concentration and warewashing practices, and general cleanliness and maintenance in food-prep and storage areas. While the restaurant remains open, the letter grade at the entrance signals to diners that Oggi’s must remedy those deficiencies before it can regain an A.
For San Diego County diners, a downgrade is more than a letter on a window—it’s a snapshot of operational controls behind the scenes. Temperature control affects how quickly harmful bacteria can grow; sanitizer and warewashing lapses can undermine even well-executed recipes; and cleanliness standards are critical in preventing cross-contamination. In a kitchen that moves as much dough, cheese, toppings, and fryer fare as Oggi’s does during peak hours, tight systems and vigilant oversight are the difference between a smooth service and safety risks.
The Santee Oggi’s has long enjoyed a strong local following, with hefty volumes of positive reviews praising the pizzas, wings, and rotating taps. That popularity is exactly why a public downgrade matters: a busy floor means higher stakes, and customers should be able to trust that the back-of-house is keeping pace with demand. County rules require the grade card to be clearly displayed, and operators typically schedule a prompt reinspection after making corrections—something regulars should watch for in the coming days.
A downgrade does not mean closure, nor does it erase what fans love about the place. It does, however, signal that management must tighten up day-to-day controls—verifying line-cooler temperatures, calibrating thermometers, logging sanitizer concentrations, and enforcing meticulous cleaning schedules—so that quality and safety rise together. For patrons, the county’s online portal provides full inspection details and follow-ups, offering transparency while the restaurant works through its corrective action plan.
Oggi’s has the scale, staff, and community goodwill to turn this around. If leadership moves quickly to correct the cited violations and retrain where needed, the Santee outpost can restore its A and the trust that comes with it. Until then, the downgraded grade card is a reminder that even San Diego County’s most popular spots are accountable to the same standards—and that diners benefit when those standards are met and maintained.
