Queens, NY — 1313 Cafe & Juice Bar, an Indian restaurant located at 111-18 101 Avenue in Richmond Hill, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on February 4, 2026. The establishment received a score of 28 points, placing it in Grade C territory, and was cited for one critical violation related to restroom access through food preparation areas.
1313 Cafe & Juice Bar restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The closure marked the second time the restaurant was shut down by health inspectors in less than a week, following a prior closure on January 31, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
During the February 4 inspection, DOHMH inspectors identified one critical violation at the establishment:
The restaurant was cited under violation code 05E for failing to provide a properly accessible toilet facility for employees or patrons. Specifically, inspectors documented that a shared patron-employee restroom was accessible only through the kitchen, food preparation area, or food storage area, or through a utensil washing area.
This type of violation is classified as critical because it creates a direct pathway for contamination. When employees or customers must walk through areas where food is being prepared, stored, or where utensils are being cleaned in order to reach restroom facilities, the risk of cross-contamination increases significantly. Individuals returning from restroom use may introduce pathogens into active food handling zones, and foot traffic through these areas can compromise the sanitary conditions required for safe food preparation.
The single critical violation resulted in a score of 28 points, which falls at the threshold of a Grade C designation under New York City's restaurant grading system. The DOHMH noted that violations requiring immediate action were addressed at the time of inspection, and the establishment was closed.
Food Safety Context
New York City Health Code Article 81 establishes sanitary requirements for food service establishments, including specific provisions regarding the location and accessibility of toilet facilities. The regulation requires that restrooms be accessible without passing through food preparation, food storage, or utensil washing areas to prevent contamination of food and food-contact surfaces.
The FDA Food Code similarly addresses this concern, specifying that toilet rooms must not open directly into areas where food is exposed or where clean equipment and utensils are handled or stored. These requirements exist to maintain a clear separation between sanitary facilities and food handling operations, reducing the risk of foodborne illness transmission.
Restroom access violations are among the structural issues that can be more difficult for restaurants to remediate quickly, as they may require physical modifications to the establishment's layout rather than simple procedural changes.
Inspection History
The February 4 closure was part of a pattern of recent enforcement action at 1313 Cafe & Juice Bar. The restaurant's recent inspection record includes:
- January 31, 2026: Score of 88 points, establishment closed by DOHMH
The January 31 inspection resulted in a significantly higher score of 88 points, indicating multiple violations were identified during that visit. The restaurant was also closed following that inspection.
The two closures occurring within a span of just four days — January 31 and February 4 — suggest that the establishment underwent a re-inspection shortly after the initial closure. The substantially lower score on February 4 (28 points compared to 88 points) indicates that many of the violations identified during the January 31 inspection may have been corrected before the follow-up visit. However, the remaining critical violation regarding restroom access was sufficient to result in another closure.
Data for this inspection was released by DOHMH on February 11, 2026, approximately one week after the inspection was conducted. Readers should note that the restaurant's current operating status may have changed since the inspection date.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on violation point totals accrued during inspections. The scoring system works as follows:
- Grade A: 0 to 13 points
- Grade B: 14 to 27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. 1313 Cafe & Juice Bar's score of 28 points placed it at the minimum threshold for a Grade C designation. Critical violations carry higher point values than general (non-critical) violations, reflecting their greater potential impact on public health.
Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection have the opportunity to request a re-inspection. The establishment posts a "Grade Pending" card until the adjudication process is complete.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, which is publicly accessible online. The database provides detailed information about violations cited, scores received, and grades assigned for each inspection visit.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for 1313 Cafe & Juice Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.