Manhattan, NY — Caffe Paradiso, a coffee and tea establishment located at 202 Elizabeth Street in Manhattan, received a score of 29 following a health inspection conducted on March 30, 2026, placing the restaurant in Grade C territory under New York City's restaurant grading system. The inspection data was released by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on April 1, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March 30 inspection, citing Code 03A: food from a prohibited, unapproved, or unknown source. This violation category covers a range of food safety concerns, including home-canned or home-prepared products, on-site animal slaughter or dressing, Reduced Oxygen Packaged (ROP) fish that was not frozen before processing, and ROP food prepared on premises and transported to another location.

No additional non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection cycle.

Critical violations under the NYC grading system carry heavier point values than non-critical violations and reflect conditions that inspectors have determined pose a more direct risk to public health. A single critical violation can be sufficient to push a score into Grade C range depending on the point value assigned.

Food Safety Context

The violation cited falls under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food preparation, handling, and sourcing standards for food service establishments operating in the five boroughs. Article 81 requires that all food served to the public originate from approved, regulated sources — commercial suppliers, licensed processors, and facilities subject to government oversight.

The FDA Food Code, which informs many of the standards adopted at the state and local level, similarly prohibits the use of food from unapproved sources on the grounds that such products have not been subject to inspection, temperature control verification, or contamination screening during production and transport.

The specific concern with ROP (Reduced Oxygen Packaged) fish that has not been frozen prior to processing relates to the risk of Clostridium botulinum, a toxin-producing bacterium that can thrive in low-oxygen environments. The FDA Food Code includes specific requirements for ROP fish handling because the packaging method suppresses the sensory cues — odor, discoloration — that would otherwise indicate spoilage, making temperature and sourcing controls especially critical.

Unapproved food sources are a concern because the supply chain cannot be verified. Without a traceable, inspected origin, there is no way to confirm that products were handled, stored, or processed according to established food safety standards.

Inspection History

Caffe Paradiso's recent inspection record reflects ongoing scoring above the Grade A threshold:

  • June 8, 2026: Score 32 (Grade Z)
  • March 30, 2026: Score 29 (Grade C)

A Grade Z designation is typically assigned when an establishment is under adjudication or has not yet received an official letter grade following reinspection. The June 2026 entry represents the most recent score on record at the time of this report.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grade system is based on the total point score assigned during a DOHMH inspection. Points are assessed per violation, with critical violations carrying higher point values than non-critical ones. Grades are determined as follows:

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

Restaurants that receive a B or C on their initial inspection are subject to a reinspection, at which point they receive their official letter grade. Grades must be posted publicly at the establishment's entrance.

Inspection records for all NYC restaurants are publicly available through the DOHMH Restaurant Inspection Results database. Consumers can search current grades and full violation histories by restaurant name or address at the NYC Open Data portal or through the city's restaurant lookup tool at nyc.gov/health.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Caffe Paradiso including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.