Bronx, NY — 99 Cent Southern Pizza, located at 953 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx, received a score of 22 during a New York City health inspection conducted on March 3, 2026, placing it in the Grade B range. The score represents a significant decline from the restaurant's previous inspection, in which it earned a perfect score of zero.
The pizza establishment was cited for one critical violation during the inspection. No non-critical violations were recorded. Data from the inspection was released by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 6, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors identified a critical violation under code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment were not protected from potential sources of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. The citation also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
This type of violation addresses the fundamental requirement that food be shielded from environmental contaminants, cross-contact with other substances, and potential exposure from improperly handled customer containers. A single critical violation of this nature accounted for the restaurant's full 22-point score.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the regulatory framework for food service establishments in New York City. Under these regulations, food must be protected from contamination at all stages of handling, from storage through service. The FDA Food Code similarly requires that food be safeguarded against environmental sources of contamination and that condiment dispensing methods minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
A score of 22 places the restaurant near the upper boundary of the Grade B range, which spans 14 to 27 points. At just six points below the Grade C threshold of 28, the result indicates a level of non-compliance that warrants attention. Grade B scores in the 20s reflect conditions that, while not resulting in closure, represent notable departures from food safety standards.
Inspection History
The March 2026 result marks a departure from the restaurant's recent track record:
- November 14, 2024: Score 0, Grade A
- January 11, 2024: Score 16
- October 6, 2022: Score 12, Grade A
The restaurant had earned a perfect score of zero — the best possible result — during its most recent prior inspection in November 2024, just approximately four months before this latest visit. The January 2024 inspection resulted in a score of 16, which also fell within the Grade B range, though no final grade was recorded for that cycle.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total violation points recorded during an inspection:
- A: 0–13 points — Minimal violations identified
- B: 14–27 points — Moderate violations identified
- C: 28 or more points — Significant violations identified
Restaurants that do not receive an A on an initial inspection may request a re-inspection. Grade cards must be posted where they are visible to the public.
Consumers can verify inspection results and review detailed violation records through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online. All inspection data referenced in this report is drawn from publicly available NYC Open Data records.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for 99 Cent Southern Pizza including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.