Manhattan, NY — Cafe D'avignon, located at 88 Essex Street in Manhattan, received a Grade B following a health inspection conducted on March 27, 2026, with a score of 24 out of a possible range that extends into Grade C territory. The result was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 30, 2026.

The score of 24 places the bakery near the upper boundary of the Grade B range, four points below the threshold at which restaurants receive a Grade C.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit, citing Code 06C: food, supplies, or equipment not protected from a potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Specifically, inspectors noted that condiments were not stored in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.

No non-critical violations were recorded during the same visit.

Critical violations under the NYC inspection system are those identified as most likely to contribute to foodborne illness if left unaddressed. Code 06C relates to contamination risk during the handling or presentation of food items and condiments available to customers.

Food Safety Context

NYC Health Code Article 81 establishes standards for food protection, requiring that food and food-contact surfaces be shielded from contamination at every stage — from storage through service. The FDA Food Code similarly mandates that condiments be dispensed in a manner that prevents direct customer contact with the bulk supply, typically through single-use packets, pump dispensers, or direct vendor service.

Contamination of condiments can introduce pathogens to otherwise properly handled food, representing a risk point that inspectors routinely assess in food service and bakery operations.

Inspection History

Cafe D'avignon's recent inspection record reflects a pattern of strong performance, making the March 2026 result a notable departure:

  • May 8, 2026: Score 7 (Grade A)
  • October 9, 2024: Score 5 (Grade A)
  • June 6, 2023: Score 12 (Grade A)
  • November 25, 2022: Score 6 (Grade A)
  • July 7, 2022: Score 34

The July 2022 result — which would fall into Grade C range — stands as the only other significant deviation in the restaurant's publicly available record. The four subsequent inspections prior to March 2026 all produced Grade A scores, with the highest being 12 points.

The March 2026 inspection represents the second time in the available record that the establishment scored above the Grade A threshold.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

DOHMH assigns letter grades to restaurants based on their inspection scores:

  • Grade A: 0–13 points
  • Grade B: 14–27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations. Restaurants that do not receive an A on their initial inspection may request a re-inspection, at which point the resulting grade is posted publicly.

Consumers can look up inspection records for any NYC restaurant through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database at nyc.gov/health, which includes violation details, scores, and grade history for all inspected establishments.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Cafe D'avignon including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.