Brooklyn, NY — Blend Salad & Juice Bar, located at 1310 78th Street in Brooklyn, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted April 8, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 33 points, placing the establishment in Grade C territory under the city's restaurant grading system. The inspection data was released by DOHMH on April 10, 2026.

The closure came after inspectors documented one critical violation related to container contamination protocols. Corrective action was required and addressed on-site before any reopening could occur.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors cited one critical violation during the April 8 inspection:

Code 05H — No approved written standard operating procedure (SOP) for avoiding contamination by refillable or returnable containers.

This violation concerns the handling of containers that customers bring in or that are reused across multiple filling cycles. Without a documented SOP, there is no verifiable system in place to prevent cross-contamination between uses — a concern particularly relevant to juice bars and smoothie establishments where reusable cups and bottles are common.

Critical violations are those identified by DOHMH as posing a direct or significant risk to public health. When such violations are cited, inspectors may require immediate corrective action as a condition of continued operation. In this case, the establishment was closed and violations requiring immediate action were addressed before the closure order could be lifted.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain written procedures for food safety practices that carry a risk of contamination. This includes protocols for the sanitation and handling of any containers that re-enter the food preparation environment after leaving the facility or being used by customers.

The FDA Food Code, which informs many of New York City's local health regulations, similarly requires that food establishments implement documented controls for reusable and returnable containers. Specifically, the code addresses the risk of biological contamination that can occur when containers are refilled without proper cleaning, sanitizing, or inspection procedures.

For juice bars and smoothie establishments, these requirements are particularly relevant. Customers frequently bring personal cups or bottles to be refilled, and establishments that accept such containers must have a clear, written protocol in place to ensure those containers do not introduce pathogens or contaminants into the food preparation area.

The absence of an approved written SOP — even if informal practices are in place — constitutes a critical violation because it removes the accountability structure needed to demonstrate consistent compliance.

Inspection History

Blend Salad & Juice Bar has a limited inspection history on record with DOHMH. The most recent prior inspection on file:

  • January 14, 2026: Score 34 (Grade N — score recorded during re-inspection or initial inspection cycle, pending grade assignment)

A Grade N designation is assigned when a restaurant is inspected and the score has not yet been converted to a letter grade, typically because the establishment is in an adjudication period or awaiting a compliance inspection. The January 2026 score of 34 also fell in the C range, indicating that elevated violation counts have been a recurring issue at this location.

The April 8, 2026 closure marks an escalation from that prior result, with inspectors determining that the critical violation on record warranted an immediate closure order rather than a standard notice.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system assigns letter grades based on the number of points accumulated during a DOHMH inspection. Points are added for each violation found, with critical violations carrying higher point values than general violations.

  • Grade A: 0–13 points (posted immediately after inspection)
  • Grade B: 14–27 points (establishment may request re-inspection before grade is posted)
  • Grade C: 28 or more points (establishment may request re-inspection before grade is posted)

A score of 33 points places Blend Salad & Juice Bar firmly in Grade C range. Establishments that score in the B or C range have the option to request a re-inspection before a letter grade is publicly posted, which is why some locations display a "Grade Pending" sign rather than a letter grade in the period following an inspection.

When a restaurant is closed by DOHMH, the closure is a separate enforcement action from the grading process. A restaurant may be closed during an inspection if critical violations are identified that pose an immediate public health risk. The establishment must correct those violations before it can reopen.

Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant search tool at the NYC Open Data portal or via the city's official restaurant grading website. Inspection records are public and updated regularly as new data is released.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Blend Salad & Juice Bar including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.