Inspection conducted Dec 17, 2025 · Data released by DOHMH Dec 26, 2025
CLOSED BY DOHMH
Ayat Closed by Health Department After Inspection Finds 21 Critical Violations
Published March 2, 2026 10:31 PM
8504 3 AVENUE, Brooklyn, NY 11209 · Middle Eastern
44
Violation Score A: 0-13 · B: 14-27 · C: 28+
Brooklyn, NY — Ayat, a Middle Eastern restaurant located at 8504 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted on December 17, 2025. The inspection resulted in a score of 44 points, well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C, and documented 21 critical violations and 9 non-critical violations across multiple food safety categories.
Illustrative image — not a photo of the actual business
The closure data was released by DOHMH on December 26, 2025.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented a range of pest-related, food handling, and sanitation violations during the December 17 inspection.
Among the most significant findings, inspectors identified live cockroaches in the facility's food and non-food areas, cited under violation code 04M. Evidence of mice or live mice was also documented in the establishment under code 04L. Additionally, filth flies and food/refuse/sewage-associated flies were noted in the restaurant's food and non-food areas under code 04N.
Conditions conducive to pest harborage were recorded under code 08A, and pesticide-related violations were cited under code 08C, indicating that pesticides were not properly labeled or were used by an unlicensed individual, or that bait stations were unprotected or unlocked.
Food handling violations were also prominent. Inspectors cited the restaurant under code 02A for failing to cook Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods to required minimum internal temperatures. This applies to a range of proteins including poultry (165°F for 15 seconds), ground meat (158°F for 15 seconds), pork (150°F for 15 seconds), and other foods (140°F for 15 seconds). These temperature requirements exist because undercooked animal proteins can harbor dangerous pathogens including Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.
Additional critical violations included food found to be adulterated, contaminated, or cross-contaminated and not discarded in accordance with the establishment's HACCP plan (code 04H). Inspectors also cited improper protection of food, supplies, and equipment from potential contamination sources during storage, preparation, and service (code 06C), as well as improper use or storage of sanitized equipment and utensils (code 06E).
Non-critical violations included non-food contact surfaces made of unacceptable material or not kept clean (code 10F), documented across multiple areas of the establishment.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes the sanitary standards that all food service establishments in the city must meet. The presence of live roaches and evidence of mice represent direct violations of pest control requirements, as these pests can contaminate food and food preparation surfaces with bacteria and other pathogens.
The FDA Food Code requires that TCS foods reach specific internal temperatures to eliminate harmful microorganisms. Failure to meet these cooking temperatures is classified as a critical violation because it poses a direct risk to consumer health. Cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, also documented at Ayat, is a leading cause of foodborne illness in restaurant settings.
When DOHMH determines that conditions at a food establishment pose an imminent threat to public health, inspectors have the authority to order an immediate closure. The establishment must correct all cited violations and pass a re-inspection before reopening to the public.
Inspection History
Ayat's December closure follows a pattern of inspection difficulties documented in 2025:
July 15, 2025: Score 28
July 24, 2025: Score 59, closed by DOHMH
July 28, 2025: Score 16, closed by DOHMH
July 29, 2025: Score 2, Grade Z
December 17, 2025: Score 44, closed by DOHMH
The restaurant was closed twice in late July 2025, receiving scores of 59 and 16 on consecutive inspections. A follow-up inspection on July 29 resulted in a significantly improved score of 2, though it received a Grade Z, which indicates a pending grade assignment. The December 2025 inspection and closure represent the third closure action documented for the restaurant within a six-month period.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on inspection scores:
A: 0–13 points (lowest number of violation points)
B: 14–27 points
C: 28 or more points
Lower scores indicate fewer violations and better compliance with health codes. Ayat's score of 44 falls in the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade C have the option to post the letter grade or a "Grade Pending" card while they request a re-inspection or adjudication hearing.
Consumers can look up any restaurant's inspection history, including specific violations and scores, through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database available on the NYC Open Data portal. The database is updated regularly as new inspection results are processed and released.
