Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Bread, located at 412 Court Street in Brooklyn, received a score of 53 during a health inspection conducted on February 13, 2026, placing the restaurant firmly in Grade C territory. Inspectors documented two critical violations, including improper cold food storage temperatures and the absence of a Food Protection Certificate held by a manager or supervisor.
The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on February 16, 2026.
What Inspectors Found
The inspection identified two critical violations at the American cuisine restaurant:
Cold food held above safe temperatures. Inspectors documented that cold Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) food items were being held above 41°F. This violation (Code 02G) covers a range of temperature-sensitive items including smoked or processed fish, which must be held below 38°F, and intact raw eggs, which must remain below 45°F. Reduced oxygen packaged TCS foods must also be held at or below their required temperatures except during active, necessary preparation. When cold foods are stored above these thresholds, the risk of bacterial growth increases significantly.
No Food Protection Certificate on site. Inspectors also cited the establishment for lacking a Food Protection Certificate (FPC) held by a manager or supervisor of food operations (Code 04A). New York City requires that at least one supervisory staff member at every food service establishment hold a valid FPC, which demonstrates completion of an accredited food safety training course. The absence of a certified manager means there may be no trained individual on-site to oversee safe food handling practices.
No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle.
Food Safety Context
Under NYC Health Code Article 81, food service establishments are required to maintain cold TCS foods at or below 41°F to limit the growth of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. The FDA Food Code similarly establishes these temperature thresholds as critical control points in preventing foodborne illness.
The Food Protection Certificate requirement exists to ensure that at least one person in a supervisory role at each establishment has formal training in food safety principles, including proper temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and allergen awareness. This requirement is a foundational element of New York City's food safety regulatory framework.
A score of 53 points indicates multiple areas where the establishment did not meet regulatory standards at the time of inspection. Each violation is assigned a point value based on its severity and the conditions observed, with critical violations carrying higher point values.
Inspection History
Brooklyn Bread's recent inspection record shows a pattern of elevated scores over the past year:
- Feb 13, 2026: Score 53 (Grade C range)
- Aug 7, 2025: Score 62 (Grade Z)
- Jun 6, 2025: Score 79
- Jan 5, 2024: Score 3
- Jan 4, 2024: Score 35
The establishment received a score of 3 in January 2024, which falls well within Grade A range. However, subsequent inspections in 2025 recorded significantly higher scores of 79 and 62, indicating a sustained period of compliance challenges. A Grade Z designation, as recorded in August 2025, indicates that a grade is pending and the restaurant is awaiting adjudication or re-inspection. The current score of 53 continues this trend of scores in the Grade C range.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores. The grading scale is as follows:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
A lower score reflects fewer or less severe violations and indicates stronger compliance with food safety regulations. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C may choose to post the letter grade or a "Grade Pending" card while they await a re-inspection or hearing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).
Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's publicly available restaurant inspection database. All inspection results referenced in this article are based on public record data published by the City of New York.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Brooklyn Bread including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.