MANCHESTER — Sixty-four restaurants, kitchens and markets received the highest mark possible for health and cleanliness last year, a list heavily populated with chains and institutions.

On Monday, city health officials released the list of the food-handling establishments to win the 2011 public health excellence award for food safety.

To land on the list, a restaurant or similar establishment must score a 90 or above an any health exams, score no critical violations and have at least one supervisor attend a food-safety training class.

The number of award winners compares to 46 in 2010 and 37 the previous year.

“We're always encouraged to see more people on the list,” said Philip Alexakos, who oversees the inspection program for the city.

Of the 64 winners, 39 were corporate and franchise establishments, including fast-food restaurants and some city supermarkets.

Alexakos said such companies have nationwide reputations, and therefore invest a lot in making sure their employees follow healthy practices.

“It's a way for them to reduce risk,” he said. Such companies are willing to pay the time for employees to take classes, such as ServeSafe, which are required in order to earn the award.

The Airport Diner, part of the Common Man chain of restaurants, won the award for 2011. For the past year, the restaurant focused on the little, day-to-day things needed to keep the restaurant healthy and clean, said Tim Rapp, an assistant manager.

For example, the company paid to rotate every hourly worker — from cook to dishwasher — through the four-hour ServeSafe class, Rapp said.

“The more eyes we can have on that stuff, the safer we're going to be,” he said.

Alexakos said he was also pleased to see institutions that serve highly susceptible populations, such as cafeterias in both hospitals, on the list.

Inspection reports of the 800 establishments that inspectors visit are available on the city website, www.manchesternh.gov. Alexakos said scores are posted a quarterly basis, but he is looking to make them available more frequently.

He said the last outbreak associated with a city establishment was in 2006, and that was a catering business. And it's been years since the city has moved to suspend a license for poor scores.

“Because we have a presence, things can't get that bad by the time we come and visit someone again,” he said. The city visits every establishment at least twice a year, he said.

Manchester is one of 16 communities to inspect restaurants within its borders. Most cities and some large towns do so, but exceptions include Laconia, Conway, Lincoln, Hampton and Hanover, according to the state of New Hampshire website.

mhayward@unionleader.com

The recipients of the 2011 Public Health Excellence Award for Food Safety are:

99 Restaurant & Pub
Airport Diner
Auntie Anne's Pretzels
Ben Nadeau's Subs
Bertucci's Brick Overn Pizzeria
Big Easy Bagel
Burger King (622 S. Willow St.)
Cafe Lauren – Girls Inc.
Chez Vachon
Dairy Queen (715 Second Street, 1500 S. Willow St.)
D'Angelos (88 Harvey Road)
Dunkin' Donuts (100 Eddy Road, 100 McGregor St., 947 Second St., 1022 S. Willow St., 2297 Brown Ave., 510 Harvey Road, 955 Candia Road, 216 Elm St., One Elliot Way)
Easter Seals (200 Zachary Road)
Elliot Commons Cafeteria
Executive Court Banquet
Fitz Vogt – Meals on Wheels
Freed's Bakery
Friendly's # 302
Gov. Hugh Gallen Hi-Rise
Hannaford Food & Drug (201 John Devine Drive, 859 Hanover St.)
Jeremy Nadeau's Subs
Longhorn Steakhouse
Manchester School of Technology
Master Wok
McDonald's (2287 Brown Ave., 907 Hanover St., 196 S. Willow St., 907 Second St.)
Meetinghouse at Riverfront
Mr. Mac's
Panera Bread
Pizza Hut #676
Regina Pizzeria
Rose Byrne Head Start
Sarku Japan
Sophia Nadeau's Subs and Salad Wraps
St. Anthony School Lunch Program
Stop & Shop (777 S. Willow St., 365 Lincoln St.)
Taco Bell (1050 Second St., 1045 S. Willow St.)
TGI Fridays
The Bakeshop on Kelley Street
The Courville at Manchester
The Farnum Center
Tidewater Cafe at Summit Packaging Systems
Tidewater Catering Group, LLC
Trinity High School
VNA Child Care & Family Residence Center
Wendy's (722 Second St., 675 S. Willow St.)