CRITICAL Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area. (Code 04M)
CRITICAL Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food not cooked to required minimum internal temperature. • Poultry, poultry parts, ground and comminuted poultry, all stuffing containing poultry, meats, fish or ratites to or above 165 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process • Ground meat, and food containing ground and comminuted meat, to or above 158 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process, except per individual customer request • Pork, any food containing pork to or above 150 °F for 15 seconds • Mechanically tenderized or injected meats to or above 155 °F. • Whole meat roasts and beef steak to or above required temperature and time except per individual customer request • Raw animal foods cooked in microwave to or above165 °F, covered, rotated or stirred • All other foods to or above 140 °F for 15 seconds; shell eggs to or above 145 °F for 15 seconds except per individual customer request. (Code 02A)
CRITICAL Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. (Code 04H)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. (Code 06E)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
CRITICAL Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies. (Code 04N)
Non-Critical Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used. (Code 08C)
Non-Critical Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests. (Code 08A)
CRITICAL Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas. (Code 04L)
CRITICAL Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area. (Code 04M)
CRITICAL Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food not cooked to required minimum internal temperature. • Poultry, poultry parts, ground and comminuted poultry, all stuffing containing poultry, meats, fish or ratites to or above 165 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process • Ground meat, and food containing ground and comminuted meat, to or above 158 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process, except per individual customer request • Pork, any food containing pork to or above 150 °F for 15 seconds • Mechanically tenderized or injected meats to or above 155 °F. • Whole meat roasts and beef steak to or above required temperature and time except per individual customer request • Raw animal foods cooked in microwave to or above165 °F, covered, rotated or stirred • All other foods to or above 140 °F for 15 seconds; shell eggs to or above 145 °F for 15 seconds except per individual customer request. (Code 02A)
CRITICAL Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. (Code 04H)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. (Code 06E)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
CRITICAL Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies. (Code 04N)
Non-Critical Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used. (Code 08C)
Non-Critical Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests. (Code 08A)
CRITICAL Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas. (Code 04L)
CRITICAL Live roaches in facility's food or non-food area. (Code 04M)
CRITICAL Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food not cooked to required minimum internal temperature. • Poultry, poultry parts, ground and comminuted poultry, all stuffing containing poultry, meats, fish or ratites to or above 165 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process • Ground meat, and food containing ground and comminuted meat, to or above 158 °F for 15 seconds with no interruption of the cooking process, except per individual customer request • Pork, any food containing pork to or above 150 °F for 15 seconds • Mechanically tenderized or injected meats to or above 155 °F. • Whole meat roasts and beef steak to or above required temperature and time except per individual customer request • Raw animal foods cooked in microwave to or above165 °F, covered, rotated or stirred • All other foods to or above 140 °F for 15 seconds; shell eggs to or above 145 °F for 15 seconds except per individual customer request. (Code 02A)
CRITICAL Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP plan. (Code 04H)
CRITICAL Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. Condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor. (Code 06C)
CRITICAL Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored. (Code 06E)
Non-Critical Non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit. (Code 10F)
CRITICAL Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (FRSA) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. FRSA flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, Phorid flies and fruit flies. (Code 04N)
Non-Critical Pesticide not properly labeled or used by unlicensed individual. Pesticide, other toxic chemical improperly used/stored. Unprotected, unlocked bait station used. (Code 08C)
Non-Critical Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests. (Code 08A)
CRITICAL Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas. (Code 04L)
Data Source: This report is based on official public inspection data from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), released under the NYC Open Data program.
Editorial Process: Content generated using AI (Claude) to synthesize official inspection data into accessible reporting, then reviewed and verified for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional Review: All content undergoes standards and compliance oversight by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal, through Twin Digital Media's regulatory data auditing protocols.
Regulatory References: NYC Health Code Article 81, FDA Food Code (2022). NYC Restaurant Inspections is an independent public data reporting service. We are not affiliated with the City of New York.
| Last verified: March 13, 2026 | Our methodology
